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Bisaya · Cebuano

Vocabulary

Learn Bisaya words with meanings, pronunciation, variants, notes, and examples.

Bisaya · Cebuano · Vocabulary

Balay

English

house / homenoun

Alternative meanings

housenhomendwellingnplace where a person or family lives

Pronunciation

BAH-lai

Root and affixes

Base form: balay.

Variants or conjugations

mga balay = housesnbalay-balay = little house or playing house, depending on contextnpuy-anan = dwelling or residencenbalayan = structure or place related to a house, depending on context

Related words and expressions

puyo = to live or residenpuy-anan = residencenkwarto = roomnpultahan = doornbintana = window

Meaning and usage notes

Used for a physical house or a home. In many contexts it can also carry the emotional sense of home.

basic wordsdwellingfamilyhomehouse
Example 1

Naa ko sa balay.

I am at home.

Example 2

Dako ang ilang balay.

Their house is big.

Found an error?

Bisaya · Cebuano · Vocabulary

Dugang pa

English

besides / furthermoreconnector / adverb

Alternative meanings

besidesnfurthermorenin additionnalso or moreover, depending on context

Pronunciation

DOO-gahng pah

Root and affixes

Dugang means additional, increase, or added thing; pa adds a sense of still, more, or besides depending on context.

Variants or conjugations

gawas pa = besides / apart fromnapil pa = also includedndugang = additional / to addnusab = also / again

Related words and expressions

usab = alsonapil = includengawas = outside / apartndugang = additionalnunya = then / later

Meaning and usage notes

“Dugang pa” is used to add information: besides, additionally, or furthermore. For “besides something”, “gawas pa sa...” may fit better.

alsobasic wordsbesidesconnectorfurthermorein addition
Example 1

Dugang pa, importante kini.

Furthermore, this is important.

Example 2

Gawas pa sa trabaho, nagtuon siya.

Besides work, he/she studies.

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Bisaya · Cebuano · Vocabulary

Abot

English

to arrive / to reachverb

Alternative meanings

to arrivento reachnto get to a placento be enough or reach a point, depending on context

Pronunciation

AH-boht

Root and affixes

Root: abot.

Variants or conjugations

miabot = arrivednmoabot = will arrive / is going to arrivennaabot = reached / got tonaboton = will be reached / will reachnabot na = already arrived

Related words and expressions

arrivednwill arrivenreachednreachncomengo

Meaning and usage notes

“Abot” can be used for arriving at a place, reaching an amount, or getting to a certain point. For “come”, “anhi” can also appear depending on context.

arrivebasic wordsmovementto arriveto reachverb
Example 1

Miabot na siya.

He/She has arrived.

Example 2

Moabot ko unya.

I will arrive later.

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Bisaya · Cebuano · Vocabulary

Kahimtang

English

situation / conditionnoun

Alternative meanings

situationnstatenconditionncircumstance or the way something currently is

Pronunciation

kah-HIM-tahng

Root and affixes

Related root: himtang. The form kahimtang expresses state, condition, or situation.

Variants or conjugations

sitwasyon = situation, a loanword used in conversationnkalagayan = condition or state, depending on contextnmaayong kahimtang = good situation or good condition

Related words and expressions

sitwasyon = situationnkondisyon = conditionnbutang = thing or matternpanghitabo = eventnsangputanan = result

Meaning and usage notes

Used to describe the state of a person, place, problem, matter, or context. “Sitwasyon” is also understood as a loanword, but “kahimtang” sounds more native for state or situation.

abstract conceptcircumstanceconditionsituationstate
Example 1

Unsa ang kahimtang karon?

What is the situation now?

Example 2

Lisod ang kahimtang sa pamilya.

The family situation is difficult.

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Bisaya · Cebuano · Vocabulary

Tawo

English

personnoun

Alternative meanings

personnhuman beingnpeopleninhabitant, depending on context

Pronunciation

TAH-woh

Root and affixes

Base form: tawo.

Variants or conjugations

mga tawo = people / personsntawhana = that personntawhanon = human / humanitarianntaga- = person from a place, as in taga-Cebu

Related words and expressions

peoplenthat personnmannwomannchildnfriendnfamily

Meaning and usage notes

“Tawo” can refer to one individual person or to people in general. The common plural is “mga tawo”.

basic wordshuman beingpeoplepersonrelationships
Example 1

Maayo siyang tawo.

He/She is a good person.

Example 2

Daghang tawo diri.

There are many people here.

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Bisaya · Cebuano · Vocabulary

Problema

English

problemnoun

Alternative meanings

problemndifficultynissue that needs a solutionnconflict or complicated situation

Pronunciation

pro-BLEH-mah

Root and affixes

Base form: problema. It is a borrowed word commonly used in modern Cebuano.

Variants or conjugations

mga problema = problemsnproblemahon = problematic, depending on contextnwalay problema = no problem

Related words and expressions

lisod = difficultnsolusyon = solutionnkalisod = difficultynsamok = trouble / nuisancenkasamok = problem / disturbance

Meaning and usage notes

A very common borrowed word for difficulties, conflicts, or situations that need a solution. In some contexts, words like “lisod” or “samok” may also be used, but they do not always mean exactly “problem”.

basic wordsconflictdifficultyproblemsolution
Example 1

Aduna koy problema.

I have a problem.

Example 2

Walay problema.

No problem.

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Bisaya · Cebuano · Vocabulary

Tawag

English

to call / callverb / noun

Alternative meanings

to call someonento name or call somethingnto make a phone callna call, depending on context

Pronunciation

TAH-wahg

Root and affixes

Base form: tawag. It can work as a verb meaning to call and as a noun meaning a call.

Variants or conjugations

motawag = will call / is going to callnnagtawag = is callingngitawag = was calledntawagi = call someonentawagon = to call or be called

Related words and expressions

ngalan = namentelepono = telephonentubag = answernsulti = saynpangutana = ask

Meaning and usage notes

Used both for calling a person and making a phone call. It is also used in phrases like “unsa imong tawag ani?” to ask what something is called.

callnamephone calltelephoneverb
Example 1

Tawagi ko unya.

Call me later.

Example 2

Unsa imong tawag ani?

What do you call this?

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Bisaya · Cebuano · Vocabulary

Tugot

English

to allow / permissionnoun / verb

Alternative meanings

to allownto give permissionnto authorizenpermission or consent, depending on context

Pronunciation

TOO-goht

Root and affixes

Root: tugot.

Variants or conjugations

motugot = to allow / to agreengitugotan = allowed / was permittedntugoti = allow him/her/itnpagtugot = permission or the act of allowing

Related words and expressions

permiso = permission, borrowed form depending on contextnuyon = to agreendili motugot = not allownbawal = prohibitednsugot = accept / consent

Meaning and usage notes

“Tugot” can work as the idea of permission or as the root for verb forms. To say “to allow”, Cebuano often uses “motugot” or “tugoti”, depending on the sentence.

authorizebasic wordsconsentpermissionto allowverb
Example 1

Motugot ka?

Do you allow it?

Example 2

Gitugotan ko niya nga mosulod.

He/She allowed me to enter.

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Bisaya · Cebuano · Vocabulary

Makakita

English

to seeverb

Alternative meanings

to seento be able to seento catch sight ofnto perceive with the eyes

Pronunciation

mah-kah-KEE-tah

Root and affixes

Root: kita.

Variants or conjugations

nakita = saw / seennmakakita = to be able to seenkita = to see, but it can also mean we/us depending on contextntan-aw = to look, watch, or observentan-awa = look / watch

Related words and expressions

kitannakitantan-awntan-awanlooknwatch

Meaning and usage notes

“Makakita” is used for the ability or action of seeing. “Tan-aw” is closer to looking, watching, or observing. “Kita” needs context because it can also mean “we/us”.

basic wordslooksightto seeverbwatch
Example 1

Makakita ko nimo.

I can see you.

Example 2

Nakita nako ang balay.

I saw the house.

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Bisaya · Cebuano · Vocabulary

Hulat

English

to wait / to expectverb / noun

Alternative meanings

to waitnto awaitnto wait for someone or somethingnto expect something to happen

Pronunciation

hoo-LAHT

Root and affixes

Root: hulat. It expresses waiting, awaiting, or remaining until something happens.

Variants or conjugations

huwat = common variant in some areasnmohulat = will wait / is going to waitnnaghulat = is waitingnhulaton = to await somethingnhulat-i = wait for someone or at a place

Related words and expressions

laum = to hopenpaglaum = hopenhulaton = awaitnpaabot = wait or awaitntime = time

Meaning and usage notes

Used for waiting or awaiting. If the idea is “to hope” or “to expect something good”, “laum” can also be used.

awaitexpecttimeverbwait
Example 1

Mohulat ko nimo diri.

I will wait for you here.

Example 2

Naghulat sila sa bus.

They are waiting for the bus.

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Bisaya · Cebuano · Vocabulary

Adlaw

English

daynoun

Alternative meanings

dayndaytimena twenty-four-hour periodnsun, depending on context

Pronunciation

AHD-lahw

Root and affixes

Base form: adlaw.

Variants or conjugations

kada adlaw = every daynadlaw-adlaw = dailynmatag adlaw = every daynsunod adlaw = the next daynmiaging adlaw = the past day

Related words and expressions

weeknmonthnyearntodayntomorrownyesterdayndaily

Meaning and usage notes

Used for calendar days, daily routine, or time. In some contexts it also means “sun”.

basic wordscalendardayroutinesuntime
Example 1

Maayong adlaw.

Good day.

Example 2

Kada adlaw ko magtuon.

I study every day.

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Bisaya · Cebuano · Vocabulary

Kab-ot

English

to achieve / to reachverb

Alternative meanings

to achievento reachnto attainnto obtain a goal or result through effort

Pronunciation

KAB-oht

Root and affixes

Root: kab-ot. It expresses reaching something, attaining a goal, or achieving a result.

Variants or conjugations

makab-ot = to be able to achieve / reachnnakab-ot = achieved / reachednkab-oton = to achieve or reach somethingnkakab-otan = achievement, realization, or reached result

Related words and expressions

abot = reach or arrivenmakab-ot = achieventinguha = goal or desirenkalampusan = successnsangputanan = result

Meaning and usage notes

Used when someone reaches a goal, obtains something desired, or achieves a result through effort. It can also mean physically reaching something.

achieveattaingoalreachverb
Example 1

Makab-ot nimo ang imong damgo.

You can achieve your dream.

Example 2

Nakab-ot niya ang iyang tumong.

He/She achieved the goal.

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