itong

itong is a Filipino demonstrative determiner meaning “this.” It is used directly before a noun to indicate something that is close to the speaker or within the current discourse. As a determiner, it accompanies the noun rather than standing alone as a pronoun; the corresponding, standalone pronoun is ito.

Grammatical usage: It precedes the noun and can be combined with adjectives or phrases to form phrases such as itong libro (this book), itong araw (this day), or itong bagong proyekto (this new project). When referring to more than one item, the phrase typically takes the plural marker mga: itong mga libro (these books). It is common in both spoken and written Filipino and is flexible across different word orders, though it generally stays attached to the noun it modifies.

Distance and related forms: Tagalog uses a system of demonstratives to encode proximity. In addition to itong (this), other demonstratives express distance relative to the speaker or addressee, such as iyon/iyan for “that” or “that one (near you)” and iyon for a more distant referent. These forms help signal which noun is being discussed and how close it is in space or discourse.

Etymology and usage notes: The form itong is the proximal demonstrative form corresponding to ito (this) and is a standard part of contemporary Filipino grammar. It remains common in everyday speech and formal writing alike. For plural noun phrases, the accompanying article mga is used, as in itong mga libro.