kapag

Kapag is a Filipino word that functions as a subordinating conjunction. It is used to introduce a dependent clause that indicates time or condition, and its meaning can be translated as “when” or “if,” depending on the context. It is a common feature of standard Tagalog and modern Filipino.

In use, the kapag clause sets a condition or a time frame for the action in the main clause. For example: Kapag natapos ang klase, aalis kami (When class ends, we will leave). Kapag ulan pala, hindi tayo matutuloy (If it rains, we will not proceed). The dependent clause may appear at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence, and a comma is often used after the kapag clause when it starts the sentence.

Kapag is often contrasted with other conjunctions such as kung and pag. Kung expresses a general hypothetical condition, while kapag tends to emphasize a specific time or definite condition. Pag is used to denote time in general or habitual actions, though there is overlap in many sentences. The choice among these conjunctions can affect nuance and emphasis, but in everyday speech they are frequently interchangeable.

Etymologically, kapan and related forms are part of the Tagalog system of conjunctions that link events in time and condition. As a functional word, kapag does not change form for person or number; tense is conveyed by the verbs in the subordinate and main clauses through aspect markers rather than by the conjunction itself.