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.

Cebuano-Visayan Language Lessons