1. Part of Speech, Meaning, and Example Sentences
- Part of speech: numeral (cardinal)
- Meaning: “otso syentos” = eight hundred (800)
Example sentences
- Naay otso syentos ka tawo sa pista. — There are eight hundred people at the festival.
- Mopalit mi ug otso syentos ka itlog para sa panaderya. — We will buy eight hundred eggs for the bakery.
- Ang kantidad kay otso syentos pesos. — The amount is eight hundred pesos.
2. Number Origin
- Spanish-based (borrowed from Spanish ochocientos).
- Native Bisaya equivalent: walo ka gatos (heard mainly in formal or traditional speech).
3. Cebuano vs Spanish Number Systems
- Native series (e.g., walo ka gatos = 800; walo ka gatos ug usa = 801) appears in folk songs, rituals, and rural counting.
- Spanish series (otso syentos, otso syentos uno, …) dominates in money, dates, pagination, casual talk, and media.
- Do not mix the two systems inside one number (✓ otso syentos dyes = 810; ✗ walo ka gatos ug dyes).
4. Detailed Usage
- Standard spelling is otso syentos; in rapid speech it may be shortened to ot’ syentos.
- Always insert the classifier ka before a counted noun: otso syentos ka libro (800 books).
- In playful “clock jokes”: alas nuybe ug otso syentos (9 : 800 — clearly humorous).
- Can stand alone as a quick reply about total or cost: “Otso syentos.”
5. Five Common Pitfalls
- Writing the pure-Spanish form ochocientos in Cebuano contexts.
- Mixing native and Spanish parts (walo ka gatos ug singkwenta ✗).
- Wrong stress (correct ó-tso syén-tos, not otso syen-tós).
- Dropping ka with nouns (otso syentos libro ✗).
- Forgetting to say the unit for money (otso syentos ✗ → otso syentos pesos ✓).
6. Common Collocations
- otso syentos pesos — 800 pesos
- otso syentos ka minuto — 800 minutes
- otso syentos ka adlaw — 800 days
- otso syentos anyos — 800 years old (hyperbole)
- otso syentos ka piraso — 800 pieces
7. Common Mistakes to Watch For
- Misspelling (ochosyentos, otso syentus).
- Adding mga before the numeral (mga otso syentos ka …).
- Forgetting ug in playful time expressions (alas otso otso syentos ✗).
- Saying syentos otso for 800 (missing the hundreds prefix).
- Using only digits in formal prose (800 ka minuto) without the word form.
8. Five Frequent Conversational Phrases
- Otso syentos tanan. — The total is 800.
- Na-late ko ug otso syentos ka minuto. — I was 800 minutes late.
- Otso syentos ra gyod! — Make it just 800!
- Otso syentos ang budget. — The budget is 800.
- Quota kay otso syentos ka buok. — The quota is 800 pieces.
9. Five Simple Everyday Conversation Exchanges
- A: Pila ang pamasahe? — How much is the fare?
B: Otso syentos pesos ra. — Only 800 pesos. - A: Tag-pila ning mangga? — How much are these mangoes?
B: Otso syentos pesos ang kilo. — 800 pesos per kilo. - A: Unsa kadugay ang klase? — How long is the class?
B: Mga otso syentos ka minuto. — About 800 minutes. - A: Pila kabuok bisita? — How many guests?
B: Naay otso syentos ka bisita. — There are 800 guests. - A: Unsang oras nagsugod ang salida? — What time did the show start?
B: Alas otso ug otso syentos (joking). — At 8 : 800 (obviously a joke).
10. Multiple-Choice Dialogue Questions
Q1. Pila ang imong allowance? — How much is your allowance?
A. Pesos allowance otso syentos akong.
B. Otso syentos pesos akong allowance.
C. Allowance akong otso syentos pesos.
Q2. Pila ka adlaw ang training? — How many days is the training?
A. Ka adlaw otso syentos.
B. Otso syentos adlaw ka.
C. Otso syentos ka adlaw.
Q3. Unsa kadugay ang biyahe? — How long is the trip?
A. Otso syentos ka minuto ang biyahe.
B. Ka minuto otso syentos ang biyahe.
C. Ang biyahe otso syentos ka minuto ang.
Q4. Pila kabuok estudyante sa klase? — How many students are in the class?
A. Otso syentos ka estudyante naa.
B. Estudyante otso syentos ka naa.
C. Naa otso syentos ka estudyante ka.
Q5. Unsang oras ka miabot? — What time did you arrive?
A. Ko miabot otso syentos ug alas dos.
B. Miabot ko otso syentos alas dos ug.
C. Alas dos ug otso syentos ko miabot.
Answer Key
- Q1 – B — Correct order: numeral + pesos + “akong allowance.”
- Q2 – C — Standard counting: numeral + ka + noun.
- Q3 – A — Sequence: numeral + ka + minutes + topic noun.
- Q4 – A — Numeral phrase precedes existential naa.
- Q5 – C — Cebuano time format “Alas [hour] ug [minutes].”