kaya
kayâ with stress marks
competence, ability
Also means
As an adverb or conjunction, kaya means 'therefore' or 'so' — expressing a result or reason. As a question particle at the end of a sentence, it expresses wondering or 'I wonder if.'
Usage Note
Kaya as a noun expresses one's capacity or ability to do something, and is most familiar as an encouragement — 'kaya mo iyan' means you can do it. The word is highly versatile and its exact meaning shifts depending on its position in the sentence and the surrounding context.
Examples
" Kaya mo ba ito? "
Natural Translation
Can you do this?
Literal Translation
Ability your question this?
" Hangad ko ang kaya ng aking isip. "
Natural Translation
I aspire for the ability of my mind.
Literal Translation
Aspire I the ability of my mind.
" Huwag kang mag-alala dahil nasa kaya mo ang pagharap sa hamong ito kung magtitiwala ka sa sarili. "
Natural Translation
Don't worry, because facing this challenge is within your ability if you trust yourself.
Literal Translation
Don't you worry because in ability your the facing to challenge this if trust you in self.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
How Tagalog words workRelated Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.

Tagalog Question Words: Ano, Sino, Saan & More
Tagalog question words like ano, sino, and saan need the right frame to work. Learn the ang-vs-pronoun rule, confusable pairs, and the ba particle with audio.

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.

Philippines Geography for Learners: Islands & Language
Philippines geography for Tagalog learners: 7,641 islands, three island groups, and the Southern Luzon heartland where the Tagalog language was born.

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.'