Negation: 'hindi', 'wala', and 'huwag' — Filipino Grammar

Tagalog uses three different negative words, and choosing between them is not a matter of style — each one negates a different kind of sentence. Getting this wrong produces sentences that are simply ungrammatical.

'hindi' — for Verbs and Descriptions

negates actions and qualities. Place it at the very front of the predicate.

Hindi siya guro.
She is not a teacher.
Hindi mainit ang panahon.
The weather is not hot.
Sila ay hindi masaya.
They are unhappy.
Kumakain ako ngayon, pero hindi ako madalas kumain.
I am eating now, but I don't eat often.

Watch the Pronouns Move

Because becomes the first word, every enclitic jumps forward and attaches to it. This is the single most disorienting consequence of negation for learners.

Nakikita nila ito.
They see it.
Hindi nila ito nakikita.
They don't see it.
Hindi kita makita.
I can't see you.
Hindi ko pa kailangang umalis.
I don't need to leave yet.

In that last one, and have both piled onto before the verb even appears.

'wala' — for Existence and Possession

There is no such thing as hindi may. Whenever you would use or , the negative is .

Wala akong oras.
I have no time.
Wala akong itlog.
I don't have any eggs.
Siya ay walang trabaho.
She has no job.
Walang tao sa labas.
There is nobody outside.

Note the linker: + + gives , and + + noun gives .

'huwag' — for Commands

To tell someone not to do something, use — never . In speech it is usually shortened to .

Huwag kang malungkot. Hindi ako malungkot.
Don't be sad. I am not sad.
Wag mong kainin yan! Baboy yan!
Don't eat that! That's pork!
Huwag mong pahiramin ang pera mo.
Don't lend your money.

That first example is a perfect illustration of the split: the command uses , and the reply — an ordinary statement — uses .

Choosing Between Them

Negating a verb or an adjective →
Negating / →
Telling someone not to do something →

'hindi' Standing Alone

As a one-word answer, simply means "no".

Hindi po.
No. (respectfully)
Pumasok ka ba sa paaralan kahapon? Hindi, weekend kahapon.
Did you go to school yesterday? No, it was the weekend.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Filipino course

76 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 16. A few of them, with the words “Negation: 'hindi', 'wala', and 'huwag'” is about in bold:

Siya ay natutulog din. Siya ay hindi.
He is also sleeping. She isn't.
Lesson 16
Maganda ang pakiramdam ko! Wala akong sakit. Malusog ako.
I feel great! I am not sick. I am healthy.
Lesson 64
Siyam na taon na kitang hindi nakita!
I haven't seen you for nine years!
Lesson 175

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