nauna

Nauna is a word in Filipino Tagalog that functions as the past tense form of the verb mauna, meaning to go ahead or to precede. The root una conveys notions of first or preceding, and nauna expresses that someone or something has already taken precedence or acted earlier. In Tagalog, tense and aspect are often indicated by affixes and word order, and nauna is commonly used to describe completed action in relation to others or to a reference point.

Usage and examples:

- Nauna siya sa atin. ("He went ahead of us.")

- Nauna na ako. ("I already went ahead.")

- Sa pila, si Maria nauna na sa lahat. ("In the line, Maria went ahead of everyone.")

General notes:

- Nauna is typically used with a subject and may appear with time or location phrases to clarify when or where the preceding action occurred.

- It is related to the non-past form mauna (to go ahead) and the base una (first, before) within the Tagalog verb system.

In other contexts, nauna may appear in discussions of Tagalog grammar as an example of aspect marking and verb formation, illustrating how prefixes and infixes interact to express tense and sequence of events. While most common in Filipino-language usage, nauna can also appear in bilingual texts or translations involving Filipino speakers.

See also:

- mauna

- una

Note: This article focuses on the linguistic usage of nauna in Tagalog; other potential uses as a proper noun or in different languages are not covered here.