bug-at

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1 Part of speech, core meaning, usage, and example sentences

Part of speech: adjective
Core meaning: “heavy,” “weighty,” “burdensome,” literal or figurative.

Examples

  • Bug-at ang sakong bugas. – The sack of rice is heavy.
  • Bug-at kaayo ang trapik sa buntag. – Morning traffic is very heavy.
  • Nag-pasan siya og bug-at nga responsibilidad. – She carries a heavy responsibility.
  • Bug-at na ang lawas sa iro; kinahanglan i-diet. – The dog is too heavy; it needs a diet.

2 Linking endings and derivational forms

  • Linkers
    • -ng before a consonant → bug-at-ng bag – heavy bag.
    • nga before a vowel / for clarity → bug-at nga buhat – arduous task.
  • Degree & intensity
  • Exclamatory & abstract nouns
    • Kabug-at oy! – How heavy!
    • kabug-aton – heaviness, weight.
    • pagkabug-at – the state of being heavy.
  • Verb-like derivatives
    • mubug-at / nibug-at / nagbug-at – to become heavier.
    • pabug-ata! (imperative) / pabug-aton – make heavier / intensify.

3 Where to place it in a sentence

  1. Predicate adjective: Ang bag bug-at. – The bag is heavy.
  2. Modifier with linker: bug-at-ng bag.
  3. Complement after emphasis: Mao ni ang bug-at nga kaso. – This is the serious case.

4 Common collocations

5 Detailed usage notes

“Bug-at” refers to physical mass (bug-at nga bato – heavy rock) and figurative gravity (bug-at nga desisyon – weighty decision). Use a linker when it precedes a noun; omit the linker when it follows as predicate. Comparative and superlative rely on mas and pinaka-. Reduplication (bug-at-bug-at) softens to “somewhat heavy.” As a verb, mubug-at signals gaining weight or intensifying burden.

6 Common mistakes to watch for

  • Missing linker: ✗ bug-at bag → ✓ bug-at-ng bag.
  • Placing mas after adjective: ✗ bug-at mas → ✓ mas bug-at.
  • Separating pinaka from root: ✗ pinaka bug-at → ✓ pinakabug-at.
  • **Using bug-at for size (large) instead of weight—use dako for big.
  • Writing without hyphen: ✗ bugat → ✓ bug-at.

7 Five handy conversational phrases

  1. Kabug-at sa imong gi-alsa, tabangan tika. – That looks heavy; I’ll help you.
  2. Mas bug-at ang bayranan kung madugay ka sa pag-bayad. – The fee is heavier if you pay late.
  3. Pinakabug-at gyud ni nga proyekto sa quarter. – This is truly the heaviest project this quarter.
  4. Bug-at-bug-at ra ang bag, pero madala ra nako. – The bag is a bit heavy, but I can handle it.
  5. Ayaw pabug-ata ang imong hunahuna, relax sa weekend. – Don’t weigh your mind down; relax this weekend.

8 Five simple conversation exchanges

  1. Q: Bug-at ba ang kahon? – Is the box heavy?
    A: Oo, bug-at kaayo; kinahanglan ko’g tabang. – Yes, very heavy; I need help.
  2. Q: Ngano mas bug-at man ang trapik karong buntag? – Why is traffic heavier this morning?
    A: Mas bug-at kay naay aksidente sa kanto. – Heavier because there’s an accident at the corner.
  3. Q: Asa ang pinakabug-at nga paliton sa listahan? – What’s the heaviest item on the list?
    A: Ang sako sa humay mao ang pinakabug-at. – The sack of rice is the heaviest.
  4. Q: Bug-at-bug-at ra ba ang workload nimo karon? – Is your workload somewhat heavy now?
    A: Oo, pero manageable pa. – Yes, but still manageable.
  5. Q: Unsaon nato pag-bug-at sa tuno sa report? – How can we make the report carry more weight?
    A: I-apil nato datos ug testimonya para pabug-aton. – Let’s include data and testimonies to make it weightier.

9 Multiple-choice dialogue questions

Q1. Bug-at ba ang imong backpack?
A. Oo, bug-at kaayo ang akong backpack.
B. Oo, backpack bug-at kaayo akong ang.
C. Oo, bug-at backpack kaayo ang akong.

Q2. Asa ang mas bug-at, ang libro o ang laptop?
A. Mas bug-at ang libro kaysa laptop.
B. Libro kaysa laptop ang mas bug-at.
C. Mas bug-at kaysa libro ang laptop.

Q3. Pinakabug-at ba kini nga bahin sa proyekto?
A. Oo, pinakabug-at kini nga bahin sa proyekto.
B. Oo, kini pinakabug-at bahin sa proyekto.
C. Oo, bahin kini pinakabug-at sa proyekto.

Q4. Ngano bug-at ra imong pamati karon?
A. Bug-at ra akong pamati kay wala koy tulog.
B. Ako bug-at ra pamati kay wala tulog ko.
C. Wala koy tulog pamati bug-at ra ako kay.

Q5. Kinsa’y naay bug-at-bug-at nga pasalubong?
A. Si Ana naay bug-at-bug-at nga pasalubong.
B. Naay si Ana bug-at-bug-at pasalubong.
C. Pasalubong bug-at-bug-at naay si Ana.

Answer key

  • Q1 → A – Predicate bug-at kaayo before subject. B & C scramble articles and order.
  • Q2 → A – Correct comparative: “Mas bug-at ang X kaysa Y.” Others misplace elements.
  • Q3 → A – Pinakabug-at directly precedes kini, keeping clause natural. B & C mis-order words.
  • Q4 → A – Predicate first, then reason; B and C jumble subject-predicate order.
  • Q5 → A – “Naay + subject + description” intact; B & C break the structure.
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