ang
/ʔaŋ/
In Tagalog, the English article 'the' is expressed by ang.
It can be used with both singular and plural nouns.
Meaning: article (article)
Which one should you use?
While ang is used for common nouns, the marker si is used specifically for the proper names of people. Additionally, in formal Tagalog, the marker ng is used to mean 'of the' or to function as the indefinite article 'a' or 'an', serving as a contrast to the definite marker ang.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you are referring to a person by their specific name, you must replace ang with si. For possessive relationships or to mean 'of the', the marker ng is used instead.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʔaŋ/
Did you know?
- Because ang marks the 'topic' of a sentence, you can actually have a sentence where the 'the' part refers to an entire action or phrase rather than just a single noun.
- While English uses 'the' to point to specific things, the Tagalog marker ang functions more like a spotlight, signaling that the noun following it is the actual topic of the entire sentence.
- Using ang before a person's name instead of si changes the meaning from referring to a person to treating that person's identity as a conceptual topic.
Examples in context
- Kay Tom ang aso.The dog is Tom's.This sentence shows how to use ang with a common noun.Tatoeba #11317570 by qwertzu, translation #9479207 by CK
- Ako po ang hepe.I'm the chief.This sentence demonstrates using ang to identify a role.Tatoeba #11820265 by qwertzu, translation #5852536 by CK
- Kayo po ang amo.You're the master.This sentence illustrates using ang when addressing someone's status.Tatoeba #11858343 by qwertzu, translation #2218430 by CK
- Ang bahay ng kaibigan ko.The house of my friend.
- Ang korona ng hariThe crown of the king
- Kinuha ko ang libro ng teacherI took the teacher's book.
- Ang mga kotse sa daanThe cars on the road
- 6483 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mark and Jasmine are talking about a lost item in a room.
- MarkNasaan ang susi?Where is the key?
- JasmineNasa ibabaw ang susi.The key is on top.
- MarkSalamat, Jasmine.Thanks, Jasmine.
- JasmineWalang anuman.You're welcome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “the” translations and entries ang, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
