CEBUANO LESSON #50 Learn Cebuano: Essential Courtesies and Polite Expressions for Beginners

2022/4/28

Learn Cebuano easily with this beginner-friendly lesson!
In this video, you will learn the most important Cebuano courtesies and polite expressions that you can use in everyday life.
These phrases will help you speak naturally and politely when talking with friends, family, and locals in the Philippines.

You will learn:
✔️ Salamat / Salamat kaayo – Thank you / Thank you very much
✔️ Walay sapayan – You’re welcome
✔️ Pasayloa ko / Pasensya – I’m sorry / Excuse me
✔️ Wala ko kasabot – I don’t understand
✔️ Wala ko kahibalo – I don’t know
✔️ Kadiyot palihog – One moment, please
✔️ Palihog hinaya pagsulti – Please speak slowly

This lesson is perfect for:
✔️ Beginners learning Cebuano / Bisaya phrases
✔️ Travelers who want to communicate politely in Cebuano
✔️ Anyone interested in Cebuano greetings and everyday manners

By the end of this video, you’ll be able to express yourself politely and confidently with Cebuano courtesies in daily conversations.

VOCABULARY

Directions: Listen and repeat after your teacher.

Mangutana

Meaning

  • Mangutana = “to ask (a question).”

Part of Speech

  • Verb (future/habitual aspect; from root utana = question/ask).

Usage / Context

  • Used when someone wants to ask or will ask a question.
  • Very common in daily conversation, classrooms, or polite interactions.

Example Sentences

  1. Mangutana ko sa maestra ugma.
    → I will ask the teacher tomorrow.
  2. Pwede ba ko mangutana nimo?
    → May I ask you something?
  3. Mangutana siya bahin sa presyo.
    → He/She will ask about the price.

Makapalit

Meaning

  • Makapalit = “can buy” / “able to buy.”

Part of Speech

  • Verb (potential form; from root palit = to buy).

Usage / Context

  • Used when talking about the ability or possibility to purchase something.
  • Very common in everyday Cebuano, especially in markets, shops, or budgeting conversations.

Example Sentences

  1. Makapalit ko og isda sa merkado.
    → I can buy fish at the market.
  2. Kung naa kay kwarta, makapalit ka og sinina.
    → If you have money, you can buy clothes.
  3. Dili siya makapalit kay mahal kaayo.
    → He/She cannot buy it because it’s too expensive.

Atbang

Meaning

  • Atbang = “in front of” / “opposite” / “facing.”

Part of Speech

  • Preposition / adverb.

Usage / Context

  • Used to describe location or position, meaning something is directly across from or facing another thing.
  • Very common in giving directions or describing where things are.

Example Sentences

  1. Atbang sa simbahan ang eskwelahan.
    → The school is in front of the church.
  2. Naglingkod siya atbang nako.
    → He/She sat in front of me.
  3. Ang tindahan atbang sa merkado.
    → The store is across from the market.

Dalan

Meaning

  • Dalan = “road” / “street” / “path.”

Part of Speech

  • Noun.

Usage / Context

  • Refers to any road, street, or pathway used for walking, riding, or driving.
  • Very common in everyday Cebuano, especially when giving directions or describing places.
  • Can also be used metaphorically to mean “way” or “direction in life.”

Example Sentences

  1. Asa ang dalan padulong sa merkado?
    → Where is the road to the market?
  2. Naglakaw siya sa dalan.
    → He/She walked on the road.
  3. Ang dalan padulong sa kalampusan mao ang pagpaningkamot.
    → The road to success is hard work.

Layo

Meaning

  • Layo = “far” / “distant.”

Part of Speech

  • Adjective / adverb.

Usage / Context

  • Used to describe distance (physical or figurative).
  • Can also mean “not close in relationship” or “different.”
  • Very common in daily Cebuano conversation about travel, directions, and feelings.

Example Sentences

  1. Layo ang among balay gikan sa merkado.
    → Our house is far from the market.
  2. Layo siya sa akong kasingkasing.
    → He/She is far from my heart. (emotional distance)
  3. Layo pa ang dalan nga atong agian.
    → The road we have to pass through is still far.

Sulod

Meaning

  • Sulod has two common meanings depending on context:
    1. “Inside / contents” → noun.
    2. “To enter / to go inside” → verb.

Part of Speech

  • Noun or verb.

Usage / Context

  • As a noun, refers to the contents of something or the inside part.
  • As a verb, used when someone enters a room/place.
  • Very common in everyday Cebuano conversations at home, school, stores, etc.

Example Sentences

  1. Tan-awa ang sulod sa kahon.
    → Look at the contents of the box.
  2. Sulod ta sa balay kay ulan.
    → Let’s go inside the house because it’s raining.
  3. Walay sulod ang baso.
    → The glass has nothing inside (it’s empty).

Makakita

Meaning

  • Makakita = “can see” / “able to see.”

Part of Speech

  • Verb (potential form; from root kita = to see).

Usage / Context

  • Used when expressing the ability or opportunity to see something.
  • Very common in daily Cebuano conversation, whether about physical sight or figurative understanding.

Example Sentences

  1. Makakita ko nimo gikan sa layo.
    → I can see you from afar.
  2. Kung adto ta sa bukid, makakita ta og daghang tanom.
    → If we go to the mountains, we can see many plants.
  3. Dili ko makakita kay ngitngit kaayo.
    → I cannot see because it’s very dark.

Puwa

Meaning

  • Puwa = “red.”

Part of Speech

  • Adjective.

Usage / Context

  • Refers to the color red (used for objects, clothing, fruits, etc.).
  • Very common in daily Cebuano vocabulary, especially when describing colors.

Example Sentences

  1. Puwa ang akong sanina.
    → My clothes are red.
  2. Nipalit siya og puwa nga mansanas.
    → He/She bought a red apple.
  3. Ang puwa simbolo sa kaisog.
    → Red is a symbol of bravery.

Flashcards

DIALOGUE PRACTICE

Directions: Listen and repeat after your teacher.
Situation: Mary is looking for a mini store.

Cebuano

Mary: Excuse me, kuya. Pwede mangutana?
Stranger: Unsa man?
Mary: Asa makapalit og load diri?
Stranger: Naa sa atbang. Mosulod ka ana nga dalan.
Mary: Dili layo ya?
Stranger: Dili man day. Makita ra nimo inig sulod ana nga dalan. Tupad sa puwa nga balay.
Mary: Ha? Pasensya ya. Palihug ko og balik.
Stranger: Inig sulod nimo, makakita ka og puwa nga balay. Sunod ana ang tindahan.
Mary: Sige. Salamat ya.
Stranger: Way sapayan.

English

Mary: Excuse me, sir. Can I ask a question?
Stranger: What is it?
Mary: Where can we buy load here?
Stranger: It’s across the street. You enter that way.
Mary: Isn’t it far?
Stranger: No, it isn’t. You can only see it when you enter that road. It’s next to the red house.
Mary: What? I’m sorry. Please say it again.
Stranger: When you enter, you can see a red house. The store is next to that.
Mary: Okay. Thank you.
Stranger: You’re welcome.

LESSON

⚫ SALAMAT / SALAMAT KAAYO
Thank you / Thank you very much
You say ”salamat” when someone does good things towards you.
You say ”salamat kaayo” when you want to express your gratitude. It means you’re thankful to someone. And this is also a formal expression of thank you.

⚫ WALAY SAPAYAN
You’re welcome
You reply ”walay sapayan” when someone says thank you. However, you usually say these expressions /walay problema -way blema/ , /okay ra/ , /salamat sad/

⚫ PASAYLOA KO / PASENSYA
I’m sorry
You say ‘pasayloa ko’ when you make a mistake or say or do bad things
You can also say ”pasensya” which means I’m sorry.

If you put ”kaayo” it means you are very sorry. So, you say pasayloa kaayo ko/ pasensya kaayo

⚫ WALA KO KASABOT
I don’t understand
You say ”wala ko kasabot” when you don’t understand what they are saying/ or when someone asks you and you don’t understand him/ her

⚫ WALA KO KAHIBALO
I don’t know
You say ”wala ko kahibalo when someone asks you about someone’s whereabouts and you don’t know where the person is You also say ”wala ko kahibalo” when someone asks you about something and you don’t know the answer

⚫ PASAYLOA KO / EXCUSE ME
Excuse me
You say excuse me when you want to politely get someone’s attention, when you interrupt someone’s conversation, or when you want to leave the conversation, etc.
Pasayloa ko is the Cebuano of excuse me. However, they usually use the English expression but they still use their Cebuano accent.

⚫ KADIYOT PALIHOG
One moment, please
You say ”kadiyot palihog” when you want someone to wait for you when someone is interrupting you and you can’t entertain them.

⚫ PALIHOG HINAYA PAGSULTI
Please speak slowly.
You say ” Palihog hinaya pagsulti” when someone is talking/speaking too fast or when someone is giving directions and you couldn’t catch it.

COMPREHENSION QUIZ

Directions: Choose the correct answer.

  1. What do you say when someone asks you about something and you don’t know the answer?
    a. salamat
    b. wala ko kahibalo
    c. palihog hinaya pagsulti
    d. kadiyot palihug
  2. Which of the following is not the expression of ‘You’re welcome’?
    a. okay ra
    b. salamat sad
    c. pasayloa ko
    d. way blema
  3. How do you say ‘I don’t know’ in Cebuano?
    a. wala ko kahibalo
    b. wala ko kasabot
    c. pasensya
    d. salamat kaayo
  4. What do you say when someone speak too fast?
    a. pasayloa ko
    b. wala ko kahibalo
    c. walay sapayan
    d. palihug hinaya pagsulti
  5. How do you say ‘One moment, please’?
    a. ambot
    b. salamat kaayo
    c. excuse me
    d. kadiyot palihug

EXERCISE

Directions: Arrange the words to make sentences.

  1. makapalit / diri / og / load / asa / ?
  2. balik / og / palihug / ko
  3. hinaya / pagsulti / pagsulti
  4. puwa / balay / sa / nga / tupad
  5. ana / dalan / mosulod / nga / ka

REVIEW

Directions: Share your experiences where you used some Cebuano courtesies.

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