When to use 'nang' vs 'ng' and other tricky words, according to this TikTok 'edu-creator'

What if solving your common grammatical errors was as simple as watching a TikTok video?

This is what 'edu-creator' Lyqa Maravilla is known for: Supplying her 1.2 million followers with useful information about the Filipino language through short and easy-to-understand clips.

And since August is Buwan ng Wika, "Unang Hirit" asked the TikTok teacher to share her knowledge about some commonly misused Filipino words and how they are used correctly.

First tip: "Questions" can help you distinguish when to properly use either "nang" or "ng."

“Ginagamit ang 'nang'… kung ito ay sumasagot sa mga ‘H questions.’ Ano ang mga ito? Ito yung how, o paano, how much, o gaano, o kung nauulit ang pandiwa,” the teacher said.

“Ang ‘ng,’ ginagamit natin kung ito ay sumasagot sa mga ‘W questions,’ so ano 'yung mga 'W questions na yan, you have your who or sino, what or ano, when o kailan, at whose o kanino,” she added.

Just to give you an example, here's how to use 'nang' and 'ng' in a proper sentence: "Ang mga bata ay sayaw nang sayaw ng TikTok dance challenge."

Maravilla then moved on to another set of usual suspects: "Sila" and "nila" vs. "sina" vs. "nina."

"Ang 'sila' at 'nila,' - 'yung letter L - ay ginagamit natin kung ang mga pinatutungkulan ay hindi pinagnalanan (o) hindi sinabi ang kanilang mga pangalan sa buong pangungusap o sentence," she explained.

So, for example, if you can't contain your kilig while watching "Crash Landing on You," say: "Nakakikilig sila" or "Iba talaga ang chemisty nila.”

But if you're going to use "sina" or "nina," make sure you mention your subject's names so it goes like this: "Iba talaga ang chemistry nina Son Ye-jin at Hyun Bin."

If you also want to learn how to use the words "din" and "rin" or "doon" and "roon" correctly, watch the rest of Maravilla's #Filipino101 lesson on Unang Hirit's "E-Skwela" segment. —Margaret Claire Layug/GMA News