May regalo ako para sa lola ko.

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Breakdown of May regalo ako para sa lola ko.

• sa: to
• ko: my (after a noun)
• lola: the grandmother

Questions & Answers about May regalo ako para sa lola ko.

Why does the sentence start with may?

May is used to say that something exists or that someone has something.

So May regalo ako literally means something like:

• There is a gift that I have
• more naturally: I have a gift

In everyday Filipino, may is a very common way to express have/has.

Examples:

• May kotse siya. = He/She has a car.
• May tanong ako. = I have a question.

What is the difference between may and mayroon?

They usually mean the same thing: there is / there are / have / has.

• May regalo ako.
• Mayroon akong regalo.

Both mean I have a gift.

A few practical notes for learners:

• May is very common in everyday speech.
• Mayroon sounds a bit fuller or more formal in some contexts.
• If you use mayroon, the following ako usually changes to akong before the noun:

So:

• May regalo ako.
• Mayroon akong regalo.

Both are correct.

Why is it regalo ako instead of ako regalo?