Learn Cebuano

si ( si ) – for proper noun

sila si ( si-la-si ) – same as above but plural

There is no direct English translation for the Marker Si / Sila Si 

In the lesson on the Use of Ang we learn how to say

Gwapa ang babaye. (The girl is beautiful)

Gwapo ang lalaki. (The boy is handsome)

In this lesson we replace girl and boy with a proper noun (name)

Gwapa si Mary. (Mary is beautiful)

Gwapo si John. (John is handsome)

Another example from the Use of Ang was

Magtutudlo ang lalaki.  - The man is a teacher

Magtutudlo ang babaye. – The women is a teacher

We can say

Magtutudlo si Mary. – Mary is a teacher

Magtutudlo si John. – John is a teacher

If we to say that Mary and John are teachers

Magtutudlo sila si Mary ug si John – Mary and John are teachers

You may have noticed in this and previous examples that when you pluralize a word in Cebuano the root word does not change as it does in English.  Instead a special word is used to signify that it is plural.  In the above example the special word is SILA.

To specify more than two people you just keep adding UG SI

Magtutudlo sila si Mary ug si John ug si Tony ug si Greg

Mary and John and Tony and Greg are Teachers

As in English we would simplify it to: 

Magtutudlo sila si Mary, John, Tony ug si Greg 

Mary, John, Tony and Greg are Teachers

Related posts:

1. Second class MARKERS for use with proper nouns – ni / nila ni
2. Second class MARKERS for use common nouns – sa / sa mga
3. FIRST CLASS PERSONAL PRONOUNS
4. Use of Ang
5. Use of Nga

Cebuano-Visayan Language Lessons