Requests and Commands

01

The Plain Command

Use the infinitive form of the verb. Add ka or kayo for the person addressed, or mo if the verb is object focus.

• Kumain ka ng prutas.

  Eat some fruit. (actor focus)

• Dalhin mo ang iyong bag.

  Bring your bag. (object focus)

• Tingnan mo, ito ang bago kong bahay.

  Look, this is my new house.

• Buksan mo ang bintana.

  Open the window.

Notice the pronoun: actor-focus commands take ka, object-focus commands take mo. This follows directly from the focus system.

02

Why Object Focus Dominates

When you tell someone to act on a particular thing, that thing is definite — and definite objects call for object focus. As soon as you name what to act on, the verb flips.

• Kumain ka.

  Eat. (nothing specified)

• Kainin mo ang gulay.

  Eat the vegetables. (specific)

03

'paki-' — the Polite Prefix

Attach paki- to the front of the verb root and the command becomes a courteous request. This is the everyday equivalent of "please".

• buksan → pakibuksan (please open)
• abot → pakiabot (please pass)
• sulat → pakisulat (please write)

• Pakibuksan ang pinto.

  Please open the door.

• Pakiabot ng asin.

  Please pass the salt.

Requests with paki- often drop the pronoun altogether, which makes them feel less pushy.

04

Other Ways to Soften

• pakiusap — "please", used for something you really want; more serious and sincere
• mangyaring — very formal, mostly written (signs, notices)
• po — the respect particle, addable to any command
• naman — softens a request into a friendly appeal

• Mangyaring pumunta ka sa tindahan at bumili ng isang dosenang itlog.

  Please go to the store and buy a dozen eggs.

• Pahiramin mo ako ng lapis mo, pakiusap.

  Please lend me your pencil.

• Pakibuksan po ang pinto.

  Please open the door, sir/ma'am.

05

Asking With a Question Instead

As in English, phrasing a request as a question is gentler than issuing an order.

• Maaari mo bang buksan ang bote na ito?

  Can you open this bottle?

• Pwede mo ba akong pahiramin ng payong?

  Could you lend me an umbrella?

06

Negative Commands: 'huwag'

Never use hindi to tell someone not to do something. The word is huwag, shortened to wag in speech.

• Huwag kang malungkot.

  Don't be sad.

• Wag mong kainin yan!

  Don't eat that!

07

Suggestions With 'tayo'

Because tayo includes the listener, it turns a command into "let's".

• Bumili tayo ng bago.

  Let's buy a new one.

• Gawin natin yan.

  Let's do that.

• Kain tayo ng pizza.

  Let's eat pizza.