may
There Is or Has
May is the primary way to say 'there is' or 'to have' in Filipino. It is used when the thing being talked about is indefinite (a/some).
How It Works
1. Existential Use (There is/are)
When you want to say that something exists in a location, use may followed immediately by the noun.
Example: May pagkain sa mesa. (There is food on the table.)
2. Possessive Use (Has/Have)
To say someone has something, use may followed by the object, then the person. Note that the object must be indefinite (e.g., 'a car' rather than 'the car').
Example: May kotse siya. (He/She has a car.)
3. Grammatical Rules
- Immediate Follower: May must be followed directly by a noun, adjective, or verb. It cannot be followed by a personal pronoun like ako or siya.
- No Linkers: Unlike its counterpart mayroon, may never uses the linker (-ng/na).
- Pronunciation: In casual conversation, you will often hear it pronounced as 'me', but it is always spelled may.
4. May vs. Nasa
If you want to say 'I have the book' (definite), you do not use may. Instead, you use nasa (e.g., Nasa akin ang libro - The book is with me).
Examples (5)
- May tao sa loob.
There is someone inside.
Word by Word: There-is person at inside.
Here, 'may' functions existentially to show that a person exists in a specific location.
- May pera si Juan.
Juan has money.
Word by Word: Has money [marker] Juan.
This shows possession. Note that 'pera' (money) follows 'may' immediately, before the owner 'si Juan'.
- May bagong sapatos ako.
I have new shoes.
Word by Word: Have new shoes I.
An adjective (bagong) can follow 'may'. The pronoun 'ako' comes after the object phrase.
- May kumakatok sa pinto.
There is someone knocking at the door.
Word by Word: There-is knocking at door.
'May' can also be followed by a verb to indicate that an action is occurring or someone is performing it.
- May tanong ka ba?
Do you have a question?
Word by Word: Have question you [question-marker]?
In questions, the enclitic pronoun 'ka' and particle 'ba' follow the noun 'tanong'.
Common Mistakes
Placing a personal pronoun immediately after 'may'.
May siya libro.May libro siya.'May' cannot be followed by pronouns like 'siya' or 'ako'. The noun must come first, or you must use 'mayroon'.
Using 'may' as a standalone answer to a question.
May!Mayroon!'May' is a bound marker and requires a following word. To say 'There is' or 'I have' as a short answer, use 'Mayroon'.
Adding a linker after 'may'.
Mayng pera ako.May pera ako.The linker -ng/na is never attached to 'may'. It is only used with 'mayroon'.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'may', you need to be comfortable with the basic Filipino sentence structure where the predicate comes first and no 'to be' verb is used. You also need to know how to use pronouns to indicate who possesses the item being mentioned.
- No Copula Before Adjectives Or Nouns
The 'may' pattern functions as a predicate in a sentence without a copula (verb 'to be'), following the standard Filipino non-verbal sentence structure.
Foundations - Three Pronoun Forms
When expressing possession with 'may', the possessor is typically represented by a specific pronoun case (the 'ng' or 'ko' set), which is essential for forming sentences like 'May libro ako'.
Foundations - Predicate First
Understanding that the existential marker 'may' (the predicate) comes at the beginning of the sentence is fundamental to its correct usage.
Foundations
Related Patterns
- mayroonThere Is / Has with an Independent Form
Mayroon is the independent form of 'may', used for emphasis or when a pronoun follows the marker.
Level 1 - walaThere Is None or Does Not Have
Wala is the opposite of 'may', meaning 'there is none' or 'does not have'.
Level 1 - nasaLocated at
Nasa is used for definite possession (having 'the' specific item) or specific location.
Level 1 - na / -ngThe Linker
While 'may' does not use linkers, understanding them is crucial to see why 'mayroon' is different.
Foundations - Second-Position Words
Particles like 'ba' and pronouns like 'ka' often jump to the second position in 'may' sentences.
Foundations
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice may in Bubblegum
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