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Kayarian ng Pangngalan: Payak, Maylapi, Inuulit, Tambalan (Filipino Lesson and Worksheets)

Learn the types of Filipino nouns according to structure (kayarian ng pangngalan) and test your knowledge with our free worksheets for Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3.

What is kayarian ng pangngalan? The word “kayarian” means structure and of course “pangngalan” means noun, so “kayarian ng pangngalan” simply means how a noun is constructed. It refers to the four types of Filipino nouns according to their composition or word structure.

Filipino nouns follow four general structures:

  • Payak – simple – the most basic – mostly root words
  • Maylapi – affixed – that is, a word that has a prefix, infix, or suffix
  • Inuulit – repeated – a noun where there is repetition of the whole word or majority of the word
  • Tambalan – compound – nouns that are compound words, that is, made up of two separate words

Kayarian ng Pangngalan: Mga Halimbawa (Examples)

Payak

Remember, payak refers to those nouns that are root words, so you can imagine how many thousands of examples there are. I’m just going to write here the payak nouns that are in the Lupang Hinirang (the national anthem of the Philippines) plus some of the most common Filipino words that kids can be expected to know.

  • perlas
  • alab
  • puso
  • dibdib*
  • duyan
  • dagat
  • bundok
  • simoy
  • langit
  • dilag
  • tula
  • awit
  • kislap
  • watawat
  • tagumpay
  • bituin
  • araw
  • lupa
  • buhay
  • piling
  • ligaya

* Even though dibdib looks repeated (inuulit), there is no such Filipino word as “dib” so dibdib really is the root of this word. Other examples of words that look inuulit but are really payak:

  • alaala
  • baybay
  • daldal
  • musmos
  • pakpak
  • paruparo
  • singsing
  • tugtog
  • tuktok

Some commonly-encountered nouns:

  • aklat
  • alpabeto
  • ate
  • bahay
  • banyo
  • barangay
  • bola
  • bulaklak
  • buwan
  • dahon
  • damit
  • hardin
  • kapatid
  • kotse
  • kuya
  • kwaderno
  • lapis
  • lola
  • lolo
  • lungsod
  • nanay
  • panahon
  • papel
  • relihiyon
  • sapatos
  • tatay
  • tubig
  • ulan

Maylapi

Again, maylapi nouns are nouns that have affixes attached to them. As you’d expect, the pangngalang maylapi also number by the thousands, so I’m just writing some of the most common ones here, plus (like the payak) the maylapi words in the Lupang Hinirang.

Maylapi words in the Lupang Hinirang:

  • bayang
  • silanganan
  • lupang
  • manlulupig
  • paglaya
  • pagsinta
  • mang-aapi

Other common pangngalang maylapi:

  • dahilan
  • kaarawan
  • kabaitan
  • kabutihan
  • kagandahan
  • kaklase
  • kalaro
  • kalinisan
  • laruan
  • magsasaka
  • mangingisda
  • paaralan
  • pagbabago
  • pagkain
  • pagsasanay
  • pagsubok
  • simbahan

Inuulit

For pangngalang inuulit (nouns that are repeated), the letters repeated could be:

  • the entire word (example: haka-haka, meaning speculation) OR
  • just a chunk of the word, usually the first two syllables (example: bahay-bahayan, meaning the game of playing house)

Examples:

  • ama-amahan (foster father)
  • anak-anakan (foster child)
  • anting-anting (amulet)
  • ari-arian (possessions)
  • bagay-bagay (stuff)
  • bahay-bahayan (game of playing house)
  • bali-balita (rumor)
  • bulong-bulungan (rumor, gossip)
  • dagat-dagatan (small lake; lagoon)
  • diyus-diyosan (idols)
  • hagdan-hagdan (tiers)
  • haka-haka (speculation)
  • hari-harian (false king; bully)
  • ilog-ilogan (brook; rivulet)
  • kaano-ano (someone with whom one has a relationship)
  • kaloob-looban (deepest part)
  • kamula-mulaan (origin)
  • kasa-kasama (constant companion)
  • nanay-nanayan (foster mother)
  • pala-palagay (conjecture)
  • pali-paligid
  • sabi-sabi (rumour)
  • sali-salita
  • salo-salo (banquet; communal meal)
  • tau-tauhan (figurehead; dummy; puppet)
  • tipon-tipon (gathering)
  • tira-tira (leftovers)
  • usap-usapan (subject of conversation among lots of people)

Tambalan

In English, pangngalang tambalan are compound words — two words that have been combined to create a different word. Sometimes the pangngalang tambalan is made up purely of the two words; at other times, an affix (usually the suffix -ng) has been added to the first word.

Examples:

  • alay-kapwa
  • anak-pawis
  • bahay-ampunan (orphanage)
  • bahay-kubo (a native hut)
  • balikbayan (a Filipino who has come back to the Philippines after having stayed for quite a while abroad)
  • bukang-liwayway (dawn; daybreak)
  • bungang-araw (prickly heat)
  • bungangkahoy (fruit)
  • buntong-hininga (sigh)
  • dapithapon (sunset; twilight; dusk)
  • halamang-ugat (rootcrop)
  • hanapbuhay (occupation; job)
  • hapag-kainan (dining table)
  • ingat-yaman (treasurer)
  • isdang-dagat (saltwater fish)
  • kapitbahay (neighbor)
  • kisapmata (blink of an eye)
  • lakas-loob (courage)
  • lamang dagat (seafood)
  • luksong-tinik (a kind of game)
  • luwalhati (glory)
  • silid-aklatan (library)
  • silid-aralan (classroom)
  • silid-tulugan (bedroom)
  • sulat-kamay (handwriting)
  • tabing-dagat (seaside)
  • takipsilim (twilight; dusk)
  • taong-bayan (townspeople; citizens)
  • taong-gubat (literally forest man; savage)

Kayarian ng Pangngalan Worksheets

Kayarian ng Pangngalan: Worksheet for Kindergarten

This kayarian ng pangngalan activity is a simple matching type exercise that will help reinforce a kindergarten student’s introduction to Filipino noun structure.

You can download a printable PDF copy of this worksheet here: Kayarian ng Pangngalan Worksheet for Kindergarten (PDF)  

Note: you can reduce the size of the worksheet by zooming out your browser screen. For Windows users, scroll down the mouse wheel while pressing the Ctrl key in your keyboard.

Kayarian ng Pangngalan: Worksheet for Grade 1

You can download a printable PDF copy of this worksheet here: Kayarian ng Pangngalan Worksheet for Grade 1 (PDF) 

Note: you can reduce the size of the worksheet by zooming out your browser screen. For Windows users, scroll down the mouse wheel while pressing the Ctrl key in your keyboard.

Kayarian ng Pangngalan: Worksheet for Grade 2

You can download a printable PDF copy of this worksheet here: Kayarian ng Pangngalan Worksheet for Grade 2 (PDF)

Note: you can reduce the size of the worksheet by zooming out your browser screen. For Windows users, scroll down the mouse wheel while pressing the Ctrl key in your keyboard.

Kayarian ng Pangngalan: Worksheet for Grade 3

You can download a printable PDF copy of this worksheet here: Kayarian ng Pangngalan Worksheet for Grade 3 (PDF) 

Note: you can reduce the size of the worksheet by zooming out your browser screen. For Windows users, scroll down the mouse wheel while pressing the Ctrl key in your keyboard.

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