CEBUANO LESSON #42 Learn Cebuano: How to Conjugate the Verb “Palit” (to Buy) for Beginners

2022/2/18

Learn Cebuano step by step!
In this lesson, you will discover how to conjugate the Cebuano verb “palit” (to buy) in the present, past, and future tenses.
We also practice everyday Cebuano sentences about shopping and daily conversations, including:

  • Nagpalit – buying / to buy
  • Nipalit / Mipalit – bought
  • Mopalit – will buy

This video is perfect for:
✔️ Beginners who want to learn Cebuano / Bisaya grammar
✔️ Travelers who want to use Cebuano when shopping in the Philippines
✔️ Anyone interested in Cebuano verbs and daily conversation practice

By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to use “palit” naturally in sentences like:
✨ Nagpalit og sabon si Mama (Mom is buying soap)
✨ Nipalit akong ate og t-shirt (My sister bought a t-shirt)
✨ Mopalit ko og fruits later (I will buy fruits later)

VOCABULARY

Directions: Listen and repeat after your teacher.

Naa

Meaning

  • Naa = “there is / there are” or “to have / to be (in a place).”

Part of Speech

  • Verb / existential expression.

Usage / Context

  • Very common in Cebuano, used to express existence (“there is/are”) or location (“to be at/in”).
  • Often followed by a place (naa sa…) or an object.
  • In casual speech, sometimes shortened to naa’y (there is) or naa ko’y (I have).

Example Sentences

  1. Naa koy libro.
    → I have a book.
  2. Naa siya sa balay karun.
    → He/She is at home now.
  3. Naa ba kay problema?
    → Do you have a problem?

Niadto

Meaning

  • Niadto = “went” / “was there” / “at that time” (past tense of adto = to go).

Part of Speech

  • Verb (past form).
  • Sometimes also functions as an adverbial phrase meaning “back then” / “at that time.”

Usage / Context

  • Used when talking about going somewhere in the past.
  • Can also be used in storytelling to mean “in those days / at that time.”
  • Very common in narratives, daily conversation, and past event descriptions.

Example Sentences

  1. Niadto ko sa merkado kagahapon.
    → I went to the market yesterday.
  2. Asa ka niadto?
    → Where did you go?
  3. Niadto sila sa Cebu niadtong Lunes.
    → They went to Cebu last Monday.
  4. Daghan pa kaayo’g kahoy niadto.
    → There were still many trees back then.

Sanina

Meaning

  • Sanina = “clothes” / “dress” / “garment.”

Part of Speech

  • Noun.

Usage / Context

  • Refers to clothing in general, or a particular dress/garment depending on context.
  • Commonly used in everyday conversation when talking about wearing, washing, or buying clothes.
  • Often appears with verbs like sul-ob (to wear), hugas/laba (to wash), palit (to buy).

Example Sentences

  1. Nindot imong sanina.
    → Your clothes/dress look nice.
  2. Asa nimo gipalit ang sanina?
    → Where did you buy the clothes?
  3. Mag-ilis ko kay hugaw na akong sanina.
    → I will change because my clothes are already dirty.

Mauyunan

Meaning

  • Mauyunan = “to agree” / “to be acceptable” / “to consent.”

Part of Speech

  • Verb (passive / intransitive form).

Usage / Context

  • Used when expressing agreement or approval with an idea, plan, or statement.
  • Common in daily conversation when confirming that something is fine or acceptable.
  • Often appears in the phrase “mauyunan nako/niya/nimo” = “I/he/you agree with it.”

Example Sentences

Kung mauyunan sa tanan, ipadayon nato ang proyekto.
→ If everyone agrees, we will continue the project.

Dili mauyunan sa mga ginikanan ang maong plano.
→ The parents will not agree with that plan.

Mauyunan nako ang imong gisulti.
→ I agree with what you said.

Abot

Meaning

  • Abot = “to arrive” / “to reach” / “to extend to.”
  • Depending on context, it can also mean “to hand something over” or “to catch up.”

Part of Speech

  • Verb.

Usage / Context

  • Used in daily conversation when talking about arriving at a place, reaching a certain point, or handing something to someone.
  • Very common in travel, daily activities, and giving/taking situations.

Example Sentences

  1. Niabot na siya sa balay.
    → He/She has already arrived home.
  2. Wala ko kaabot sa klase ganiha.
    → I wasn’t able to attend (reach) the class earlier.
  3. Abota ang libro palihog.
    → Please hand me the book.
  4. Di ko kaabot og alas otso.
    → I cannot make it by eight o’clock.

ambot lang

Meaning

  • Ambot lang = “I don’t know” / “Who knows” / “I have no idea.”

Part of Speech

  • Phrase (expression; ambot = “I don’t know” + lang = softener/particle).

Usage / Context

  • Very common informal expression in Cebuano.
  • Used when the speaker genuinely does not know the answer, or when they want to avoid giving a clear opinion.
  • Lang softens the tone, making it sound less blunt or harsh.

Example Sentences

  1. Asa siya moadto? — Ambot lang.
    → Where is he going? — I don’t know.
  2. Nganong wala siya niadto? — Ambot lang, wa sad ko kahibalo.
    → Why didn’t he go? — I have no idea, I don’t know either.
  3. Mahuman ba ni ugma? — Ambot lang.
    → Will this be finished tomorrow? — Who knows.

Merkado

Meaning

Part of Speech

  • Noun.

Usage / Context

  • Refers to a public market where fresh produce, meat, fish, and other goods are sold.
  • Common in everyday Cebuano conversation, especially when talking about shopping for food or household items.
  • Derived from the Spanish word mercado (market).

Example Sentences

  1. Moadto ko sa merkado ugma.
    → I will go to the market tomorrow.
  2. Daghan kaayo’g isda sa merkado.
    → There are so many fish in the market.
  3. Asa dapit ang merkado diri sa inyong baryo?
    → Where is the market located here in your village?

Magdugay

Meaning

  • Magdugay = “to take long” / “to last long” / “to stay long.”

Part of Speech

  • Verb (future or habitual aspect; from root dugay = “long time / slow”).

Usage / Context

  • Used when talking about the duration of time (how long something lasts, or how long a person stays).
  • Common in everyday conversation, especially when estimating time or describing slowness.

Example Sentences

  1. Dili ko magdugay diri.
    → I won’t stay long here.
  2. Magdugay og pila ka oras ang miting.
    → The meeting will take several hours.
  3. Ngano nga magdugay man siya sa tindahan?
    → Why is he staying so long at the store?

FLASHCARDS

DIALOGUE PRACTICE

Directions: Read the dialogue with your teacher.

Cebuano

Leah: Ayo! Day, naa imong mama?
Jen: Niadto sa merkado te.
Leah: Nag-unsa siya didto?
Jen: Nagpalit og baboy ug mga utanon.
Leah: Magdugay pa siya didto day?
Jen: Ambot lang. Ngano ta diay te?
Leah: Naa ta ko’y mga sanina ug sandal baligya. Basin ganahan siya mopalit.
Jen: Patan-awa kuno ko te basin naa ko’y mauyunan.
Leah: Tara o!
Jen: Ako lang unya ingnun si mama inig abot basin ganahan sad siya mopalit ba.

English

Leah: Hello! Anybody home? Is your mother there?
Jen: She went to the market.
Leah: What is she doing there?
Jen: She is buying pork and vegetables.
Leah: Will she take longer there?
Jen: I don’t know. Why is it?
Leah: I have some clothes and sandals for sale. Maybe she wants to buy.
Jen: Let me see, maybe there’s something that I’ll like.
Leah: Here it is!
Jen: I’ll just tell my mom when she arrives, maybe she wants to buy too.

LESSON

The word “palit” means to buy in English. Now, let’s learn how to conjugate the verb “buy”.

TenseCebuano FormEnglish Meaning
Present Tensenagpalitto buy / buying
Past Tensenipalit / mipalitbought
Future Tensemopalitwill buy

(As you noticed, the word ”palit” did not change but the PREFIXES did. The prefix ‘nag’ conveys the current situation. The prefix ‘ni/mi’ conveys something that already happened in the past. And lastly, the prefix ‘mo’ conveys something that will happen in the future.
Well these are the common prefixes. However, we don’t use these prefixes to all verbs in Cebuano. You’ll still have to know more about the conjugation and the prefixes of Cebuano verbs and how it uses.)

For examples:

  1. Nagpalit og sabon si Mama.
    Mom is buying a soap.
  2. Nipalit akong ate og bag-o nga tisirt ug sayal.
    My sister bought a new t-shirt and a skirt.
  3. Mopalit akong uyab og ginamit nga laptop.
    My girfriend/ boyfriend will buy a used laptop.

COMPREHENSION QUIZ

Directions: Choose the correct answer.

  1. How do we say ”naa” in English?
    a. here is
    b. this is
    c. there is
    d. that is
  2. Is it correct to say ‘Ganahan siya nipalit.’ ?
    a. Yes
    b. No
    c. Maybe
    d. None of the above.
  3. How do we say ‘clothes’ in Cebuano?
    a. butang
    b. utanon
    c. ambot
    d. sanina
  4. What prefix that conveys a future situation?
    a. nag
    b. mo
    c. ni
    d. ga
  5. What prefix that conveys the current situation?
    a. nag
    b. mo
    c. ni
    d. pag

EXERCISE

Directions: Choose the correct tense of the verb ‘palit’ to complete the sentence.

  1. Si ate __ og pan pagniaging adlaw.
  2. _ og bag-ong plato ug baso si Mama karon.
  3. _ mi og duwaan ni Angel inig sunod semana.
  4. Nganong _ si Yuri og bag-o nga computer paggabii?
  5. Ang akong ig-agaw __ og mga pagkaon sa tindahan para
    sa among snack karon.

REVIEW

Direction: Let’s use the Cebuano verb ‘palit’ that you’ve learned during the lesson and make some sentences with the correct usage of tenses (prefixes).

For example:
Nipalit akong ate og bag-o nga tisirt ug sayal.
My sister bought a new t-shirt and a skirt.

  1. –
  2. –
  3. –

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