tagpila

How Much

Level 1

Use tagpila when you want to know how much one item costs (e.g., 'How much per kilo?' or 'How much each?').

How It Works

In Cebuano, shopping and commuting require distinguishing between a total amount and a unit rate. Tagpila is the standard interrogative for the latter.

1. Sentence Structure
It usually appears at the start of the sentence, often followed by the ang marker to identify the item, or a demonstrative like ni (this).

  • Tagpila ni? (How much is this each?)
  • Tagpila ang... (How much is the... [per unit]?)

2. Distributive Nature
The prefix tag- indicates distribution. When attached to the root pila (how many/much), it literally asks 'at what rate per unit?' This is why it is used for fares, weights, and individual pieces of fruit or bread.

3. Answering the Question
To answer a tagpila question, you mirror the structure by attaching the tag- prefix to a number. For example, if an item is five pesos each, you say Tag-lima. If it is ten pesos, you say Tag-napulo.

4. Social Context
This is a high-frequency 'market word.' Whether you are at a sari-sari store or riding a jeepney, tagpila is your primary tool for bargaining and inquiry. In casual speech, the particle man is often added (Tagpila man ni?) to soften the question or add emphasis.

Examples (4)

  1. Tagpila ni?

    How much is this (each)?

    Word by Word: How-much-each this?

    A very common short phrase used when pointing at an item in a store.

  2. Tagpila ang kilo sa bugas?

    How much is a kilo of rice?

    Word by Word: How-much-each the kilo of rice?

    Uses 'sa' to link the unit (kilo) to the product (rice).

  3. Tagpila ang plete sa dyipni?

    How much is the jeepney fare?

    Word by Word: How-much-each the fare of jeepney?

    In this context, it asks for the rate per person/ride.

  4. Tagpila man ang usa ka buok saging?

    How much is one piece of banana?

    Word by Word: How-much-each [particle] the one [linker] piece banana?

    Uses 'usa ka buok' to explicitly ask for the price of a single piece.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'pila' when you want the price of each one.

    Different MeaningPila ang saging?
    Tagpila ang saging?

    'Pila ang saging?' is a good question: it asks how much the bananas cost (or how many there are). 'Tagpila' asks the price of each one.

  • Using 'tagpila' to ask for the total sum of a purchase.

    Tagpila tanan?
    Pila tanan?

    When asking for the final total (all together), use 'pila'. 'Tagpila' is specifically for the rate per unit.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

tagpilaLevel 1How Much

Learn This First

To understand 'tagpila', you first need to know the basic interrogative for quantity ('pila') and how to identify the subject of the question using the 'ang' marker or demonstrative pronouns like 'ni'.

Words in This Pattern

pilatag-