Learn Cebuano

First class pronouns

Ako ( a-ko ) (ko) – I

Ikaw ( i-kaw ) (ka) – you

Siya ( si-ya  ) (s’ya) – he / she

Kita ( ki-ta ) (ta) – we (inclusive of who you are talking to)

Kami ( ka-mi ) (mi) – you (exclusive of who you are talking to)

Kamo ( ka-mo ) (mo) – you (plural)

Sila ( si-la ) – they

Filipinos love to abbreviate every word they possibly can. Therefore they will use the short form of a word almost every time and this becomes confusing when you discover that the same short abbreviation is used for other words also. You then need to understand the context it is being used in order to know what is meant. This is easy for a native speaker but very confusing for someone learning the language.

Another thing to take note of is there is no separate word for he and she. They are both SIYA. Have you noticed how often a Filipino speaker will use the wrong gender when saying he or she. Now you understand why.

One thing that this language does have that English does not is a distinction for the word WE. They have two different words for WE depending on if you are including the person you are talking to. In English we have only one and on occasion need to seek clarification as to if the person being talked to is included. Usually it’s understood in context.

Vocabulary

Negosyante ( ne-gos-yan-te ) – businessperson

Nindot ( nin-dot ) – nice

Kugihan ( ku-gi-han ) – energetic / industrious

Tapulan ( ta-pu-lan ) – lazy

Negosyante ko (I am a businessperson)

Negosyante ka (You are a businessperson)

Negosyante siya (He or She is a business person)

Negosyante kita (we are business people inclusive of the person being addressed)

Negosyante kami (we are business people exclusive of the person being addressed)

Negosyante kamo (you are all businesspeople)

Negosyante Sila (they are business people)

Nindot ko (I am nice)

Nindot ka (You are nice)

Nindot Siya (He or She is nice)

Nindot kita (we are nice inclusive of the person being addressed)

Nindot kami (we are nice exclusive of the person being addressed)

Nindot kamo (You are all nice)

Nindot Sila (They are nice)

Kugihan ko (I am energetic / industrious)

Kugihan ka (You are energetic / industrious)

Kugihan Siya (He or She is energetic / industrious)

Kugihan kita (we are energetic / industrious inclusive of the person being addressed)

Kugihan kami (we are energetic / industrious exclusive of the person being addressed)

Kugihan kamo (You are all energetic / industrious)

Kugihan Sila (They are energetic / industrious)

Tapulan ko (I am lazy)

Tapulan ka (You are lazy)

Tapulan Siya (He or She is lazy)

Tapulan kita (we are lazy inclusive of the person being addressed)

Tapulan kami (we are lazy exclusive of the person being addressed)

Tapulan kamo (You are all lazy)

Tapulan Sila (They are lazy)

Some more Vocabulary

Tabang ( ta-bang ) – help

Katabang ( ka-ta-bang ) – helper

Uban ( u-ban ) – to go with / accompany

Kauban ( ka-u-ban ) – companion

The above comes from a review of my own hand written notes.

We will continue with the same vocab and phrases but changing to the more common abbreviated form of NGA.  Using this abbrebiated form has exactly the same meaning as the previous form with the separate NGA.

If the word ends with a vowel then the A is dropped from the NGA and NG is appended to the proceeding word.

If the word ends with a constantanent then you need to use the un-abrebiated form with the following excpetions:

• For words ending with N you can append the G to the preceeding word.
• For words ending with Y or W you append NG to the preceeding word.

Magtutudlo  ( mag-tu-tud-lo ) – teacher
Lalaki  ( la-la-ki ) – male
Babaye  ( ba-ba-ye ) - female

Magtutudlong lalake  (male teacher – ends with vowel so append NG)
Magtutudlong babaye (female teacher – ends with vowel so append NG)

Dako ( da-ko ) – big
Gamay ( ga-may ) – small
Balay ( ba-lay ) – house

Dakong balay (big house – ends with vowel so append NG)
Gamayng balay (small house – ends with Y so append NG)

Gwapa ( gwa-pa ) – beautiful for female
Gwapo ( gwa-po ) – handsome for male

Gwapang babaye (beautiful girl – ends with vowel so append NG)
Gwapong lalaki (handsome boy – ends with vowel so append NG)

Mahal ( ma-hal ) – expensive or precious (similar use to the English word dear)
Lami ( la-mi ) – delicious
Pagkaon ( pag-ka-on ) – food
Init  ( i-nit ) – hot (temperature)
Awto ( aw-to ) – car

Mahal nga awto (expensive car – ends with L so can not use abrebiated form)
Laming pagkaon (delicious food – ends with vowel so append NG)
Init nga buntag (hot morning – ends with T so can not use abrebiated form)

Buntag ( bun-tag ) – morning
Gabii ( ga-bi-i ) – night
Maayo ( ma-a-yo ) – good

Maayong gabii   (good night- ends with vowel so append NG  )
Maayong buntag  (good morning – ends with vowel so append NG)

The above comes from a review of my own hand written notes.

Using NGA creates a different meaning

Magtutudlo ( mag-tu-tud-lo ) – teacher
Lalaki ( la-la-ki ) – male
Babaye  ( ba-ba-ye ) – female

The connector NGA is used to join the two as in the description “male teacher”

Magtutudlo nga lalake  (male teacher)
Magtutudlo nga babaye (female teacher)

Dako ( da-ko ) – big
Gamay  (ga-may ) – small
Balay  ( ba-lay ) – house

Dako nga balay (big house)
Gamay nga balay (small house)

Gwapa  ( gwa-pa ) – beautiful for female
Gwapo  ( gwa-po ) – handsome for male

Gwapa nga babaye (beautiful girl)
Gwapo nga lalaki (handsome boy)

Mahal ( ma-hal ) – expensive or precious (similar use to the English word dear)
Lami ( la-mi ) – delicious
Pagkaon  ( pag-ka-on ) – food
Init  ( i-nit )  – hot (temperature)
Awto  ( aw-to ) – car

Mahal nga awto (expensive car)
Lami nga pagkaon (delicious food)
Init nga buntag (hot morning)

Buntag ( bun-tag ) – morning

Gabii ( ga-bi-i ) – night
Maayo  (ma-a-yo ) – good

Maayo nga gabii   (good night)
Maayo nga buntag  (good morning)

The above comes from a review of my own hand written notes.

Using ANG we can create a simple sentence using the following words:

Magtutudlo (mag-tu-tud-lo) – teacher
Lalaki (la-la-ki) – male
Babaye (ba-ba-ye) female

The marker ANG is used to join the two as in the statement the teacher is a male

Magtutudlo ang lalake.  (The man is a teacher)
Magtutudlo ang babaye. (The women is a teacher)

Dako ( da-ko ) – big
Gamay ( ga-may ) – small
Balay ( ba-lay ) – house

Dako ang balay. (The house is big)
Gamay ang balay. (The house is small)

Gwapa  ( gwa-pa ) – beautiful for female
Gwapo  ( gwa-po ) – handsome for male

Gwapa ang babaye. (The girl is beautiful)
Gwapo ang lalaki. (The boy is handsome)

Mahal ( ma-hal ) – expensive or precious (similar use to the English word dear)
Lami ( la-mi ) – delicious
Pagkaon ( pag-ka-on ) – food
Init  ( i-nit )– hot (temperature)
Awto ( aw-to ) – car

Mahal ang awto. (The car is expensive)
Lami ang pagkaon. (The food is delicious)
Init ang buntag. (The morning is hot)

Buntag ( bun-tag ) – morning
Gabii ( ga-bi-i ) – night
Maayo ( ma-a-yo ) – good

Maayo ang gabii.   (The night is good)
Maayo ang buntag.  (The morning is good)

The above comes from a review of my own hand written notes.

Welcome to my Learn Cebuano blog. 

For the past few months I have had regular personal instruction with Sem P. Villar who is a Cebuano language expert with more than 20 years experience as a language consultant and private tutor providing language instruction and consultancy to foreigners, missionaries, tourists, expats, consuls etc…

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