From root: ilan
Usage Note
Ilan-ilan describes things present in small, scattered quantities — spread out rather than clustered. It conveys the idea of sparseness across a space or collection, and is used for objects, people, or events that are few and unevenly distributed rather than simply few in total.
Examples
" May ilan-ilang tao sa parke. "
Natural Translation
There are a few scattered people in the park.
Literal Translation
There-are a-few-scattered people in park.
" May ilan-ilan na bulaklak sa hardin. "
Natural Translation
There are a few scattered flowers in the garden.
Literal Translation
There-are a-few-scattered flowers in the garden.
" Bagaman maraming bituin noong gabing iyon, ilan-ilan lang ang nakikita namin mula sa lungsod dahil sa liwanag. "
Natural Translation
Although there were many stars that night, we could only see a few scattered ones from the city because of the light.
Literal Translation
Although many stars that night, a-few-scattered only the seen by-us from the city because of light.
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ilan has 3 related forms built from the same root.
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