Noun + ng + Possessor

Possession with Ng

Level 1

The pattern Noun + ng + Possessor is the primary way to show ownership (like 's) or association (like 'of') in Filipino.

How It Works

The marker ng (pronounced 'nang') acts as a bridge between a head noun and its possessor. It is part of the core phrase markers in Filipino.

1. Ownership and Definiteness
It most commonly shows who owns something. Unlike English, where we say 'the teacher's house,' Filipino says 'house of teacher': bahay ng guro. In this construction, the possessor is typically understood as definite (e.g., 'the teacher') unless a number like 'isa' is added.

2. Association, Composition, and Origin
It is also used to describe what something contains, what it is made of, or where it is from.

  • baso ng tubig (glass of water)
  • tao ng Maynila (person of/from Manila)

3. Plural Possessors
To indicate that a group of common nouns owns something, use ng followed by the plural marker mga. For example: laruan ng mga bata (the children's toy).

4. Important Distinctions
While ng is used for common nouns, you must use ni for singular personal names and nina for groups of people. Additionally, do not confuse this possessive marker with the linker na/-ng, which connects adjectives to nouns. The possessive ng is always a standalone word and does not change its spelling based on the word before it.

Examples (5)

  1. Paborito ko ang kulay ng langit.

    The color of the sky is my favorite.

    Word by Word: Favorite my the color of sky.

    Here, 'ng' links the color (kulay) to its source, the sky (langit).

  2. Nasa labas ang kotse ng kapitbahay.

    The neighbor's car is outside.

    Word by Word: Is outside the car of neighbor.

    This shows literal ownership. The possessed item (kotse) comes before the owner (kapitbahay).

  3. Uminom siya ng isang baso ng gatas.

    He/She drank a glass of milk.

    Word by Word: Drank he/she of one glass of milk.

    The second 'ng' shows composition—what the glass contains.

  4. Malaki ang bahay ng mga aso.

    The dogs' house is big.

    Word by Word: Big the house of [plural] dog.

    To show that multiple common nouns own something, use 'ng' followed by the plural marker 'mga'.

  5. Mababait ang mga tao ng Maynila.

    The people of Manila are kind.

    Word by Word: Kind the [plural] person of Manila.

    In this context, 'ng' indicates the origin or location of the people.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'ng' for personal names.

    aso ng Pedro
    aso ni Pedro

    For specific people's names, you must use the personal marker 'ni' instead of 'ng'.

  • Reversing the word order to match English.

    bata ng libro
    libro ng bata

    In Filipino, the item being owned must come first. 'Bata ng libro' sounds like 'the child of the book' rather than 'the child's book'.

  • Confusing the spelling of 'ng' and 'nang'.

    bahay nang guro
    bahay ng guro

    Although they sound identical, 'ng' is used for nouns and possession, while 'nang' is used for adverbs and time.

How It Connects

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

Noun + ng + PossessorLevel 1Possession with Ng

Learn This First

To understand how to express possession using 'ng', you first need to be familiar with the 'ng' marker itself and how it functions within the broader system of Filipino phrase markers.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern