Plurals: 'mga' and Reduplication

01

'mga' — the Plural Marker

Mga is written with three letters but pronounced ma-nga. It goes after the case marker and before the noun.

• Ang mga bus ay dumarating sa hintuan ng bus.

  The busses are arriving at the bus stop.

• Ang mga tao ay bumababa mula sa bus.

  The people are getting off the bus.

• Ang mga bata ay sumasakay sa bus.

  The children are getting on the bus.

• Mamimili ako ng mga grocery.

  I am shopping for groceries.

The noun itself is untouched: bata is both "child" and "children"; only mga tells you which.

02

Drop It After a Number

When a number or quantity word already establishes plurality, mga is not used. Saying both is redundant and wrong.

• Mayroon akong dalawang anak.

  I have two children. (not dalawang mga anak)

• Bibili ako ng anim na itlog.

  I am buying six eggs.

• Mayroon akong dalawang kotse, dalawang bisikleta, at tatlong motorsiklo.

  I have two cars, two bicycles, and three motorbikes.

03

'mga' as "Approximately"

Before a number, the same word takes on a completely different meaning: "about", "around".

• Mga alas singko ako darating.

  I will arrive around five o'clock.

• Mga sampung tao ang dumating.

  About ten people came.

Context makes the two uses easy to tell apart: before a noun it is plural, before a number it is "roughly".

04

Plural Adjectives by Reduplication

Adjectives can agree with a plural noun by doubling their first syllable after ma-. This is optional, and both forms are correct.

• maganda → magaganda
• malaki → malalaki
• mabait → mababait

• Malalaki ang mga bahay.

  The houses are big.

05

Plural People with 'sina'

Names use their own plural marker rather than mga.

• Dumating sina Anna at Alex.

  Anna and Alex arrived.

06

Addressing a Group

Mga also appears in direct address to several people.

• Mga kaibigan, nakikita niyo ba ito?

  Guys, do you see this?

07

When in Doubt, Leave It Out

Tagalog tolerates an unmarked noun where English would demand a plural. If context already makes the number clear, Filipinos frequently skip mga entirely. Over-using it is a more audible mistake than omitting it.