kaano-ano
relationship status
From root: ano
Usage Note
Kaano-ano is a reduplicated form used to ask or describe what relation someone is to another person. It reflects the Filipino cultural emphasis on understanding family ties and social connections, and the phrase 'sa kaano-ano' can anchor questions about kinship in both formal and casual speech.
Examples
" Kaano-ano mo siya? "
Natural Translation
What relation is he to you?
Literal Translation
What-relation you he?
" Kaano-ano mo ang babaeng kasama mo? "
Natural Translation
What is your relation to the woman with you?
Literal Translation
What-relation you the woman companion your?
" Hindi ko alam kung kaano-ano ko ang lalaking nagsasalita sa entablado, pero kamukha niya ang aking lolo. "
Natural Translation
I don't know what relation the man speaking on the stage is to me, but he looks just like my grandfather.
Literal Translation
Not I know if what-relation me the man speaking on-the stage, but resembles he the my grandfather.
Take Tagalog with you
The full course, a 12,500-word dictionary, and flashcards that make every word stick — free to start on iOS and Android.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
How Tagalog words workWord family
ano has 1 related form built from the same root.
Related Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.
Tagalog Verb Focus System Explained (It's Not Active vs. Passive)
The Tagalog verb focus system isn't active vs. passive. Learn actor focus, object focus, and more with clear examples that finally make it click.
Tagalog Word Order: Sentence Structure Made Simple
Why Tagalog puts the verb first, and how ang, ng, and sa markers work. A clear guide to VSO word order, forming questions, and negation.
Days of the Week and Months in Tagalog
The days of the week and months in Tagalog are Spanish loanwords. Learn all 7 days and 12 months with pronunciation, plus how to say dates and 'every Monday.'
How Long Does It Take to Learn Tagalog?
Survival Tagalog takes ~3-4 weeks and comfortable conversation 6-12 months. FSI's 1,100 hours is the professional bar, not the talking-to-family bar.