Grammar

Complex Sentences: Conjoining

The Conjunctors ( Part 1 of 2 )

In conjoining, the relationship between the clauses is expressed by the conjunctor.

Clause Conjunctor Clause
Bumuhos ang ulan kaya (Effect) nabasa si Jane.
Mag-jogging ka para (Purpose) lumakas ang katawan mo.

Enclitic particles may occur in these constructions. Some of these particles are optional. Both kasi and tuloy in the example below are optional.

  • Kain kasi nang kain si Walter, kaya tuloy nananaba siya.

In some cases, the enclitic makes the sentence sound better.

  • Awkward: Matanda na si Doug, pero mahilig siyang magdisko.
  • Better: Matanda na si Doug, pero mahilig pa siyang magdisko.

In other cases, the enclitics are required to complete the expression of a particular relationship. In the second example below, naman puts the second clause in contrast with the first clause.

  • Neutral: Nagsigarilyo si Pepe, at nagtabako si Daniel.
  • Contrast: Nagsigarilyo si Pepe, at nagtabako naman si Daniel.

Our focus is the clause that carries the conjunctor; this is typically the second clause. We start with the neutral case of no semantic relationship or dependency between the clauses.

  • Conjunctor: at (and)
  • Example: Namili ako kahapon at nagpunta ako sa beach.

The most common use of at as conjunctor is to express a neutral relationship between the clauses. It merely expresses the observation that another event occurred simultaneously in time or in close proximity.

  • Naglagas ang mga dahon at nalaglag ang mga bunga.

  • Conjunctor: at (and)
  • Example: Salamat sa Diyos at dumating si Digna.

The conjunctor at is also used to introduce an explanatory clause. At here is roughly equivalent to English that in the sentence "Good that you have arrived." Here is an example:

  • Mabuti na lang at umalis si Ben.
The second clause can be any declarative sentence. But the predicate of the first clause appears to be limited to a small set of "judgment" adjectives, as in the above sentence, and verbs expressing emotions as in the following list (all in the incompleted aspect):
  • nagsisisi
    • regrets
  • natutuwa; nagagalak
    • glad
  • nagtataka
    • wonders
  • nasusuya; nabubuwisit; napipika; naasar
    • upset; furious
  • nahihiya
    • shy
  • nalulungkot
    • sad
  • nagagalit
    • angry
  • nanghihinayang
    • feeling sorry

  • Conjunctors:
    • at...naman
    • samantalang...naman
      • in contrast; meanwhile
  • Example:
    • Nagduktor si Curtis at nag-abogado naman si Dante.
    • Nakikain si Dwayne samantalang nakitulog naman si Paul.

The second clause is in direct contrast to the first clause. Samantalang...naman expresses a stronger contrast than at...naman.

  • Inubo si Curtis at na-flu naman si Alfonso.
  • Nagmatigas si Igor, samantalang nagtapat naman si Natasha.

  • Conjunctor: at (and what's more)
  • Particles:
    • na(first clause)
    • pa(second clause)
  • Example: Binaha na nga ang Maynila, at nilindol pa.

The second clause expresses the idea that the event "adds insult to injury," so to speak. The use of na...at...pa is roughly equivalent to the English "on top of it all, and what's more" as in "John lost his job, and what's more, his wife left him." The conjunctor at is optional, and in fact, is typically left out.

  • Nalugi na nga si Damian, at iniwanan pa ng asawa.
  • Kinupkop mo na ang walangkiya, ninakawan ka pa.
  • Pinakain mo na sa palad mo, kinagat ka pa.

    • at saka (and also)
    • at gayon din (and likewise)
    • at...rin (and...too)
  • Example: Nagluto si Karla ng pansit, at saka gumawa siya ng puto.

The second clause describes an event or states a condition that supplements the first clause.

  • Naligo ako sa beach, at saka nagsiyaping ako sa Ala Moana.
  • Namili ako sa Mabini, at namili rin ako sa Makati.
  • Humusay si Esper sa History, at gayon din, humusay siya sa Math.

At gayon din is formal; avoid it.

  • Conjunctors:
    • kaya (tuloy)
    • kaya (nga ba)
    • kaya (ngayon)
      • so therefore; so now
  • Particle: kasi (first clause)
  • Example: Matiyaga (kasi) si Dindo, kaya (tuloy) yumaman siya.

The second clause expresses the effect of the first clause. Kasi is optional, but if it occurs, it must follow the first constituent of the first clause. The particles tuloy, nga ba, and ngayon optionally occur after the conjunctor kaya.

  • Conjunctors:
    • kasi
    • dahil kasi, dahil sa
    • kung dangan kasi
    • papaano kasi
    • sapagka't
    • palibhasa'y
      • because
  • Example: Napangiti si Ramon, kasi naalala niya si Nancy.

The cause clause attributes a cause or offers a reason or explanation for the event in the first sentence.

  • Nahuli ako, kasi naplatan kami.

The conjunctors sapagka't and palibhasa'y are rarely used in casual conversation.

In a cause conjunction, the first clause is an effect clause, and the second is cause. Conversely in an effect conjunction (discussed earlier), the first clause is cause and the second is effect.

  • Cause Conjunction

    Nahuli ako (effect), kasi (cause conjunctor) naplatan kami (cause).

  • Effect Conjunction

    Naplatan kami (cause), kaya (effect conjunctor) nahuli ako (effect).