ito
/ʔiˈto/
In Tagalog, 'it' is expressed as ito.
ito is used as a pronoun for an inanimate thing. While often translated as 'it' in English, it specifically functions as a proximal demonstrative meaning 'this' (near the speaker).
Meaning: subject, inanimate thing (pron)
Which one should you use?
While translated as 'it' in some contexts, ito specifically functions as the proximal demonstrative meaning 'this' (near the speaker).
How does it change in a sentence?
When ito is used as a possessive or follows a preposition like 'of', it changes to the form nito.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʔiˈto/
Did you know?
- Unlike English, where 'it' is a neutral pronoun, ito can be used for people in very specific, often diminutive or affectionate contexts, such as referring to a baby.
- When using ito as a pointer, Filipinos often accompany the word with a subtle chin flick or a nod toward the object to reinforce the proximity.
- While ito refers to things near the speaker, Tagalog has a separate word, iyan, for things near the listener and iyon for things far from both.
Examples in context
- Lobo po ba ito?Is it a wolf?This sentence shows how to use ito to identify an animal.Tatoeba #11873327 by qwertzu, translation #2549771 by CK
- Binuo ko po ito.I assembled it.This sentence uses ito to refer to an object being assembled.Tatoeba #11871803 by qwertzu, translation #2245612 by CK
- Tutubo po ito uli.It will grow back.This sentence uses ito to refer to something growing back.Tatoeba #11774275 by qwertzu, translation #1656218 by Spamster
- 413 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jose and Maria are looking at a gift in a box.
- JoseAno ito?What is this?
- MariaRegalo ito para sa iyo.This is a gift for you.
- JoseSalamat, ang ganda nito!Thank you, this is beautiful!
- MariaWalang anuman.You're welcome.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ito, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
