What does it mean word for word?
The word nangungulila is the present participle of ulila, which literally refers to being an orphan or feeling a profound sense of loss/loneliness. The phrase uses the preposition sa to link the feeling of longing to the object iyo (you).
Which one should you use?
nangungulila ako sa iyo is highly formal or poetic. In contrast, the informal ways to say this are the shortened miss kita or the more emphatic miss na miss kita, which translates to "I miss you so much".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
nangungulila ako sa iyo is highly formal or poetic and is rarely used in everyday spoken Tagalog. For casual conversation, Filipinos almost always use the English loanword 'miss' instead of the formal 'nangungulila'.
When do people say it?
In Tagalog, the word mahal can mean "dear".
Did you know?
- The word mahal, often used alongside expressions of longing, is a contronym. Depending on the context, it can mean 'dear' or 'expensive'.
- In the phrase miss na miss kita, the repetition of the word miss acts as an intensifier. This grammatical pattern of doubling a word is a common way in Tagalog to express a stronger degree of emotion.
- The preposition sa was represented by the character ᜐ in Baybayin, the ancient pre-colonial writing system of the Philippines, before the Spanish introduced the Latin alphabet.
Examples in context
- Ikinalulungkot ko po na kayo'y wala dito.I feel sad that you are not here.
- Namimiss ko po kayo nang sobra.I miss you so much.
- Namimiss kita.I miss you.
- Miss na miss kita.I really miss you.
Example conversation
Jasmine calls Ricardo while he is working abroad.
- JasmineKumusta ka na, Ricardo? Nangungulila ako sa iyo.How are you, Ricardo? I miss you.
- RicardoMiss na rin kita, Jasmine. Malapit na ako dyan.I miss you too, Jasmine. I will be there soon.
- JasmineSana ay magkita na tayo agad.I hope we can see each other soon.
- RicardoOo, mag-ingat ka palagi.Yes, always take care.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ako, iyo, sa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
