Bikol/This and That

Bikol uses three words to represent the words "this" and "that": ini, iyan and idto. Ini means "this", while both iyan and idto mean "that", depending on the context.

This

The word ini can be used in different ways, depending on its location within the sentence. In most cases, if it is in the middle or at the end of a sentence, it is written by itself without modification, as in the cases of this sentence:

• An tawong ini, turog. (This person is asleep.)
• Ano ini? (What is this?)

The ligature -ng is attached when describing objects. This never happens at the end of a sentence and only occurs if ini is placed at the beginning or at the middle. Some examples include:

• Sakuya ining libro. (This book is mine.)
• Haen ining lugar? (Where is this place?)

Attaching the ligature -ng and the case marker mga makes ini plural, becoming "these", as shown by this sentence:

• Saiya ining mga awto. (These cars are his/hers.)

That

iyan or idto are used depending on the relative distance of the referred object or person to the speaker and to the listener. The difference is as follows:

• iyan is used when the referred object or person is far from the speaker but near the listener.
• idto is used when the referred object or person is far from both the speaker and the listener.

Let's have an example. Two kids named James and Nadine are pretty far apart. A cat passes near Yssa.

(Bikol)

James: Yssa, ano iyan?

Nadine: Ikos iyan.

(English)

James: Yssa, What's that? (near you or close to you)

Nadine: That's a cat.

Later on, James and Nadine both see a spider crawling on the ceiling.

James: Yssa, ano idto?

Nadine: Lawa.

James: Yssa, what's that? (over there)

Nadine: That's a spider.