CEBUANO LESSON 32 How to Ask Where to Take a Taxi or Bus in Cebuano

2021/8/18

Planning to travel around the Philippines?
In this lesson, you’ll learn how to ask where to take a taxi or bus in Cebuano—perfect for both language learners and travelers!

👉 What you’ll learn in this video:

  • Useful Cebuano phrases for asking directions
  • How to confirm if a taxi, bus, or jeepney is available
  • Vocabulary for real-life travel situations
  • A step-by-step dialogue you can use immediately

Whether you’re visiting Cebu, exploring the provinces, or simply studying Cebuano, this video will give you practical expressions to help you get around with confidence.

VOCABULARY

Directions: Listen and repeat after your teacher.

Paingun

Meaning

  • Towards / heading to / going to

Part of Speech

  • Preposition / Directional verb-like particle

Situations Where It’s Used

  • When talking about direction or destination.
  • Common in travel, giving directions, or describing movement.
  • Often followed by a place name or a target location.

Example Sentences

  1. Paingun mi sa Cebu karong hapon.
    → “We are heading to Cebu this afternoon.”
  2. Asa ang dalan paingun sa simbahan?
    → “Where is the road going to the church?”
  3. Naglakat sila paingun sa merkado.
    → “They walked towards the market.”
  4. Paingun ka na sa balay?
    → “Are you on your way home?”

Dyip

Meaning

  • Jeepney (a common public utility vehicle in the Philippines, originally adapted from U.S. military jeeps).

Part of Speech

  • Noun

Situations Where It’s Used

  • Talking about transportation in the Philippines.
  • Used when giving or asking for directions, commuting, or discussing fares.
  • Very common in daily life since jeepneys are the most popular public transport in many areas.

Example Sentences

  1. Mosakay ta ug dyip paingun sa merkado.
    → “Let’s ride a jeepney going to the market.”
  2. Puno na ang dyip, manghulat nalang ta sa sunod.
    → “The jeepney is full, let’s just wait for the next one.”
  3. Pila ang plite sa dyip padulong sa downtown?
    → “How much is the jeepney fare going downtown?”
  4. Ang dyip mao’y pinakabarato nga sakyanan diri.
    → “The jeepney is the cheapest vehicle to ride here.”

Taksi

Meaning

  • Taxi (a car for hire with a driver, used as public transportation).

Part of Speech

  • Noun

Situations Where It’s Used

  • Talking about public transportation.
  • Used when giving directions, asking about fares, or deciding what kind of transport to take.
  • Common in cities and airports where taxis are available.

Example Sentences

  1. Mosakay ta ug taksi kay ulan man.
    → “Let’s take a taxi because it’s raining.”
  2. Pila ang bayad sa taksi paingun sa airport?
    → “How much is the taxi fare going to the airport?”
  3. Mas paspas ang taksi kaysa dyip.
    → “The taxi is faster than the jeepney.”
  4. Naa bay taksi nga libre karon?
    → “Is there any taxi available now?”

Makasakay

Meaning

  • Can ride / be able to take (a vehicle)

Part of Speech

  • Verb (modal + action verb, from “sakay” = to ride with the prefix maka- = ability/potential)

Situations Where It’s Used

  • When talking about the ability or possibility of riding/boarding a vehicle.
  • Often used when asking if transportation is available, or if someone managed to get a ride.
  • Common in daily commuting conversations.

Example Sentences

  1. Makasakay pa kaha ta ug dyip karong gabii?
    → “I wonder if we can still ride a jeepney tonight?”
  2. Wala ko makasakay kay puno na ang bus.
    → “I couldn’t ride because the bus was full.”
  3. Makasakay ka ug taksi didto sa plaza.
    → “You can get a taxi at the plaza.”
  4. Dali ra makasakay ug dyip gikan sa terminal.
    → “It’s easy to catch a jeepney from the terminal.”

Libre

Meaning

  • Free (without cost)
  • Can also mean available or not busy depending on context.

Part of Speech

  • Adjective / Adverb

Situations Where It’s Used

  • Talking about something that doesn’t require payment (e.g., free food, free ride).
  • Talking about someone’s availability (e.g., free time, not occupied).
  • Very common in everyday life, especially with money, services, and schedules.

Example Sentences

  1. Libre ang pagkaon sa fiesta.
    → “The food at the fiesta is free.”
  2. Libre ko ugma sa hapon.
    → “I’m free tomorrow afternoon.”
  3. Mangayo ko’g usa ka libre nga sample.
    → “I’ll ask for a free sample.”
  4. Libre ba ang sakay sa dyip karon?
    → “Is the jeepney ride free now?”

Kinaubsan

Meaning

  • The lowest / the bottom / the least
  • Superlative form of ubos (low, down, below).

Part of Speech

  • Noun / Adjective (superlative expression)

Situations Where It’s Used

  • When describing the lowest level, degree, or rank.
  • Used for prices, positions, rankings, or physical location.
  • Can be literal (the lowest part of something) or figurative (lowest status, cheapest, least important).

Example Sentences

  1. Sa kinaubsan nga bahin sa balay mao ang kusina.
    → “At the lowest part of the house is the kitchen.”
  2. Mopalit ko sa presyo nga kinaubsan.
    → “I will buy at the lowest price.”
  3. Ang iyang grado mao ang kinaubsan sa klase.
    → “His grade is the lowest in the class.”
  4. Kinaubsan nga ranggo ang iyang nakuha sa kompetisyon.
    → “He got the lowest rank in the competition.”

Pangutana

Meaning

  • Question
  • Can also mean to ask (a question), depending on context.

Part of Speech

  • Noun (a question)
  • Verb (to ask, inquire)

Situations Where It’s Used

  • When asking or referring to questions.
  • In daily conversation, school, work, or formal settings.
  • Polite way to say ask when addressing someone.

Example Sentences

  1. Naay pangutana ang maestro para sa klase.
    → “The teacher has a question for the class.”
  2. Usa ka pangutana: asa ka nag-eskwela sauna?
    → “One question: where did you study before?”
  3. Pwede ko mangutana nimo?
    → “May I ask you something?”
  4. Daghan siyag pangutana bahin sa trabaho.
    → “He has many questions about the job.”

Gwardya

Meaning

  • Guard / Security guard / Watchman

Part of Speech

  • Noun

Situations Where It’s Used

  • Referring to people working as security guards in malls, banks, schools, or buildings.
  • When talking about someone protecting a place or person.
  • Common in everyday life in the Philippines where guards are stationed almost everywhere.

Example Sentences

  1. Ang gwardya sa bangko kusog kaayo mosyagit.
    → “The guard at the bank shouts very loudly.”
  2. Naay gwardya nga nagbantay sa gate.
    → “There is a guard watching the gate.”
  3. Nangutana ko sa gwardya unsaon pagsulod sa opisina.
    → “I asked the guard how to enter the office.”
  4. Ang gwardya misita sa mga ID sa estudyante.
    → “The guard checked the students’ IDs.”

Nasayup

Meaning

  • Wrong / Mistaken / Made a mistake

Part of Speech

  • Verb (past tense / completed aspect of sayup = mistake)
  • Adjective (describing someone/something as wrong or mistaken)

Situations Where It’s Used

  • When admitting an error or pointing out a mistake.
  • Common in daily conversations, work, and school.
  • Can be used politely (“I was mistaken”) or directly (“You’re wrong”).

Example Sentences

  1. Nasayup ko sa akong tubag sa eksamen.
    → “I made a mistake in my answer on the exam.”
  2. Nasayup siya sa paghatag og direksiyon.
    → “He was wrong in giving directions.”
  3. Pasayloa ko, nasayup ko.
    → “Forgive me, I was wrong.”
  4. Nasayup ka sa imong giingon.
    → “You were mistaken in what you said.”

Mura

Meaning

  • Looks like / seems like / similar to
  • Expresses comparison or resemblance.

Part of Speech

  • Adverb / Expression

Situations Where It’s Used

  • When describing that something appears similar to something else.
  • Very common in casual daily conversations.
  • Often used at the start of a sentence: “Mura’g …” = “It seems that … / It looks like …”

Example Sentences

  1. Mura’g ulanon karon hapon.
    → “It looks like it will rain this afternoon.”
  2. Mura siyag kapoy kaayo.
    → “He seems very tired.”
  3. Mura’g dili siya mouyon sa plano.
    → “It seems he doesn’t agree with the plan.”
  4. Mura ni’g mansanas pero peras diay.
    → “This looks like an apple but it’s actually a pear.”

FLASHCARDS

DIALOGUE PRACTICE

Directions: Listen and repeat after your teacher.
Situation: Asking where can I ride?

Cebuano Dialogue

Leah: Excuse me day. Naa bay sakayanan og dyip diri paingun sa Colon?
Joyce: Wala’y dyip diri ate. Bus ug taksi ra ang naa.
Leah: Asa ko makasakay og bus day?
Joyce: Murag naa’y libring sakay ate. Sa kinaubsan man guru to.
Leah: Aw naa diay libre day? Asa dapit day?
Joyce: Naog ka sa kinaubsan ate. Unya pangutana lang sa gwardya asa nakaparking ang libring sakay ate.
Leah: Naa ray taksi didto day?
Joyce: Kung wala ko nasayup ate murag naa jud taksi didto sa kinaubsan ate.
Leah: Aw sige day salamat.
Joyce: Walay sapayan ate.

English Translation

Leah: Excuse me Ms. Is there any jeepney here going to Colon?
Joyce: There’s no jeepney here. There are only bus and taxi here.
Leah: Where can I ride a bus?
Joyce: I think there’s a free ride Ms. It’s probably on the ground floor.
Leah: Oh there’s a free ride? Where is it?
Joyce: Just go to the ground floor, Ms. Then, just ask the guard where the free ride bus is parked.
Leah: Is there a taxi there?
Joyce: If I’m not mistaken Ms, I think there’s a taxi there on the ground floor.
Leah: Ah okay Ms thank you.
Joyce: You’re welcome Ms.

LESSON

⚫ Naa ba’y/ra’y + N (transportation/places/etc.) + O ?

For examples:
Naa ba’y sakayanan og dyip diri paingun sa Colon?
Is there any jeepney here going to Colon?

Naa ra’y taksi didto day?
Is there a taxi there?

Naa ba’y Jolibee sa ikatulong andana?
Is there a Jolibee on the third floor?

⚫ Asa + S + V + O?

For examples:
Asa ko makasakay og bus?
Where can I ride a bus?

Asa siya makapalit og sanina?
Where can she buy clothes?

Asa kami makakita og nindot nga relo?
Where can we see a nice watch?

COMPREHENSION QUIZ

Directions: Choose the correct answer.

  1. How do you say ‘to ask’ in Cebuano?
    a. libre
    b. mura
    c. pangutana
    d. paingun
  2. Is it correct to say ‘Naa ra’y didto taksi day?’ ?
    a. O
    d. Dili
    c. Wala
    d. Ayaw
  3. How do you say ‘mistaken’ in Cebuano?
    a. gwardya
    b. nasayup
    c. pangutana
    d. paingun
  4. How do you say ‘I think’ in Cebuano?
    a. taksi
    b. bus
    c. mahal
    d. mura
  5. How do we say ‘where’ in Cebuano?
    a. asa
    b. kanus-a
    c. kinsa
    d. unsa

EXERCISE

Directions: Arrange the words to make sentences.

  1. makasakay / bus / asa / og / ko / ?
  2. sakayanan / sa / diri / og / Colon / naa / paingun / ba’y /dyip / ?
  3. diri / wala’y / ate / dyip
  4. og / ko / bus / makasakay / asa / ?
  5. didto / naa / day / ra’y / taksi / ?

REVIEW

Directions: Let’s use the pattern that you’ve learned during the lesson and make some sentences.

For example:
Naa ra’y taksi didto day?
Is there a taxi there?
⚫ Naa ba’y/ra’y + N (transportation/places/etc.) + O ?

1.

2.
3.

⚫ Asa + S + V + O?

1.
2.
3.

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