mahalon

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

Part of speech: adjective
Core meaning: “expensive,” “high-priced,” “costly” (variant of mahal but stronger or more formal).

Example sentences

• Mahalon kaayo ang alahas sa tindahan. – The jewellery in the shop is very expensive.
• Mahalon ang tuition sa pribadong eskuylahan. – Tuition at a private school is costly.
• Mupalit sila og ma­ha­lon nga kamera para sa proyekto. – They will buy an expensive camera for the project.
• Ang mahalon nga bisikleta nagpakita sa iyang hilig sa sports. – The expensive bicycle shows his interest in sports.

2 Linking endings & derivational patterns

• Linkers
  • -ng before a consonant → mahalo-ng sapatos – pricey shoes.
  • nga before a vowel / clarity → mahalon nga hotel – expensive hotel.
• Degree & intensity
  • mas mahalon – more expensive.
  • pinakamahalon – most expensive.
  • mahalon-halon – rather expensive.
  • mahalon kaayo / ma­ha­lon gyud – very expensive.
• Exclamation & abstract noun
  • Kamahalon oy! – So pricey!
  • kamahalon – expensiveness, high cost.
  • pagkamahalon – the state of being expensive.
• Verb-like relatives
  • mamahalon / nimahalon / nagmah­alon – to become expensive.
  • pamahalona! / pamahalon – to raise the price, make costly.

3 Where to place it in a sentence

1. Predicate: Ang relo mahalon. – The watch is expensive.
2. Modifier: mahalon nga relo.
3. After emphasis: Mao ni ang mahalon nga bahin sa plano. – This is the costly part of the plan.

4 Common collocations

• mahalon nga kagamitan – expensive equipment
• mahalon nga bisita – high-value guest
• mahalon nga lugar – pricey location
• mahalon nga plano – costly plan
• mahalon-halon nga bayranan – rather expensive fee

5 Detailed usage notes

“Mahalon” intensifies the sense of high cost beyond ordinary mahal. It can carry a tone of exclusivity or even extravagance (mahalon nga biste – designer dress).
Use a linker when the adjective is before a noun; drop it when the adjective follows the noun as predicate. Comparatives and superlatives take mas and pinaka-. Reduplication (mahalon-halon) softens: “somewhat pricey.” Verb forms (nimahalon) refer to prices going up.

6 Common mistakes

• Omitting linker: ✗ mahalon hotel → ✓ mahalon nga hotel.
• Placing mas after adjective: ✗ mahalon mas → ✓ mas mahalon.
• Separating pinaka: ✗ pinaka mahalon → ✓ pinakamahalon.
• Confusing mahalon (costly) with mahalon noun “to love” (Tagalog influence)—context clarifies.
• Missing hyphen in reduplication: ✗ mahalonhalon → ✓ mahalon-halon.

7 Five everyday phrases

1. Kamahalon sa cellphone, dili pa ko maka-upgrade. – The phone is so pricey; I can’t upgrade yet.
2. Mas mahalon ang imported nga kape kaysa lokal. – Imported coffee is more expensive than local.
3. Pinakamahalon gyud ning resort sa isla. – This resort is the priciest on the island.
4. Mahalon-halon ra ang t-shirt, pero quality pud. – The T-shirt is a bit expensive, but the quality is good.
5. Ayaw pamahalona ang budget, limitahi sa essentials. – Don’t make the budget expensive; limit it to essentials.

8 Five short exchanges

1. Q: Mahalon ba ang tiket sa konsiyerto? – Is the concert ticket expensive?
   A: Oo, mahalon kaayo kay limited seats. – Yes, very costly because seats are limited.
2. Q: Ngano mas mahalon man ang laptop A kaysa laptop B? – Why is laptop A more expensive than laptop B?
   A: Mas mahalon kay mas taas ang specs ug warranty. – More expensive because it has higher specs and a better warranty.
3. Q: Hain ang pinakamahalon nga butang sa mall? – Which is the most expensive item in the mall?
   A: Ang luxury watch mao’y pinakamahalon. – The luxury watch is the most expensive.
4. Q: Mahalon-halon pa ba ang prutas karon? – Are fruits still rather expensive now?
   A: Dili na kaayo; ni-rollback na ang presyo. – Not so much; prices have rolled back.
5. Q: Unsaon nato pag-pamahalon sa brand image? – How do we make the brand image look premium?
   A: Pasakaon nato ang design ug packaging quality. – Upgrade the design and packaging quality.

9 Multiple-choice dialogue questions

Q1. Mahalon ba ang imong sapatos?
A. Mahalon kaayo ang akong sapatos.
B. Sapatos mahalon kaayo ang akong.
C. Mahalon sapatos kaayo ang akong.

Q2. Asa ang mas mahalon, ang kamera o ang lente?
A. Mas mahalon lente kaysa kamera ang.
B. Mas mahalon ang kamera kaysa lente.
C. Kamera kaysa lente ang mas mahalon.

Q3. Pinakamahalon ba kini nga hotel sa siyudad?
A. Kini pinakamahalon hotel sa siyudad.
B. Pinakamahalon kini nga hotel sa siyudad.
C. Hotel kini pinakamahalon sa siyudad.

Q4. Ngano mahalon ra imong plano?
A. Mahalon ra akong plano kay high-end tanan materyales.
B. Plano mahalon ra akong kay high-end tanan materyales.
C. High-end tanan materyales plano mahalon ra ako kay.

Q5. Kinsa’y naay mahalon-halon nga ideya para gift?
A. Si Liza naay mahalon-halon nga ideya.
B. Naay si Liza mahalon-halon ideya.
C. Ideya mahalon-halon naay si Liza.

Answer key and short explanations

• Q1 – A Adjective phrase mahalon kaayo properly before subject; B & C mis-order noun and adjective.
• Q2 – B Comparative pattern “Mas mahalon ang X kaysa Y.” Choices A & C break the comparative order.
• Q3 – B Pinakamahalon immediately precedes kini and links with nga; A & C scramble demonstrative and noun.
• Q4 – A Predicate then reason clause reads naturally; B & C jumble subject-predicate pieces.
• Q5 – A Pattern “naay + subject + description.” Options B & C disrupt that or omit linker.