What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of pangalan (name) and the possessive pronoun mo (your/yours).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you are speaking to someone older, someone in a position of authority or if you are addressing more than one person, you should use pangalan ninyo to show respect. For your own introductions, you can use the informal Ako si [Your Name], but a more formal way to say "My name is [Your Name]." is Ang pangalan ko po ay [Your Name].
How does it change in a sentence?
While pangalan mo is the most common way to say "your name", you can also use iyong pangalan. Using the enclitic pronoun iyong before the noun is grammatically correct and places slightly more emphasis on the word "your".
How do you pronounce it?
/paˈŋalan mo/
When do people say it?
In formal introductions, you might say Ako po ay si [Your Name]. or combine a name introduction with a polite greeting like Ako ay si [Your Name], kumusta po kayo? In casual settings, you might use the shortened term musta? as seen in Ako si [Your Name], musta?
Did you know?
- The pronoun mo shares a common ancestor with the Malay suffix -mu, showing the deep linguistic link between the Philippines and Malaysia.
- Using pangalan ninyo for a single person is a common way to show high respect, even though ninyo is technically a plural pronoun.
- While pangalan mo is standard, the word ngalan is also used in religious contexts to mean 'the name of' when invoking a deity.
Examples in context
- Nakalimutan ko ang pangalan mo.I forgot your name.This sentence shows how to use pangalan mo to say you forgot someone's name.Tatoeba #12027488 by qwertzu, translation #7772550 by sharris123
- Binanggit niya ang pangalan mo sa akin.He mentioned your name to me.This sentence demonstrates using pangalan mo in the context of mentioning a name.Tatoeba #1836788 by nonong, translation #297469 by CK
- Nakalimutan mong burahin ang pangalan mo.You forgot to erase your name.This sentence uses pangalan mo to describe the act of forgetting to erase a name.Tatoeba #11537990 by qwertzu, translation #3022172 by sharptoothed
- Ako po ay si Maria.I am Maria.
- Ako ay si Liza, kumusta po kayo?I am Liza, how are you?
- Ako si Mark.I am Mark.
- Ako si Anna, musta?I am Anna, how are you?
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jasmine and Mark are meeting for the first time at a party.
- JasmineAno ang pangalan mo?What is your name?
- MarkMark ang pangalan ko.My name is Mark.
- JasmineMaganda ang pangalan mo, Mark.Your name is beautiful, Mark.
- MarkSalamat, Jasmine.Thank you, Jasmine.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (pangalan, mo) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mo, pangalan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
