Questions & Answers about Bilhan mo si Maria ng isda sa palengke.
Why is Bilhan used here instead of Bumili?
Both bilhan and bumili come from the root bili (to buy), but they use different voices/focuses:
Bumili = actor-focus (AF): emphasizes the one who buys
- Bumili ka ng isda sa palengke. – You buy fish at the market. (Focus = you)
Bilhan = locative/benefactive-focus (-an form): emphasizes for whom or where the buying is done
- Bilhan mo si Maria ng isda sa palengke. – Buy Maria some fish at the market. (Focus = Maria, the beneficiary)
In this sentence, Maria (the person who benefits from the action) is the focus, so the benefactive form bilhan is used. If we used bumili, the sentence would naturally focus on you as the buyer instead.
What is the role of si in si Maria?