kina

Plural Oblique Personal Marker

Level 1

Use kina to mark a group of people (by name) as a destination, recipient, or location. It is the plural version of kay.

How It Works

The marker kina serves as the plural oblique personal marker. It is used when a group of people (identified by name) or named pets are the target of a direction, a recipient, or the owner of an object.

Key Functions:

  • Direction/Destination: Used to indicate going toward a group's location or home.
  • Recipients: Used with the word para (for) to show who something is intended for. Note that unlike common nouns which use para sa, personal names use para followed directly by kina.
  • Ownership/Possession: Used to show that something belongs to a group (e.g., Ang bahay ay kina Maria). It is the standard way to answer the plural question Kina kanino? (To/For/With whom?). Note that Kina sino? is a colloquial hybrid.
  • Comitative (With): Used to indicate being with or in the company of a group (e.g., Kasama ako kina Juan).
  • Associative Plural: When followed by one name (e.g., kina Maria), it implies 'Maria and her companions' or 'Maria's household.' This also applies to named pets.

Note on Register: In casual conversation, you will frequently hear kila. While very common in spoken Manila Filipino, you should use kina in formal writing to become proficient in standard grammar.

Examples (4)

  1. Pumunta kami kina Ana noong Sabado.

    We went to Ana’s place last Saturday.

    Word by Word: Went we to-group-of Ana last Saturday.

    Here, 'kina Ana' refers to Ana's house or Ana and her family.

  2. Ibigay mo ang mga libro kina Maria at Juan.

    Give the books to Maria and Juan.

    Word by Word: Give you the (plural) book to-group-of Maria and Juan.

    Kina marks the two specific people receiving the books.

  3. Para kina Lolo at Lola ang prutas na ito.

    These fruits are for Grandpa and Grandma.

    Word by Word: For to-group-of Grandpa and Grandma the fruit (linker) this.

    Kina is used after 'para' to indicate the intended recipients.

  4. Nasa kina Pedro ang susi.

    The keys are at Pedro's place.

    Word by Word: Located-at to-group-of Pedro the key.

    Using 'kina' with 'nasa' indicates location at someone's home or with their group.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'kay' for multiple people.

    Ibigay mo ito kay Ana at Bob.
    Ibigay mo ito kina Ana at Bob.

    'Kay' is strictly singular. When two or more names are listed, 'kina' must be used.

  • Using 'sa' for personal names.

    Pumunta ako sa Ana.
    Pumunta ako kina Ana.

    'Sa' is for common nouns (like 'sa tindahan'). Personal names require 'kay' or 'kina'.

  • Adding 'mga' to 'kina'.

    Para kina mga magulang ko ito.
    Para sa mga magulang ko ito.

    'Kina' is only for proper names. For common nouns like 'magulang' (parents), use 'sa mga'.

How It Connects

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

kinaLevel 1Plural Oblique Personal Marker

Learn This First

To understand kina, you must first be familiar with the singular oblique personal marker kay and the general system of marking personal names in Filipino. It is also helpful to understand the general oblique marker sa, as kina performs the same grammatical role when the object is a group of named individuals.

Words in This Pattern

kina