pa

Cebuano Word: pa

1 Part of Speech, Meaning, and Example Sentences

• Part of speech: adverb / enclitic particle (continuity, yet-to-happen, still, not yet)
• Core meanings:
  1. still / yet – an action or state continues.
  2. not yet (when paired with a negative).
  3. in addition / even more in some contexts.

Example sentences

• Naga-ulan pa. — It is still raining.
• Wa pa ko naka-kaon. — I have not eaten yet.
• Daghan pa kaayong trabaho. — There is still a lot of work.

2 Learning Points for Cebuano Adverbs (about pa)

1. Pa signals that something is ongoing or has not happened; the opposite is na (already).
2. It always follows the word or phrase it modifies: “Tulo pa ka adlaw.”
3. With negative wala / wa, it means “not yet”: “Wala pa siya miabot.”
4. Do not stack with another “still” word like gihapon unless you want double emphasis.
5. Spoken Cebuano sometimes reduces it to a weak vowel, but write the full pa in formal text.

3 Common Collocations

• pa karon – still now / as of now
• wa pa – not yet
• pa gyud – still really / even yet
• daghan pa – still many / a lot more
• pa diay – so it is still (surprise nuance)

4 Typical Sentence Position

• Right after the verb or quantity it affects:
  • “Nag-tan-aw pa sila sa salida.”
  • “Lima pa ka minuto.”

5 Five Frequently Used Conversational Phrases

• “Wa pa ko human.” — I’m not done yet.
• “Padayon pa ta?” — Are we still continuing?
• “Pwede pa ni?” — Is this still okay?
• “Asa pa ka?” — Where are you still?
• “Unsa pa man?” — What else (still) is there?

6 Five Everyday Conversation Exchanges

1. A: Naga-work pa ka?
   B: Oo, naa pa koy report buhaton.
   A: Are you still working?
   B: Yes, I still have a report to make.
2. A: Ni-abot na ang bus?
   B: Wa pa, tingali na-traffic.
   A: Has the bus arrived?
   B: Not yet, maybe it’s stuck in traffic.
3. A: Gigutom ka pa?
   B: Oo, gamay pa ra ba akong gikaon ganiha.
   A: Are you still hungry?
   B: Yes, I only ate a little earlier.
4. A: Makalaag pa ta unya?
   B: Depende, naa pa koy meeting alas-tres.
   A: Can we still go out later?
   B: It depends; I still have a meeting at three.
5. A: Pila pa ka pages ang imong basahon?
   B: Napa koy baynte ka pages.
   A: How many pages do you have left to read?
   B: I still have twenty pages.

7 Multiple-Choice Dialogue Questions

Q1. Nagtan-aw pa ba ka sa serye?
A. Pa nagtan-aw ka sa serye.
B. Nagtan-aw sa serye pa ka.
C. Nagtan-aw pa ko sa serye.

Q2. Wa pa ba siya ni-uli?
A. Wa pa siya ni-uli.
B. Siya ni-uli wa pa.
C. Ni-uli wa pa siya.

Q3. Gipa-dala pa nimo ang e-mail?
A. Pa gipadala nimo ang e-mail.
B. Gipadala pa nako ang e-mail.
C. Ang e-mail gipadala pa nako.

Q4. Naa pa bay ticket?
A. Naa pa ang ticket.
B. Ticket naa pa ang.
C. Pa naa bay ticket.

Q5. Busy pa ka ugma?
A. Ugma pa busy ka.
B. Busy ugma pa ka.
C. Busy pa ko ugma.

Answer Key with Explanations

• Q1 – C Verb nagtan-aw followed by pa, then subject; A and B misplace pa.
• Q2 – A Negative wa pa must precede the subject; others scramble order.
• Q3 – B Verb gipadala then pa shows action is still happening; alternatives move pa incorrectly.
• Q4 – A Existential naa pa before subject; B and C break structure.
• Q5 – C Predicate busy pa before subject when subject is “I”; other options place pa after wrong element.