anong ibig mong sabihin?
In Tagalog, "what do you mean?" is said as anong ibig mong sabihin?
This phrase is a question used to ask someone to clarify or explain what they have just said.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is literally composed of anong (what), ibig (want/desire), mong (your/you) and sabihin (to say).
Which one should you use?
While anong ibig mong sabihin? specifically asks for clarification of meaning, the informal expressions Ano yun? and Ano yun, ha? can also be used to mean "What do you mean?", though they can also literally mean "What is that?"
How does it change in a sentence?
To address more than one person or to make the question polite, replace mong with ninyong to form anong ibig ninyong sabihin?
Did you know?
- The word ibig is also a cognate with the Malagasy word ivy, meaning 'saliva', connecting Tagalog to the language of Madagascar.
- In Tagalog, using the plural form anong ibig ninyong sabihin? is a way to show respect to a single person, not just a group.
- Adding the particle ha? to the end of the phrase transforms a standard question into an insistent or challenging request for a better answer.
Examples in context
- Hindi ko naintindihan, anong ibig mong sabihin?I didn't understand, what do you mean?
Example conversation
Juan and Christina are talking about their weekend plans.
- JuanChristina, ayaw mong sumama sa amin?Christina, you don't want to come with us?
- ChristinaMedyo pagod kasi ako.Because I'm a bit tired.
- JuanAnong ibig mong sabihin? Hindi ka ba sasama?What do you mean? You're not coming?
- ChristinaOo, sa susunod na lang ako.Yes, I'll just join next time.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ibig, sabihin, CC BY-SA 4.0.
