“Ano’ng” is a contraction of “ano ang,” which means “What is/are the…” In “ano’ng,” there is “ang,” a definite article, so there is specificity in the question. “Ano’ng kailangan mo?” [What do you need?] “Ano’ng ibig mong sabihin?” [What do you mean?] “Ano’ng gusto mong sabihin?” [What do you want to say?] “Ano’ng ginawa mo?” [What did you do?] “Ano’ng nangyari sa Brussels?” [What happened in Brussels?] “Alam ko kung ano’ng nangyari kahapon.” [I know what happened yesterday.] “Pakitanong sa kanya kung ano’ng gusto niya.” [Please ask him what he wants.] “Ano ang pag-ibig?” [What is love?] “Ano ang tunay na kalayaan?” [What is true freedom?] *Note that we DO NOT contract “ano ang” into “ano’ng” or “anong” in questions like this. Otherwise it will sound weird, or will have a different meaning or implication. “Ano’ng pangalan mo?” [What is your name?] --- “Anong” means you’re asking WHICH?, though the translation can often be “what.” It is indefinite. It is NOT a contraction of “ano ang.” Another Filipino word for “which” is “alín.” I can discuss about “alin” too, but for now let’s just focus on “anong.” “Anong oras ka aalis?” [What time are you going to leave?] “Anong klaseng kaibigan ka?” [What kind of a friend are you?] “Anong uri ng pamahalaan ang nasa Pilipinas?” [What kind of government is in the Philippines?] “Anong theme ang gusto niya?” [What theme does she want?] --- Going back to the “Ano ang pag-ibig?” example… “Ano ang pag-ibig?” means “What is love?” We are asking what love is. If you turn “ano ang” into “anong,” the meaning of the question will change… “Anong pag-ibig?” Will make you sound like you’re pretending that you don’t know what love is. You will sound like you’re being indifferent and bitter. (What love? I’ve never heard of that before.) OR maybe you overheard your friends mention the word and you’re not in their conversation and you want to join. “Hoy anong pag-ibig ‘yan, sali naman ako sa usapan n’yo!” (Hey what is that love you’re talking about, let me join in your conversation!) -- But in the end, that apostrophe doesn’t even matter… Anyone will still understand the same sentence, whether you type “Ano’ng gusto mo?” or “Anong gusto mo?” because they sound the same and mean the same anyway. The apostrophe is just for the perfectionists. You don’t have to worry about that apostrophe :-)