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Bago ang pagsusulit sa susunod na linggo, babasahin naming muli ang aralin tuwing gabi.

Bago ang pagsusulit sa susunod na linggo, babasahin naming muli ang aralin tuwing gabi.
Before the exam next week, we will read the lesson again every night.
FromLesson 12inHardcore Filipino

Questions & Answers about Bago ang pagsusulit sa susunod na linggo, babasahin naming muli ang aralin tuwing gabi.

What does bago mean here? I thought bago could also mean new.

Yes—bago has two common meanings:

  • before
  • new

In this sentence, it means before because it introduces a time/event phrase: bago ang pagsusulit sa susunod na linggo.

If it meant new, it would usually be describing a noun, as in bagong libro = new book.

Why is it bago ang pagsusulit? What is ang doing there?

Here, ang pagsusulit sa susunod na linggo is the full noun phrase after bago.

So the structure is basically:

  • bago = before
  • ang pagsusulit sa susunod na linggo = the exam next week

A useful thing to remember: ang is not exactly the same as English the. It is a marker with grammatical functions in Filipino. In many translations, though, it often comes out as the.

Why is it sa susunod na linggo and not just sa susunod linggo?

Because na is the linker that connects susunod to linggo.

  • susunod = next/following
  • linggo = week
  • susunod na linggo = next week

This linker is very common in Filipino when one word modifies another.

Does sa susunod na linggo literally mean in the next week or just next week?

In natural English translation, it usually just means next week.

Word-for-word, it is something like:

  • sa = at/in/on
  • susunod na linggo = following week

But in actual usage, sa susunod na linggo is the normal way to say next week.

Is pagsusulit just a vocabulary word, or is it built from smaller parts?

It is built from a common noun-forming pattern, but many learners first memorize it as a whole word.

Here it means exam or test. The pattern with pag- and reduplication often forms nouns referring to an action, process, or event.

So even if you do not fully analyze it yet, it is fine to learn pagsusulit as a set word meaning exam/test.

Why is the verb babasahin instead of magbabasa?

Because this sentence uses object focus (also called patient focus).

  • babasahin puts focus on what will be read
  • the thing being read is ang aralin

So the structure is roughly:

  • Babasahin naming muli ang aralin = The lesson is what we will read again.

If you used magbabasa, the sentence would shift to actor focus:

  • Magbabasa kami ng aralin = We will read a lesson / We will do some reading of the lesson.

Both can be correct, but they organize the sentence differently.

How do we know babasahin is future?

Babasahin is in the contemplated aspect, which is often translated as future in English.

From the root basa:

  • binasa = read / was read
  • binabasa = is reading / is being read
  • babasahin = will read / will be read

The clue here is the reduplication ba- plus the ending -hin.

Filipino is often better described in terms of aspect rather than strict tense, but in this sentence babasahin is naturally translated with will.

What does the -hin in babasahin do?

The -hin helps mark this as an object-focus verb form.

With the root basa:

  • magbasa / magbabasa = actor-focus forms
  • basahin / babasahin = object-focus forms

So babasahin tells you that the sentence is organized around the thing being read, not the reader.

Why is it naming or namin instead of kami?

Because the sentence is using object focus.

In an object-focus sentence, the actor is usually marked with a genitive pronoun, not the ang-form pronoun.

So:

  • namin / naming = by us / our
  • kami = we

Compare:

  • Babasahin namin ang aralin. = We will read the lesson.
    (object focus)
  • Magbabasa kami ng aralin. = We will read a lesson / do reading.
    (actor focus)

So kami would not fit naturally with babasahin in this structure.

Does naming / namin include the person being spoken to?

No. namin is exclusive.

That means it refers to we/us, but not including you.

If the speaker wanted to include the listener, Filipino would use natin instead.

This inclusive/exclusive distinction is something English does not normally show, so it is very important to learn.

Why is it naming instead of namin?

Naming is basically namin with the linker -ng attached.

This linker connects it smoothly to the following word or phrase, here muli.

So:

  • namin = the pronoun itself
  • naming = namin
    • linker

You may also hear Babasahin namin muli ang aralin, but naming is a very natural linked form in this kind of sentence.

What does muli mean? Can I say ulit instead?

Muli means again.

Yes, ulit can also mean again, and it is very common in everyday speech.

The difference is mostly in tone:

  • muli = a bit more formal or literary
  • ulit = more conversational

So this sentence could also be expressed with ulit in more casual Filipino.

Is aralin a noun or a verb here?

Here, aralin is a noun, meaning lesson.

That can be confusing because aralin can also appear as a verb form in other contexts. But in this sentence:

  • babasahin is already the verb
  • ang aralin is the thing being read

So here aralin is clearly the noun lesson.

Why is it ang aralin and not ng aralin?

Because the sentence is in object focus.

In this pattern, the thing affected by the verb—the thing being read—takes ang.

So:

  • babasahin ... ang aralin = the lesson is the focused object

If you changed the sentence to actor focus, you would normally expect ng instead:

  • Magbabasa kami ng aralin

This is one of the most important differences between Filipino focus patterns.

What does tuwing gabi literally mean?

It means every night.

More literally:

  • tuwing = every / each time
  • gabi = night

So tuwing gabi means every night or night after night.

It is a common way to talk about repeated actions at a certain time.

Could I say gabi-gabi instead of tuwing gabi?

Yes. Gabi-gabi also means every night.

The difference is mostly stylistic:

  • tuwing gabi = every night
  • gabi-gabi = night after night / every night

Both are natural, though tuwing gabi sounds a little more neutral in a sentence like this.

Can the word order change, or is this order fixed?

The word order can change. Filipino is more flexible than English, especially with time expressions.

For example, you could also say:

  • Babasahin naming muli ang aralin tuwing gabi bago ang pagsusulit sa susunod na linggo.

That still sounds natural.

What matters most is the marking:

  • ang aralin = the focused object
  • naming / namin = the actor
  • the time phrases can move around more freely

So the original order is natural, but not the only possible one.

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