CEBUANO LESSON #51 Learn Cebuano: How to Use the Prefix “Gi” for Past Actions

2022/5/11

Learn Cebuano step by step!
In this lesson, you will learn how to use the Cebuano prefix “gi–” to express that an action has already been done or completed. This is one of the most common grammar patterns in Cebuano / Bisaya, especially when talking about the past tense.

You will learn:
✔️ What the prefix “gi–” means in Cebuano grammar
✔️ How to form past tense verbs with gi–
✔️ Examples of completed actions in daily life
✔️ Useful sentences and dialogues for practice

Example sentences from this lesson:
✨ Giandam na nako ang panihapon – I already prepared the dinner
✨ Gipalit ni mama ang isda sa merkado – Mom bought fish at the market
✨ Gisulat niya ang assignment kagabii – He/She wrote the assignment last night

This video is perfect for:
✔️ Beginners learning Cebuano / Bisaya grammar
✔️ Learners who want to master the past tense in Cebuano
✔️ Anyone who wants to use Cebuano naturally in daily conversations

By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to use “gi–” correctly and talk about completed actions with confidence.

VOCABULARY

Directions: Listen and repeat after your teacher.

Lamas

Meaning

  • Lamas = “spices” / “seasonings.”

Part of Speech

  • Noun.

Usage / Context

  • Refers to the ingredients used to flavor food, such as garlic, onion, pepper, ginger, etc.
  • Very common in cooking and daily Cebuano household conversations.

Example Sentences

  1. Palita og lamas sa merkado.
    → Buy spices at the market.
  2. Ang lamas mao’y nagapalami sa sud-an.
    → Spices make the dish tasty.
  3. Walay lamas ang sabaw, mao nga walay lami.
    → The soup has no spices, so it has no taste.

Una

Meaning

  • Una = “first” / “before” / “ahead.”

Part of Speech

  • Adverb / adjective.

Usage / Context

  • Used to indicate order, priority, or sequence.
  • Very common in daily Cebuano conversation when giving instructions or telling a story.
  • Can mean:
    1. First → in sequence.
    2. Before → earlier than something else.
    3. Ahead → in front of or earlier.

Example Sentences

  1. Una ta mokaon, unya ta mulakaw.
    → Let’s eat first, then we’ll go.
  2. Ako una nga miabot sa klase.
    → I was the first to arrive in class.
  3. Una siya namo sa linya.
    → He/She is ahead of us in line.

Kuwang

Meaning

  • Kuwang = “lacking” / “insufficient” / “missing.”

Part of Speech

  • Adjective / noun.

Usage / Context

  • Used when something is not enough or something is missing.
  • Very common in daily Cebuano, especially when talking about money, ingredients, requirements, or time.

Example Sentences

  1. Kuwang ang asin sa sabaw.
    → The soup is lacking salt.
  2. Kuwang pa ang akong kwarta para makapalit og sapatos.
    → My money is still not enough to buy shoes.
  3. Unsa pa ang kuwang sa imong proyekto?
    → What is still missing in your project?

Utanon

Meaning

  • Utanon = “vegetables.”

Part of Speech

  • Noun (collective; from root utan = vegetable dish).

Usage / Context

  • Refers to vegetables in general, usually as ingredients for cooking.
  • Very common in Cebuano households, markets, and food contexts.
  • Different from utan (vegetable soup/dish) — utanon is the raw vegetables themselves.

Example Sentences

  1. Daghang utanon sa merkado.
    → There are many vegetables in the market.
  2. Ang utanon maayo para sa lawas.
    → Vegetables are good for the body.
  3. Palita og utanon para sa utan.
    → Buy vegetables for the vegetable soup.

Kadiyot

Meaning

  • Kadiyot = “a moment” / “a little while” / “short time.”

Part of Speech

  • Noun / adverb of time.

Usage / Context

  • Very common in casual Cebuano speech.
  • Used when asking someone to wait briefly or when describing something that takes only a short time.
  • Similar to English “just a moment” / “for a while.”

Example Sentences

  1. Hulat kadiyot.
    → Wait a moment.
  2. Kadiyot ra siya nilingkod.
    → He/She sat for only a short while.
  3. Mangadto ko didto kadiyot lang.
    → I’ll just go there for a moment.

Aparador

Meaning

  • Aparador = “cabinet” / “wardrobe” / “closet.”

Part of Speech

  • Noun (borrowed from Spanish aparador).

Usage / Context

  • Refers to a piece of furniture used for storing clothes, dishes, or other household items.
  • In Cebuano, it most often means a wardrobe for clothes, but can also mean a cupboard in the kitchen.
  • Very common in households.

Example Sentences

  1. Gibutang nako ang akong sanina sa aparador.
    → I put my clothes in the wardrobe.
  2. Naay daghang plato sa aparador sa kusina.
    → There are many plates in the kitchen cabinet.
  3. Palit ta og bag-ong aparador kay daan na ni.
    → Let’s buy a new cabinet because this one is old.

Babaw

Meaning

  • Babaw = “top” / “surface” / “above.”

Part of Speech

  • Noun / adverb / preposition.

Usage / Context

  • Used to describe something that is on top of, over, or above another object.
  • Very common in daily Cebuano, especially when giving directions or describing positions.

Example Sentences

  1. Ang libro naa sa babaw sa lamisa.
    → The book is on top of the table.
  2. Ayaw ibutang ang baso sa babaw sa aparador.
    → Don’t put the glass on top of the cabinet.
  3. Sa babaw sa bukid makita ang tibuok baryo.
    → From the top of the mountain, you can see the whole village.

Mabalik

Meaning

  • Mabalik = “can return” / “will return.”

Part of Speech

  • Verb (potential or future aspect; from root balik = return/go back).

Usage / Context

  • Used when talking about the ability or possibility to go back to a place or situation.
  • Very common in daily Cebuano conversations, especially about visits, travels, or routines.

Example Sentences

  1. Mabalik ko sa Cebu sunod bulan.
    → I will return to Cebu next month.
  2. Kung mahuman nako ang trabaho, mabalik ko dayon.
    → If I finish my work, I’ll return right away.
  3. Dili na mabalik ang nawala nga oras.
    → The lost time cannot return.

Flashcards

DIALOGUE PRACTICE

Directions: Listen and repeat after your teacher.
Situation: Leah and Joyce are preparing for the party.

Cebuano

Leah: Joyce, nag-unsa ka?
Joyce: Naghiwa sa mga lamas.

Leah: Giluto na ni Amanda ang pasta?
Joyce: Wala pa, kay ang mga baboy mao’y giluto og una.

Leah: Aw sige. Unya, gipalit na ni Jr ang kuwang nga mga utanon?
Joyce: Wala pa te.

Leah: Tawaga to si Jr kadiyot. Papalita nato siya sa mga kuwang aron malihok na kana.
Joyce: Unsa iyang paliton te?

Leah: Ako na gisuwat iyang palitonun. Tan-awa babaw sa aparador.
Joyce: Nakit-an na nako te.

Leah: Sige, palakawa na to siya aron mabalik dayon.

English

Leah: Joyce, what are you doing?
Joyce: I’m cutting the spices.

Leah: Did Amanda already cook the pasta?
Joyce: Not yet, because we cooked the pork first.

Leah: Okay. Then did Jr buy the insufficient vegetables?
Joyce: Not yet.

Leah: Call Jr for a moment. Let him buy the missing ingredients so we can already start.
Joyce: What will he buy?

Leah: I wrote the things he needs to purchase. Just check it on the cabinet.
Joyce: I’ve already found it.

Leah: Okay, let Jr go so he can come back immediately.

LESSON

Prefix ”GI”

  • this prefix indicates that an action has been done.

    For examples:

◆ gi + luto = giluto (cooked)
Giluto na ni Amanda ang pasta?
Did Amanda already cook the pasta?

◆ gi + luto = giluto (cooked)
Wala pa, kay ang mga baboy maoy giluto og una.
Not yet, because the pork was cooked first.

◆ gi + palit = gipalit (bought)
Unya gipalit na ni Jr ang kuwang nga mga utanon?
Then, did Jr already buy the insufficient vegetables?

◆ gi + suwat = gisuwat (written/wrote)
Ako nang gisuwat iyang palitunon.
I already wrote the things he needs to buy.

COMPREHENSION QUIZ

Directions: Choose the correct answer.

  1. How to say ”bought” in Cebuano?
    a. gikaon
    b. gipalit
    c. gilakaw
    d. giluto
  2. What is the meaning of ”og”?
    a. because
    b. yet
    c. and
    d. objective article
  3. What prefix that indicates that an action has been done?
    a. mo
    b. nag
    c. pag
    d. gi
  4. How do we say ”cooked” in Cebuano?
    a. giluto
    b. gikaon
    c. gipalit
    d. gilakaw
  5. What is the Cebuano of ”wrote”?
    a. giluto
    b.gisuwat
    c. gipalit
    d. gikaon

EXERCISE

Directions: Arrange the words to make sentences.

  1. Jr / na / unya / utanon / ang / mga / gipalit / nga / kuwang / ni / ?
  2. Amanda / na / pasta / giluto / ang / ni / ?
  3. iyang / gisuwat / ako / palitunon / nang
  4. una / ang / mao’y / wala / mga / pa / og / giluto / baboy / kay
  5. te / unsa / paliton / iyang / ?

REVIEW

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

For example:

  1. –
  2. –
  3. –

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