Learn Cebuano

 You need to learn about FIRST CLASS and SECOND CLASS PERSONAL PRONOUNS before commencing to this lesson.

 Vocab:

Asawa ( a-sa-wa ) – wife
Bata ( ba-ta ) – child 

Rules:

- Remember there can only be one first class personal pronoun per sentence.
- If more than one pronoun then the shorter one must come first.

Asawa ako (ko) nimo – I am your wife
ako is FIRST CLASS for I
nimo is SECOND CLASS for YOU

The literal translation is WIFE I YOU

The FIRST CLASS PERSONAL PRONOUN denotes the topic of the sentence while the SECOND CLASS PERSONAL PRONOUN is possessive. 

As the rules states you can not put to FIRST CLASS PERSONAL PRONOUNS in the same sentence.   Not only would it be confusing but sounds totally wrong to a Cebuano listener.

Without a FIRST CLASS PERSONAL PRONOUN the sentence is incomplete.

If you reverse the order of the FIRST and SECOND CLASS PERSONAL PRONOUNS then the meaning of the sentence will change.

Asawa nako ikaw – You are my wife

Note: In Cebuano they have a separate word for husband as we do in English.  In Tagalog Asawa is used for both and translates to spouse.

 Here are some more examples.

Asawa nako siya – She is my wife

Mga bata nako sila – They are my children 

Remember the rule about the shorter PERSONAL PRONOUN always coming first.

 Higala nako ikaw – You are my friend

 If we want to use the abbreviated form of ikaw which is ka then it will precede nako.

 Higala ka nako – You are my friend

Related posts:

1. SECOND CLASS PERSONAL PRONOUNS
2. FIRST CLASS PERSONAL PRONOUNS
3. Second class MARKERS for use with proper nouns – ni / nila ni
4. Second class MARKERS for use common nouns – sa / sa mga
5. This / That / That over there (far away)

Cebuano-Visayan Language Lessons