Is "dala" a verb or an adjective?

@avery Let me backtrack on my answer yesterday to your noun+noun-combinations question. It's possible that we might not have been on the same page.Our starting point was with "susi ng bahay" and I might have misled you to thinking that a modifier is involved there when I translated that to "house key". I should have retained their word order and gave the translation "key of the house" instead.Your follow-up question was about "taong lobo" and the attachment of the "ng" to "tao" there.My explanation to you was about the meaningful sense when the words are combined. Although that is correct, I should have instead pointed out the grammatical basis for the combination.More basic than both words being nouns is the fact that "susi ng bahay" and "taong lobo" are not comparable because:- the "ng" after "susi" is the preposition "ng" (of) - "susi ng bahay" = key of the house.- the "ng" at the end of "tao" is actually the linker "na" that, based on standard usage, transformed to "ng"."Na" is used to link a modifier (usually an adjective or an adverb) to the word modified (usually a noun or a verb). It would translate to something like "that is". It is standard practice though that when the linker "na" follows a word that ends in a vowel, this linker is instead attached to that word. In "taong lobo", the original phrase would be "tao na lobo" (a person that is a wolf) - "tao NA lobo" => "taoNG lobo". This "ng" ending might then be confused with the preposition "ng". The preposition "ng" rarely gets attached to the preceding word that ends in a vowel. It may only happen if: 1) the word combination is an accepted term because it does not change the original meaning of the uncombined words; and 2) the two words would not make sense had they been linked by a "na". For example, "laro NG bata" (game of a child/children) may be expressed as "larong/larung-bata" because "child's game" or "children's games" are valid terms and the meaning, "game of a child/children", is retained. "Larong bata" could not have been "laro NA bata" (game, that is young/a child) as that would not make sense.Also, the combination of the words connected by "ng" are often hyphenated - larong-bata (child's game), taong-lobo (werewolf) - to indicate that the combination is by itself, a valid independent word.

@avery @FilipinoChatAdmin Actually, we also get confused at times if we need to use a hyphen or not. 😁

@avery Thanks, @Tagamanila -- this provides a really good rule of thumb to use for these!Otanes & Schacter's "Tagalog Reference Grammar" has a very long and detailed section about compound nouns that got pretty specific about ways they're used...1. Descriptive (bahay-kubo)
2. Object from combining activity+goal (hanap-buhay)
3. Purpose indicating, from combining object + location (bahay-aklatan)
4. Possessive (anak-araw = child who has sun)
5. Source-indicating (pansit-Kanton = pancit from Canton / Cantonese noodles)But...the subtle difference between some of these was a little too vague and, well, too subtle, for me to keep straight...I've pretty much resigned myself in the short term to simply memorizing the preferred form of compound nouns and using those, rather than trying to determining the logic for which is which. As a side note and minor point, I believe the same book noted that sometimes the "word1+ng - word2" format is often simply shortened for "word1 - word2" without the "ng" attached if the first word is not accepting of an attached "ng", for example, if the first word is "bahay"...which makes sense, but adds another wrinkle to the logic of things...

@avery Re 1. Hyphenated compound nouns linked by NGtulisan ng dagat => tulisanG-dagat
bunga ng araw => bungaNG-araw
kwento ng barbero => kwentoNG-barbero
laro ng bata => laroNG-bataThe hyphen indicates that the 2 words are put together to form a 3rd word that derives its meaning from the 2 words, but in a slightly modified way. For example, "bunga ng araw" is "fruit of the sun", but "bungang-araw" is "prickly heat" or "heat rash". Since "prickly heat" is the skin's reaction to sun heat and humidity, then "fruit of the sun" would be the figurative way of saying that. Our ancestors who formed the word most likely did not know the medical explanation for it yet, but since the phenomenon occurs during the summer months, only a figurative expression could be made. It's a word like "dog days". "Kuwento ng barbero" is "a barber's story". As it is, the barber could be talking about what he had for breakfast that morning and that's just fine. However, when we say "kwentong-barbero", it becomes understood as a "cock and bull story". The basis of the allusion is that as a barber cuts your hair, he might concoct stories just to make them sound interesting and ease boredom.These combinations result in words whose meanings are still close to the relationship made with the two words.Re 2. Compound nouns with hyphen (without linkers)Except for "bahay-bahayan", the rest of the words are formed by normally unrelated terms, but when put together, create a word with its own meaning. They are unrelated in the sense that linking or relating them with a "ng" or "na" would not give the intended meaning."Bahay ng aliwan" would be "the house where entertainment lives" and "bahay na aliwan" would be "house used for entertainment". I am not sure about the correctness of the "amusement house" translation as it might just be a euphemism, but what I know is that "bahay-aliwan" is like a honky-tonk place or a brothel. "Bahay ng bakasyunan" (house of the vacation place) would not make sense, but "bahay na bakasyunan" would be a house for spending a vacation at. If I annually spend a week vacationing at my cousin's house, I may call it as "bahay na bakasyunan ko", but that does give it that my-little-cottage-in-the-woods kind of meaning; "bahay-bakasyunan ko" would. "Anak na araw" (child that is a sun) does not make sense, but "anak ng araw" as "child of the sun" might allude to the brightness of the sun. It might be like "bunga ng araw". However, "bungang-araw" does have something to do with the sun, "anak-araw" does not.Therefore, the meaning resulting from the combination may have some basis on the 2 words, but goes beyond that by having its own special meaning. "Bahay-bahayan" falls under a different category. There are some Filipino words that are repeated with the "an" suffix on the second word. These are "pretend" words. They are always hyphenated.bahay-bahayan = playhouse/play house
pera-perahan = play money
sakit-sakitan = pretending to be sick or malingering
iyak-iyakan = crocodile tears
kasal-kasalan = mock wedding Re: 3. Compound nouns without hypen/linker"Bahaghari" and "balikbayan", like "kapitbahay", are officially coined words. They are linked together permanently and considered as original words from the start.

@kongti "Natutuhan ko nang marami" does not sound right.I think what you wanted to say was "I learned a lot". However, there are two things that made your sentence different from that:A. you used "natutuhan", an object-focused verb, which would require an object. That object is the subject of the sentence. If we are to add the object there, it becomes "Natutuhan ko ITO nang marami". Transforming that to its subject-predicate form, it becomes "ITO ay natutuhan ko nang marami".B. by having "nang" before "marami" (many - an adjective) you made it into an adverb, e.g., plentifully. It would then describe how you learned instead of quantifying it."ITO ay natutuhan ko nang marami" = THIS I learned plentifully/I learned IT plentifully.Possible ways to correct it:1. use the subject-focused form of the verb instead - "matuto" - then use "marami" like a noun to serve as your object - "ng marami" = of many (things)."Natuto ako ng marami" = "Ako ay natuto ng marami" - It now translates to "I learned (of) many things" = "I learned a lot (of things)". - This conforms to your sentence structure, but is not the best way to say it.or2. use "marami" correctly as a modifier/quantifier of "natutuhan" by using the "na" linker - marami na natutuhan (learned plenty/a lot). That becomes your predicate and you as the learner now becomes the subject "ako"."Ako ay maraming natutuhan" = "Marami akong natutuhan" = I learned a lot - This would be the most natural way to say it or3. use an appropriate adverb."Natutuhan ko (ito) nang mabuti" = I learned it well. - This would also sound natural, but the meaning has changed.Should you find the above explanations too complicated, just focus on no. 2 as that would be the best way to correct your sentence. BTW, we sometimes say "natutuhan" as "natutunan". "Natutuhan" is the correct form, but maybe because "natutunan" is easier to pronounce, we end up saying it that way instead.

@Tagamanila
Salamat po sa paliwanag. I'll study po nang function and usage sa susunod. Pagpasensyahan ninyo po ako kasi I have another question. Nalilito po ako tungkol sa paano gumawa ng filipino compound nouns.Question: what is the rule in forming compound nouns in Filipino? I'm still confused when to use hypen and linkers NG/G between nouns. And why are there compound nouns that are just one word (no linker/hypen).Examples: 1. Hypenated compound nouns linked by NGTulisaNG-dagat = pirates
Literal : tulisan ng dagat ( bandit of the sea)BungaNG -araw = prickly heat
Literal: Bunga ng araw ( fruit of the sun)kwentoNG-barbero = hearsay, tall tale, urban legend
Literal: kuwento ng barbero (barber's tale)2. Compound nouns with hypen (without linkers) bahay-aliwan = amusement house
bahay-bata = uterus
bahay-bahayan = playhouse
bahay-bakasyunan = vacation house
bahay-kalakal = company; firm; business
bahay-pangaserahan = boarding-house
anak-araw = albino (lit: son or daughter of the son)3. Compound nouns without hypen/linkerbahaghari = rainbow
(bahag + hari)
Lit: the loin cloth of the kingBalikbayan= a Filipino returning to the Philippines either temporarily or for good.
Balik + bayan

@kongti walang anuman po.😊👍🙏

Salamat sa explanation ni Tagamanila!
At salamat naman sa discussion ni avery.
Natutuhan ko nang marami.

@avery Maraming salamat po sa paliwanag ulit. Naintindihan ko na po. Pagpasensyahan n'yo ako kasi maraming mali ako. Mag-aaral po ako ng husto susunod. Maraming salamat po sa paliwanag ulit. Naintindihan ko na po. Pagpasensyahan n'yo ako kasi MARAMI AKONG MALI. Mag-aaral po ako NANG husto SA susunod.Avoid having the pronoun end a sentence especially when it is the subject/actor. "Maraming mali ako" is not grammatically wrong. It just sounds awkward.Mag-aaral ako NG husto = I will study "husto" (it's like "husto" is a subject to learn)
Mag-aaral ako NANG husto = I will study well/enough ("nang" makes "husto" an adverb)"Susunod" is just "next". By adding "sa" it becomes "on the next", which is understood as "next time".

@kongti "Dala" can be used as a verb and is often used as the short form of "dinala" (brought). It can also be a gerund when used with "ang". It can also mean "to be carrying" or "to have in one's person". Dalá/Dinalá mo ba ang libro? = Did you BRING the book
Dalá/Dinalá ko ang libro = I BROUGHT the book with me.Ano ang dala mo? = What are you BRINGING/do you HAVE WITH you?
Ang dala ko ay libro = What I am BRINGING/HAVE WITH me is a book.

Dalá ko lang kanina = I just HAD it WITH ME earlier today. "Yata" is "I think, but I'm not sure". So it can also mean "maybe".
"Baka" is just "maybe".
"Kaya" is "that's why".Kumakain YATA si Peter = I THINK Peter is eating, BUT I'M NOT SURE
BAKA kumakain si Peter = MAYBE Peter is eating.
Gutom si Peter KAYA kumakain siya = Peter is hungry THAT'S WHY he is eating.

@Tagamanila
Maraming salamat po sa paliwanag ulit. Naintindihan ko na po. Pagpasensyahan n'yo ako kasi maraming mali ako. Mag-aaral po ako ng husto susunod.

@avery Re "taong lobo" (person that is a wolf). In this case yes, because there is really such a word as "werewolf" unreal though it may be. "Lobong tao" (wolf that is a person) might also be possible by some stretch of imagination to describe a wolf that behaves like a human being. On the other hand, the concept of a house being a key or a key being a house would be hard to imagine that's why the linking of one as the modifier of the other would not make much sense.

@avery Pwede bang po sabihin ko "ang susiNG bahay" para sa "susi ng bahay"? Dahil natapos ang salitang susi sa patinig I, kaya dapat idikit ng salitang "ng" ang susi at bahay. Halimbawa ay "ang matabaNG bata."Pwede BA PONG/PO BANG (better) sabihin ko "ang susiNG bahay" para sa "susi ng bahay"? Dahil NATATAPOS (use the present tense because it always is so) ang salitang susi sa patinig I, kaya dapat/PWEDENG ("dapat" is "must", "pwedeng" is "may be". The the attachment of the "na" is the norm, but it is not a must. "Pwedeng" would be the more accurate word) idikit ng salitang "ng" SA SUSI. ISANG halimbawa ay "ang matabaNG bata." (or, "Halimbawa, "ang matabaNG bata".)

Pasensyahan n'yo po ang Filipino ko kung merong maraming mali. Sumusubok po ako magsalita ng purong Filipino upang magiging matatas ako. PAGPASENSYAHAN n'yo (NA) po ang Filipino ko kung merong/MAY ("merong" is OK, but "may" would sound more natural) maraming mali. Sumusubok po AKONG/SINUSUBUKAN KO PONG magsalita ng/SA ("ng" is OK - speak with pure Filipino; "sa" - in pure Filipino) purong Filipino upang MAGING (to become; "magiging" = will become) matatas ako. - The word is really "pagpasensyahan", but a few of us do erroneously omit the "pag". We normally add "na" after "pagpasensyahan". "Pagpasensiyahan" is like "grant your indulgence" and with the "na", it would be like adding "do" to it - do grant your indulgence. "Sumusubok" vs. "sinisubukan": with "sumusubok", focus is on the actor you (ako), with "sinusubukan", focus is on the object "magsalita sa Filipino". We would normally feel that "magsalita sa Filipino" would be more important than "ako", the speaker. So, we would more likely use "sinusubukan".

@Tagamanila
Maraming salamat po. Does this rule apply to all Filipino compound nouns with noun + noun combinations? Because there's a filipino word taong lobo (werewolf) which is a combination of noun (tao) + noun (lobo) that can be linked by ng or na - tao na lobo.

@avery Susing bahay = Susi ng bahay ?Not really. "Susi" (key) and "bahay" (house) are both nouns. "Susi ng bahay" is "key of the house/house key". "Susing bahay" would mean "key that is a house". It might make sense only if there is such a thing as a key shaped like a house."Matabang bata" or "mataba na bata" is OK because "mataba" (fat) is an adjective and could naturally modify the "bata" (child).