CEBUANO LESSON #40 How to Construct Sentences in Cebuano (Beginner’s Guide)

2021/11/25

How do you make sentences in Cebuano?
In this beginner-friendly lesson, you’ll learn the basics of constructing Cebuano sentences using simple patterns and useful vocabulary.

👉 What you’ll learn in this video:

  • Common Cebuano words starting with the letter A (asa, amping, abli, etc.)
  • How to ask and answer basic questions like “Where are you going?”
  • The difference between Wh- questions and V + S + O sentence patterns
  • A practical dialogue you can use in everyday life (going to school, shopping, etc.)

Whether you’re just starting out or reviewing Cebuano basics, this lesson will help you build clear and natural sentences step by step.

VOCABULARY

Directions: Listen and repeat after your teacher.

了解しました。見出しを小さめにして整理しました。

Asa

Meaning

  • Asa = “where” (used to ask about a place, location, or direction).

Part of Speech

  • Interrogative adverb (question word).

Usage / Context

  • Used in daily conversation when asking about location, direction, or meeting place.
  • Comparable to the English “where.”
  • Very common in everyday questions.

Example Sentences

  1. Asa ka karon?
    → Where are you now?
  2. Asa ta magkita?
    → Where shall we meet?
  3. Asa dapit ang terminal sa dyip?
    → Where is the jeepney terminal located?

Eskwelahan

Meaning

  • Eskwelahan = “school.”

Part of Speech

  • Noun.

Usage / Context

  • Refers to a school building or institution where students study.
  • Commonly used in daily conversation when talking about going to school, studying, or referring to a specific school.

Example Sentences

  1. Moadto ko sa eskwelahan ugma.
    → I will go to school tomorrow.
  2. Daghang estudyante sa among eskwelahan.
    → There are many students in our school.
  3. Naa sa duol ang eskwelahan.
    → The school is nearby.

Unya

Meaning

  • Unya = “later” / “afterward” / “then” (depending on context).

Part of Speech

  • Adverb.

Usage / Context

  • Used in daily conversation to indicate that something will happen later in time or after another event.
  • Can also mean “then” when connecting actions in a sequence.

Example Sentences

  1. Magsabot ta unya.
    → Let’s talk later.
  2. Mangaon ta una, unya maglakaw ta.
    → Let’s eat first, then we will go.
  3. Unya ra ko motubag sa imong mensahe.
    → I will reply to your message later.

Klase

Meaning

  • Klase = “class” (refers either to a group of students, a lesson, or a category/type depending on context).

Part of Speech

  • Noun.

Usage / Context

  • Commonly used to talk about school lessons, classes, or types of things.
  • In education, it refers to lessons or sessions with a teacher.
  • In general conversation, it can also mean “kind” or “type.”

Example Sentences

  1. Naa koy klase ugma sa buntag.
    → I have a class tomorrow morning.
  2. Daghan og estudyante sa klase.
    → There are many students in the class.
  3. Unsa nga klase sa libro imong gipili?
    → What kind of book did you choose?

Abli

Meaning

  • Abli = “open” (can be used as a verb or adjective depending on context).

Part of Speech

  • Verb: “to open.”
  • Adjective: “open.”

Usage / Context

  • As a verb, it refers to the action of opening something (e.g., a door, a book).
  • As an adjective, it describes the state of being open (e.g., a store is open).
  • Very common in everyday conversation.

Example Sentences

  1. Palihog abli sa pultahan.
    → Please open the door.
  2. Abli ang tindahan kada buntag.
    → The store is open every morning.
  3. Kinsa ang nag-abli sa bintana?
    → Who opened the window?

Karun

Meaning

  • Karun = “now” / “today” / “this time” (depending on context).

Part of Speech

  • Adverb.

Usage / Context

  • Most commonly means “now” in everyday speech.
  • Can also mean “today” when referring to the current day.
  • Used to emphasize the present moment or the current situation.

Example Sentences

  1. Asa ka karun?
    → Where are you now?
  2. Karun ang akong adlawng natawhan.
    → Today is my birthday.
  3. Magtuon ko karun sa gabii.
    → I will study tonight.

Ikaw

Meaning

  • Ikaw = “you” (singular, used when directly addressing one person).

Part of Speech

  • Pronoun (second person singular).

Usage / Context

  • Used to refer directly to the person being spoken to.
  • Very common in everyday conversation.
  • Often placed at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis, but may also appear elsewhere.

Example Sentences

  1. Ikaw ang akong higala.
    → You are my friend.
  2. Asa ka gikan, ikaw?
    → Where did you come from, you?
  3. Unsa imong buhaton, ikaw?
    → What will you do?

Moadto

Meaning

  • Moadto = “will go” / “going to” (expresses the act of going somewhere).

Part of Speech

  • Verb (future or intentional aspect of adto = “to go”).

Usage / Context

  • Used when talking about the action of going to a place in the near future.
  • Often followed by “sa” + place to indicate the destination.
  • Very common in daily conversation when discussing plans or movement.

Example Sentences

  1. Moadto ko sa merkado ugma.
    → I will go to the market tomorrow.
  2. Moadto ta sa simbahan karun.
    → We will go to the church now.
  3. Asa ka moadto?
    → Where will you go?

Flashcards

DIALOGUE PRACTICE

Directions: Listen and repeat after your teacher.

Cebuano Dialogue

Leah: Asa ka moadto Joyce?
Joyce: Moadto ko sa eskwelahan.
Leah: Ikaw ra usa?
Joyce: O, Ako ra. Hapon pa ang klase ni Jim.
Leah: Si Emmy diay?
Joyce: Ambot lang. Murag unya pa ang iyang klase.
Leah: Ahh.
Joyce: Ikaw? Asa ka padulong?
Leah: Moadto ko sa Gaisano.
Joyce: Abli na diay karun?
Leah: O. Sayo mana sila mangabli.
Joyce: Aw sige. Amping.
Leah: Ikaw sad amping.

English Translation

Leah: Where will you go, Joyce?
Joyce: I will go to school.
Leah: Are you the only one? / Are you alone?
Joyce: Yes, it’s just me. Jim’s class is still in the afternoon.
Leah: How about Emmy?
Joyce: I don’t know. I think her class is later.
Leah: Oh.
Joyce: And you? Where are you going?
Leah: I’m going to Gaisano.
Joyce: Is it open now?
Leah: Yes. They open early.
Joyce: Oh okay. Take care.
Leah: You too take care.

LESSON

Vocabulary that starts with the letter A.

CebuanoEnglish
adlawsun
akoI
ambigive it to me
asawhere
ampingtake care
ambotI don’t know
agwantaendure
abliopen
abagashoulder
abanteforward / ahead

⚫ Wh question + S + V?
Asa ka moadto Joyce?
Where will you go, Joyce?

Asa ka padulong?
Where are you going?

Without the wh question, we make a question with:
⚫ V + S + O?
Abli na diay (Gaisano) karun?
Is it open now?

Moadto ka sa eskwelahan?
Are you going to school?

Nikaon na ka og pamahaw?
Have you already eaten breakfast?

COMPREHENSION QUIZ

Directions: Choose the correct answer.

  1. What’s the Cebuano of ‘take care’?
    a. ambot
    b. ako
    c. agwanta
    d. amping
  2. What’s the Cebuano of ‘endure’?
    a. abli
    b. agwanta
    c. adlaw
    d. abaga
  3. What’s the Cebuano of ‘forward’?
    a. ako
    b. abli
    c. adlaw
    d. abante
  4. What’s the Cebuano of ‘where’?
    a. asa
    b. abli
    c. ambot
    d. abante
  5. How do you say ‘now’ in Cebuano?
    a. ikaw
    b. moadto
    c. karun
    d. unya

EXERCISE

Direction: Arrange the words to make sentences.

  1. ka / padulong / asa / ?
  2. sa / moadto / eskwelahan / ka / ?
  3. moadto / ka / Joyce / asa / ?
  4. pamahaw / na / og / nikaon / ka / ?
  5. diay / abli / karun / na / ?

REVIEW

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

For example:
Asa ka moadto Joyce?

Where will you go, Joyce?

⚫ Wh question + S + V?

  1. –
  2. –
  3. –

⚫ V + S + O?

  1. –
  2. –
  3. –

Review B
Directions: Give Cebuano words that start with the letter A.

  1. –
  2. –
  3. –
  4. –
  5. –

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