ang maituturing na

What May Be Considered

Level 6

Ang maituturing na is a formal way to say 'what may be considered' or 'that which can be deemed.' It is used in academic and journalistic Filipino to categorize subjects based on judgment or perspective rather than absolute, undeniable fact.

How It Works

The expression ang maituturing na is a sophisticated tool for formal discourse.

1. Morphological Breakdown:

  • mai-: A potential object-focus prefix. Unlike the standard i-, mai- indicates that the action is possible or can be achieved.
  • tuturing: The root turing (to mention/value) undergoes first-syllable reduplication to indicate the contemplated aspect (potential future/general state).
  • na: The linker is required to connect the verb to the following noun or adjective that serves as the classification.

2. Potentiality vs. Reality:
There is a subtle difference between ang itinuturing na (what is considered) and ang maituturing na (what can be considered). The latter is more cautious and academic, often used when the speaker is providing an analysis or a definition that others might also agree with.

3. Syntactic Role:
This phrase often acts as the subject of a sentence or as a predicate in a zero copula structure. Because it is object-focus, the entity being classified is the focus of the sentence.

Examples (4)

  1. Ang pamilya ay maituturing na pinakamahalagang yunit ng lipunan.

    The family may be considered the most important unit of society.

    Word by Word: The family [marker] can-be-considered [linker] most-important unit of society.

    This uses the ay inversion to state a sociological definition formally.

  2. Si Jose Rizal ang maituturing na unang dakilang bayani ng ating lahi.

    Jose Rizal is what may be considered the first great hero of our race.

    Word by Word: [Marker] Jose Rizal the can-be-considered [linker] first great hero of our race.

    Here, the phrase acts as a cleft-like identification, providing a historical classification.

  3. Ang anumang paglabag ay maituturing na isang krimen.

    Any violation can be deemed a crime.

    Word by Word: The any violation [marker] can-be-considered [linker] one crime.

    Commonly found in legal contexts to define the consequences of an action.

  4. Ito ang maituturing na pinakamalaking hamon sa ating ekonomiya.

    This is what can be considered the biggest challenge to our economy.

    Word by Word: This the can-be-considered [linker] biggest challenge to our economy.

    Uses a demonstrative to point out a specific conceptual classification.

Common Mistakes

  • Omitting the linker 'na' after the verb.

    Ang maituturing bayani ng bayan...
    Ang maituturing na bayani ng bayan...

    Because 'maituturing' ends in a consonant, the linker 'na' must be present to connect it to the following noun.

  • Using 'maituturing' ('can be considered') where you want 'is considered'.

    Different MeaningSiya ang maituturing na nanalo kahapon.
    Siya ang itinuturing na nanalo kahapon.

    Both are correct. 'Maituturing na nanalo' says he can be considered the winner, which is a softer claim. 'Itinuturing na nanalo' says that is how he is regarded. Use 'itinuturing' for a plain statement.

How It Connects

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

ang maituturing naLevel 6What May Be Considered

Learn This First

To understand 'ang maituturing na', a learner needs to be familiar with how 'ang' can turn a verb phrase into a noun-like unit (headless relative clause). They must also understand the 'ma-' potential/accidental object-focus verb conjugation, as 'maituturing' specifically expresses the possibility or potential of something being considered. Finally, knowledge of the linker 'na' is essential for connecting this potential classification to the rest of the sentence.

Words in This Pattern

turing