Marking People's Names: 'si', 'ni', 'kay'

01

The Parallel Sets

• ang becomes si — the person in focus
• ng becomes ni — the other participant, or the possessor
• sa becomes kay — recipient or direction

• Ito ang kaibigan ko, si Anna.

  This is my friend, Anna.

• Kumakain si Anna.

  Anna is eating.

• Ang kotse ni Anna ay bago.

  Anna's car is new.

• Ibigay mo kay Anna ang libro.

  Give the book to Anna.

02

Why This Matters

Using the wrong set is one of the most audible beginner mistakes. Ang Anna is not a light error of style — it is simply not Tagalog. Whenever the noun is somebody's name, reach for si, ni, or kay.

• Mary, ito ang katrabaho ko.

  Mary, this is my colleague. (a name used in direct address takes no marker at all)

Note the last example: when you call out to someone, the name stands bare. The markers are only for names that play a grammatical role in the sentence.

03

More Than One Person

Each marker has a plural partner, used for a group named after one member — "Anna and the others", or a whole family.

• sina (plural of si)
• nina (plural of ni)
• kina (plural of kay)

• Dumating sina Anna at Alex.

  Anna and Alex arrived.

• Pupunta ako kina Anna.

  I am going to Anna's place.

04

Titles and Family Words

Words used as names — kinship terms and titles — usually take the personal markers too, because they point to one specific known person.

• Nagluluto si Nanay.

  Mom is cooking.

• Ang bahay ni Tatay ay malaki.

  Dad's house is big.

When the same word is used as an ordinary description rather than as somebody's name, it goes back to ang, ng, sa: Ang nanay ko ay guro — "My mother is a teacher".