kayo / ninyo / inyo

Second-Person Plural or Respectful Forms

Level 1

Kayo, ninyo, and inyo are the plural forms of 'you'. In Filipino culture, these plural forms are a social requirement for showing respect (paggalang) to a single person, such as an elder or a stranger.

How It Works

Using plural pronouns for one person is the standard way to show politeness. For even greater social distance or extreme respect, some speakers even use third-person plural forms. Because these pronouns are used for both a single respected person and a group of people, you can tell them apart by looking at the nouns or adjectives describing them. If addressing one respected person, the noun or adjective remains singular (e.g., Guro po ba kayo? (Are you a teacher?)). If addressing a group, the noun or adjective becomes plural (e.g., Mga guro po ba kayo? (Are you teachers?)).

1. Kayo (Ang Family / Focus)
This functions as both an enclitic pronoun and an independent form. It can follow a verb (Kumain po ba kayo? (Did you eat?)) or start a sentence for emphasis (Kayo po ba ito? (Is this you?)). When used for respect, it is almost always paired with po or the regional variant ho—this applies whether you are addressing a single person or a group of elders, superiors, or strangers. However, when addressing a group of peers or children, it is used without po.

2. Ninyo (Ng Family / Possessive or Agent)
This indicates possession after a noun (bahay ninyo (your house)) or acts as the doer in object-focus sentences. Like kayo, it is also the standard plural form for multiple people, used with or without po depending on the level of respect. In spoken Filipino, this is very often contracted to n'yo (frequently spelled as niyo in casual writing, which is the exact same word). Note that po usually comes before ninyo (e.g., Gagawin po ninyo ito (You will do this)) because one-syllable words precede two-syllable words. However, when contracted to the one-syllable n'yo, the order flips: the pronoun precedes the particle (e.g., Gagawin n'yo po ito (You will do this)).

3. Inyo (Sa Family / Oblique)
Used after the marker sa to mean 'to/for you' or 'at your place/house'. Just like the other forms, it serves as the plural form for multiple people, with or without po. Regarding the placement of po, it usually comes before the phrase if there is a verb (e.g., Ibibigay ko po sa inyo (I will give it to you)) or at the end of a standalone phrase (e.g., Para sa inyo po (For you)). It can also precede a noun using the linker (inyong gamit (your belongings)) to show emphasis. It also functions as a standalone pronoun meaning 'yours' (e.g., Inyo po ba ito? or Sa inyo po ba ito? (Is this yours?)).

Examples (5)

  1. Kumain na po ba kayo?

    Have you (polite/plural) eaten already?

    Word by Word: Eat already [respect] [question] you?

    Here, 'kayo' is the subject. The addition of 'po' makes it a respectful question to one person or a group.

  2. Ano po ang pangalan ninyo?

    What is your (polite/plural) name?

    Word by Word: What [respect] [focus marker] name your?

    'Ninyo' follows the noun 'pangalan' to show possession ('your name').

  3. Para sa inyo ang bulaklak na ito.

    This flower is for you (polite/plural).

    Word by Word: For to you the flower [linker] this.

    'Inyo' is used after 'sa' to indicate the recipient of the flower.

  4. Niluto ba ninyo ito?

    Did you (polite/plural) cook this?

    Word by Word: Cooked [question] by-you this?

    In this object-focus sentence, 'ninyo' acts as the doer (the one who cooked). Notice that the one-syllable 'ba' comes before the two-syllable 'ninyo'.

  5. Kayong mga bata, halikayo rito.

    You children, come here.

    Word by Word: You [linker] [plural marker] child, come-here here.

    This shows 'kayo' used in its literal plural sense to address a group of children, paired with the plural command 'halikayo'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'ka po' to be respectful.

    Salamat ka po.
    Salamat po sa inyo. / Salamat po.

    The singular pronoun 'ka' cannot be made polite just by adding 'po'. To avoid being 'bastos' (rude), you must switch to the plural/respectful forms like 'kayo' or 'inyo' when addressing someone older or in authority.

  • Misplacing 'po' in the pronoun sequence.

    Kumain kayo po?
    Kumain po kayo?

    When using po or its slightly less formal regional variant 'ho', these particles usually take priority in the second position, often appearing before the pronoun.

  • Thinking 'kayo' can only follow a verb.

    Ang guro po ba kayo?
    Kayo po ba ang guro?

    While 'kayo' is often an enclitic, it also serves as the independent form. It can start a sentence for emphasis or be used in an ay-inverted structure.

How It Connects

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

kayo / ninyo / inyoLevel 1Second-Person Plural or Respectful Forms

Learn This First

To learn the second-person plural pronouns, you must first understand the three-case pronoun system (Ang, Ng, and Sa) and how these cases function in a sentence. Additionally, familiarity with the singular second-person forms and the cultural context of using plural pronouns for politeness is required.

Words in This Pattern