Understanding how to translate a simple little word like “from” can feel—let’s be honest—a bit like chasing a feather in the wind. In English, “from” is the Swiss Army knife of prepositions: it marks origin, cause, material, time and more. In Tagalog, however, there isn’t a one-to-one counterpart. Instead, a family of words and expressions together cover all the shades of “from.” By the end of this deep dive, you’ll know when to say mula sa, when to opt for galing sa, or even when no preposition is needed at all.
1. Why “from” Isn’t Just “mula”
In English, one word does the heavy lifting. Tagalog takes a more nuanced approach.
- mula and mula sa — The go-to for physical and metaphorical origin.
- galing and galing sa — Emphasizes motion away from a source.
- dahil sa, dahil kay, dahil — Marks cause or reason.
- hasa and hango sa — Used for “derived from,” especially ideas, quotes, or materials.
Digging deeper, you’ll find that context is king—and sometimes no single Tagalog preposition can carry the exact shade of meaning that “from” can.
2. The Core Players: mula sa vs. galing sa
| Tagalog Phrase | Core Meaning | Focus | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| mula sa | origin, starting point | static origin | Mula sa Maynila ako. (I am from Manila.) |
| galing sa | source of movement or action | dynamic movement | Galing sa opisina siya. (She came from the office.) |
- mula sa Use when you want to say where something or someone originates in a non-active sense.
- galing sa Use when the emphasis is on motion—coming, departing, or emanating from somewhere.
Imagine you’re at the office. You’d say:
“Mula sa opisina, nakikita ko ang bundok.”
“From the office, I can see the mountain.”
But if you’re walking out of the office:
“Galing ako sa opisina kanina.”
“I just came from the office.”
3. Expressing Cause and Reason: dahil sa and dahil kay
When English leans on “from” to explain reason—think “He suffers from allergies”—Tagalog switches gears.
- dahil sa — For impersonal or general reasons.
- dahil kay — For personal causes (people, pets, specific names).
Example comparison:
- “He suffers from allergies.” “Naghihirap siya dahil sa allergy.”
- “She learned a lot from Maria.” “Maraming natutunan siya dahil kay Maria.”
Handwritten-style note: you can also drop “sa” or “kay” when the context is obvious, yielding simply dahil—though this is more colloquial.
4. “Derived From”: hango sa
To say something is derived or taken from a source—like a quote, a recipe, or an idea—Tagalog uses hango sa.
“Ang kwentong ito ay hango sa Noli Me Tangere.”
“This story is taken from Noli Me Tangere.”
You’ll often see hango sa in academic writing, articles, or social media posts giving credit.
5. When You Omit “From” Entirely
Believe it or not, sometimes Tagalog doesn’t need mula, galing, or any other equivalent. Context fills in that missing piece.
- Simple motion verbs
- Umalis siya. (She left.)
- Dumating sila. (They arrived.)
- Temporal expressions
- Lunes nang mag-umpisa. (Started on Monday.)
- Araw-araw, alas-otso ang pasok. (Every day, class starts at eight.)
In these cases, adding mula or galing would be grammatically correct but stylistically heavy—like wearing a tuxedo to the beach.
6. Common Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them
- Confusing mula sa with galing sa — Remember: mula sa is about origin; galing sa is about motion.
- Overusing dahil sa — Switch to hango sa when crediting sources or dahil kay for personal causes.
- Forgoing prepositions altogether — In casual speech, dropping prepositions happens—yet in formal contexts, clarity trumps casual cool.
7. Tagalog “From” in Idiomatic Expressions
Just as English has “from A to Z” or “from scratch,” Tagalog has its own set of fixed phrases:
- mula ulo hanggang paa — From head to toe
- mula simula hanggang wakas — From start to finish
- mula sa wala — From nothing (akin to “from scratch”)
Learning these idioms is like discovering the secret passages of a linguistic castle.
8. Quick Reference Table
| English Use-Case | Tagalog Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Origin (static) | mula sa / mula | + sa before a noun |
| Origin (motion) | galing sa | Emphasizes movement |
| Cause / reason (general) | dahil sa | Impersonal |
| Cause / reason (personal) | dahil kay | With human or personal names |
| Derived / taken from | hango sa | Academic, journalistic contexts |
| From start to finish | mula simula hanggang wakas | Idiomatic |
| From head to toe | mula ulo hanggang paa | Idiomatic |
9. Tips for Mastery
- Practice by describing your day: — “Umaga, galing ako sa gym; mula doon, nagtatrabaho ako nang husto dahil sa deadline.”
- Read Tagalog articles and spot the prepositions—ask yourself if you’d use mula, galing, or none at all.
- Record yourself telling a story: each time you reach a point of origin or cause, consciously choose the correct Tagalog preposition.
10. Wrapping Up
Translating “from” into Tagalog isn’t a one-size-fits-all affair. By mastering mula sa, galing sa, dahil sa, hango sa, and knowing when to let context do the heavy lifting, you’ll gain the confidence to express nuances that go way beyond the simple English preposition.
Go ahead—dive mula sa (from) your comfort zone, and see how far your Tagalog will take you!
Further Reading & Practice
- Explore Lakas Wikang Filipino for daily usage examples.
- Listen to Tagalog podcasts—note how speakers organically employ these prepositions.
- Try writing a short journal entry in Tagalog each day, focusing on correct use of “from” equivalents.
Keep at it—soon, nandoon ka na mula sa umpisa hanggang wakas (you’ll be there from start to finish).
