bago + Verb

Before Doing

Level 2

The conjunction bago (before) sequences two events. It is most commonly followed by the neutral form of the verb, regardless of whether the main action happened in the past, present, or future.

How It Works

To become proficient in this pattern, keep these rules in mind:

  • Verb Form: You must use the neutral form (the basic form with its affix, like umalis or magluto). Even if the main sentence is in the past, the action following 'bago' stays neutral because it is viewed as an event yet to occur relative to the main action.
  • The First-Word Rule: Because bago is the first word of its clause, second-position words like pronouns (siya, ako, mo) and particles (lang, na, din) must follow it immediately (e.g., Bago siya kumain... or Bago lang kami dumating...).
  • Noun Phrases: Unlike pronouns, full noun phrases (like ang bata) follow the verb (e.g., Bago kumain ang bata...).
  • Omitting the Subject: If the subject of the 'bago' clause is the same as the main clause, it is frequently omitted for brevity (e.g., Maghugas ka ng kamay bago kumain).
  • The Role of Muna: To sound natural, Filipinos almost always add the enclitic particle muna (meaning 'first') to the main action of the sentence (e.g., Kumain muna ako bago umalis).
  • No Linker: Unlike many other Filipino conjunctions, bago does not require the linker when followed by a verb.

Examples (4)

  1. Bago umalis, kumain muna siya.

    Before leaving, he/she ate first.

    Word by Word: Before to-leave, ate first he/she.

    Here, 'umalis' is in the neutral form. The particle 'muna' is added to the main clause to sound more natural.

  2. Maghugas ka ng kamay bago kumain.

    Wash your hands before eating.

    Word by Word: Wash you [marker] hand before to-eat.

    This is a command. 'Kumain' remains in the neutral form.

  3. Bago ang lahat, magdasal tayo.

    Before everything, let's pray.

    Word by Word: Before the all, pray we.

    In this case, 'bago' is followed directly by a noun phrase ('ang lahat') rather than a verb.

  4. Matulog ka na bago dumating si Tatay.

    Go to sleep now before Dad arrives.

    Word by Word: Sleep you now before to-arrive [marker] Dad.

    Even though the arrival is in the future, the neutral form 'dumating' is used after 'bago'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the contemplated (future) aspect after 'bago'.

    Bago kakain, magdasal tayo.
    Bago kumain, magdasal tayo.

    Learners often think that because the action happens later, they should use the future form. However, Filipino uses the neutral form for this sequence.

  • Adding a linker after 'bago'.

    Bago-ng matulog, uminom siya ng gatas.
    Bago matulog, uminom siya ng gatas.

    The linker 'na/-ng' is not used to connect 'bago' to a verb.

How It Connects

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

bago + VerbLevel 2Before Doing

Learn This First

To use 'bago' with a verb, you must first understand how to form the neutral (infinitive) version of Filipino verbs, as this pattern does not use aspect-marked forms. You also need a basic grasp of Filipino sentence structure to place the 'before' clause naturally in relation to the main action.

Words in This Pattern