ti / dagiti

Marking Common Nouns

Level 1

Place ti or dagiti before the whole common-noun phrase.

How It Works

Common nouns include words for people, such as teacher and child, as well as things. Personal names use another marker set. A linked modifier can occur after the marker and before the head noun.

Dagiti commonly signals plural reference. Some nouns remain unchanged, while others have established plural forms such as ubbing. Marker and noun number agreement is not rigid: the sources also admit certain plural noun forms with ti. Learn lexical patterns rather than requiring reduplication everywhere.

These markers introduce participants and possessors. They also mark noun-like uses of adjectives and verbs. In an identifying frame, ti introduces the expression that identifies a role or action. With some actor-focus verbs, ti can instead introduce an unfocused object, translated with a or some. It also occurs in existential constructions. Compare a ti-marked central participant with an iti-marked oblique phrase; voice and the whole construction determine their roles.

Examples (5)

  1. Nangina ti libro.

    The book is expensive.

    Ti introduces the singular common-noun participant.

  2. Nagawid dagiti estudiante.

    The students went home.

    Dagiti marks plural reference with an unchanged noun.

  3. Dakkel ti balay ti maestra.

    The teacher's house is big.

    The second ti introduces the common-noun possessor.

  4. Nagawid dagiti ubbing.

    The children went home.

    Dagiti combines with an established plural noun.

  5. Gumatang ni Rosa ti asin.

    Rosa will buy some salt.

    Ti introduces an unfocused object rather than the actor.

How It Connects

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ti / dagitiLevel 1Marking Common Nouns

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Words in This Pattern

dagiti