Usage Note
Nitó is a genitive form of the proximal demonstrative, used to indicate possession or association with something close to the speaker. It functions similarly to 'of this' or 'its' in English. It belongs to the Tagalog demonstrative pronoun system alongside nito (of this), niyan (of that), and niyon/noon (of that over there).
Examples
" Ano ang kulay nito? "
Natural Translation
What is the color of this?
Literal Translation
What the color of-this?
" Ano ang kahulugan nitó sa ating buhay? "
Natural Translation
What is the meaning of this in our lives?
Literal Translation
What the meaning of-this in our life?
" Hindi ko maintindihan ang ibig sabihin nito, kaya tinanong ko ang guro para malinawan ako. "
Natural Translation
I couldn't understand what this means, so I asked the teacher to make it clear to me.
Literal Translation
Not I can-understand the want say of-this, so asked I the teacher so be-clarified I.
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 workRelated Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.
Tagalog Time Expressions: Past, Present & Future Guide
Tagalog has no tenses — it uses aspect. Learn time words, days of the week, clock time, and the aspect system, with vocabulary tables and cultural notes.
Po and Opo in Tagalog: Where to Put Them Right
Po and opo confuse learners — but placement follows one rule. Where po goes in a sentence, why it's opo not 'oo po', and the pronoun shift to learn.
Tagalog Root Words: Learn a Few Hundred, Understand Thousands
Tagalog root words unlock vocabulary fast: learn a few hundred and recognize thousands. Real word families, examples, and a practical study strategy.
Tagalog vs Filipino: What's the Difference & Which to Learn
Tagalog and Filipino aren't the same language — but they overlap almost completely. Here's the real difference and which one you should actually learn.