Learn how to ask for someone’s house and directions in Cebuano! 🏠
In this lesson, you will:
- Practice useful phrases for asking where someone lives.
- Learn how to ask and give directions naturally.
- Study everyday Cebuano vocabulary with English translations.
- Improve your speaking skills with dialogues and quizzes.
Perfect for beginners, travelers, and English/Cebuano learners who want to feel confident when asking for directions in real life.
VOCABULARY
Directions: Listen and repeat after your teacher.
- English meaning: house / home
- Part of speech: noun
- Usage: Refers to a house or dwelling place. Can also mean “home” in a broader sense, not just the building but the place where one lives.
Example sentences
- Dako kaayo ang ilang balay.
→ Their house is very big. - Balik na ta sa balay.
→ Let’s go back home. - Ang balay sa akong silingan kay puti.
→ My neighbor’s house is white.
Suwayi
- English meaning: try it / give it a try
- Part of speech: verb (imperative form, second person singular)
- Usage: Used when telling or encouraging someone to try something. Imperative form of the verb suway (to try). Equivalent to “try it” in English.
Example sentences
- Suwayi ni nga pagkaon.
→ Try this food. - Suwayi pagsulat gamit ang bag-ong lapis.
→ Try writing with the new pencil. - Suwayi lang, basin ganahan ka.
→ Just try it, you might like it.
- English meaning: there (in that place)
- Part of speech: adverb of place
- Usage: Refers to a specific place that is farther from both the speaker and the listener. Equivalent to “there” in English, but usually implying a more distant location than diha.
Example sentences
- Nagkita mi didto sa merkado.
→ We met there at the market. - Didto siya nagpuyo sa Cebu sukad pagkabata.
→ He lived there in Cebu since childhood. - Adto ta magkita didto sa plaza.
→ Let’s meet there at the plaza.
Tawagi
- English meaning: call him/her / call it
- Part of speech: verb (imperative form, second person singular, object-focus)
- Usage: Command or request telling someone to call another person (by phone or by voice). Derived from the root tawag (to call).
Example sentences
- Tawagi imong mama karon.
→ Call your mother now. - Kung gusto nimo siya makig-istorya, tawagi siya.
→ If you want to talk to him, call him. - Tawagi ang doktor kay nagkinahanglan ta og tabang.
→ Call the doctor because we need help.
Namaligya
- English meaning: selling / to sell
- Part of speech: verb (actor-focus, progressive or past aspect)
- Usage: Refers to the act of selling goods, often used for vendors, shopkeepers, or anyone engaged in business. Equivalent to “selling” in English. Root word: baligya (sale, sell).
Example sentences
- Namaligya siya ug prutas sa merkado.
→ She is selling fruits in the market. - Kinsa ang namaligya ani nga mga libro?
→ Who is selling these books? - Namaligya sila ug isda kada buntag.
→ They sell fish every morning.
Lahusa
- English meaning: pass through it / go across it
- Part of speech: verb (imperative form, second person singular, object-focus)
- Usage: Derived from the root laho (to pass through). Lahusa is used as a command, telling someone to go through, cross, or pass across something. Equivalent to “pass through it” or “go across it” in English.
Example sentences
- Lahusa kini nga dalan aron dali ra ka makaabot.
→ Pass through this road so you can arrive quickly. - Ayaw kahadlok, lahusa lang ang suba.
→ Don’t be afraid, just cross the river. - Kung gusto ka mosaka, lahusa ang pultahan sa kilid.
→ If you want to go up, pass through the side door.
Puti
- English meaning: white
- Part of speech: adjective
- Usage: Describes the color white. Used for objects, clothing, skin tone, or anything that appears white.
Example sentences
- Puti ang iyang sinina.
→ Her clothes are white. - Nipalit siya ug puti nga sakyanan.
→ He bought a white car. - Ang bungbong sa balay kay puti.
→ The wall of the house is white.
- English meaning: road / street / path / way
- Part of speech: noun
- Usage: Refers to a road, street, or pathway. Can also be used metaphorically to mean “way” or “direction” in life.
Example sentences
- Dako kaayo ang dalan sa syudad.
→ The road in the city is very wide. - Naglakaw mi sa dalan padulong sa merkado.
→ We walked on the road going to the market. - Ang dalan sa kalampusan nagkinahanglan ug paningkamot.
→ The road to success requires effort.
Liko sa wala
- English meaning: turn left
- Part of speech: verb phrase (imperative)
- Usage: Used to give directions, telling someone to turn toward the left side. Equivalent to “turn left” in English.
Example sentences
- Pag-abot nimo sa eskina, liko sa wala.
→ When you reach the corner, turn left. - Liko sa wala aron makaadto ka sa simbahan.
→ Turn left so you can get to the church. - Ayaw liko sa tuo, liko sa wala lang.
→ Don’t turn right, just turn left.
FLASHCARDS
DIALOGUE PRACTICE
Directions: Listen and repeat after your teacher.
Situation: Asking for someone’s house.
Cebuano Version
Joyce: Excuse me ate, asa ang balay ni Nang Josefa?
Leah: Kinsa nga Josefa?
Joyce: Josefa Lim ate ba.
Leah: Wala baya ko kaila’g Josefa Lim diri day. Taga asa diay na?
Joyce: Taga Sityo Kaymito daw ate.
Leah: Aw basin taga unahan na day. Suwayi lang pangutana didto og wala tawagi lang.
Joyce: Aw sige ate, salamat.
Leah: Walay sapayan day.
(A few miles away)
Joyce: Excuse me ate. Asa ang balay ni Nang Josefa?
Jen: Josefa Lim? Kanang namaligya og barbecue?
Joyce: O ate.
Jen: Ah, naa didto dapit day ay. Lahusa lang ni nga dalan unya liko sa wala. Makakita kag puti nga balay, mao na ila Nang Josefa Lim.
Joyce: Sige ate, salamat.
Jen: Walay sapayan.
English Version
Joyce: Excuse me Ms, where is Ms Josefa’s house?
Leah: Which Josefa?
Joyce: Josefa Lim, Ms.
Leah: I don’t know Josefa Lim here. Where does she live?
Joyce: She lives in Sitio Kaymito Ms.
Leah: Oh maybe she lives over there. Just try to ask someone over there or call her.
Joyce: Okay Ms, thank you.
Leah: You’re welcome.
(A few miles away)
Joyce: Excuse me Ms. Where is Ms. Josefa’s house?
Jen: Josefa Lim? The one who is selling barbecue?
Joyce: Yes, Ms.
Jen: Oh, I see. It’s over there. Just go straight this way then turn left. You will see a white house. That’s Josefa Lim’s house.
Joyce: Okay Ms, thank you.
Jen: You’re welcome.
LESSON
These expressions are used when asking directions.
⚫ Asa ang + N?
Where is …?
For example:
Asa ang balay ni Nang Josefa?
Where is Ms Josefa’s house?
Asa ang sakyanan ni Joyce?
Where is Joyce’s car?
⚫ Kinsa nga + N?
Which …? / Whose …?
For example:
Kinsa nga Josefa?
Which Josefa?
⚫ Taga asa + N?
Where is she from?
For example:
Taga asa diay na?
Where does she live?
⚫ Kanang …?
The one ….? (This expression is to describe someone.)
For example:
Kanang namaligya og barbecue?
The one who is selling barbecue?
COMPREHENSION QUIZ
Directions: Choose the correct answer.
- How do you say ‘turn left’ in Cebuano?
a. liko sa tuo
b. lahusa
c. liko sa wala
d. didto - How do you say ‘asa’ in Cebuano?
a. what
b. why
c. where
d. how - Which of the following describe someone?
a. Kanang namaligya og barbecue?
b. Walay sapayan
c. Taga Sityo Kaymito daw ate.
d. Basin taga unahan na day? - How do you say ‘over there’ in Cebuano?
a. diri
b. diha
c. didto
d. anhi - How do you say ‘go straight’ in Cebauno?
a. lahusa
b. liko sa wala
c. liko sa tuo
d. unahan
EXERCISE
Directions: Arrange the words to make sentences.
- diay / asa / na / taga / ?
- nga / Josefa / kinsa / ?
- namaligya / barbecue / kanang / og / ?
- ni / ang / Josefa / asa / nang / balay / ?
- dalan / sa / lahusa / nga / liko / lang / unya/ ni / wala
REVIEW
Directions: Have a role play with your teacher. Practice asking
where someone’s house is and giving directions.
For example:
Asa ang balay ni Nang Josefa?
Where is Ms Josefa’s house?
Comment