CEBUANO LESSON #66 How to Tell Time in Cebuano (Bisaya): Learn the 12- and 24-Hour Clock

Learn how to tell time in Cebuano (Bisaya) with this easy-to-follow lesson!

This video will teach you all the basics, including:

Essential vocabulary for time
Spanish-derived numbers used for hours and minutes
How to use both the 12-hour and 24-hour clock systems

Improve your Cebuano today and confidently talk about your schedule!

Table

Vocabulary
1. Spanish-Derived Numbers (1-60)
Flashcards
Dialogue Practise
Lesson
Comprehension Quiz
Exercise
Review

Vocabulary

Directions: Listen and repeat after your teacher.

ORAS

part of speech: noun
meaning: time; hour
when to use it: when you are referring to the time on a clock, or a duration of time in hours.
example sentences:
- unsang orasa na? (what time is it now?)
- moabot ko sulod sa usa ka oras. (i will arrive within one hour.)

MINUTO

part of speech: noun
meaning: minute
when to use it: when you are referring to a minute as a unit of time.
example sentences:
- moabot ko diha sulod sa napulo ka minuto. (i will arrive there in ten minutes.)
- palihug hulat og usa ka minuto. (please wait for one minute.)

ALA/ALAS

part of speech: phrase (used as an adverb of time)
meaning: at (o’clock)
when to use it: it is used specifically for telling time. “ala” is used only for one o’clock (ala una), while “alas” is used for all other hours (alas dos, alas tres, etc.).
example sentences:
- magsugod ang klase sa ala una sa hapon. (the class will start at one in the afternoon.)
- moabot siya sa alas singko sa buntag. (he/she will arrive at five in the morning.)

SA BUNTAG

part of speech: adverbial phrase
meaning: in the morning
when to use it: when you are referring to an action or event that happens in the morning.
example sentences:
- manuroy mi sa plasa sa buntag. (we will stroll in the plaza in the morning.)
- sayo ko nimata kaganinang buntag. (i woke up early this morning.)

SA GABII / SA HAPON

part of speech: adverbial phrases
meaning: “sa gabii” means “in the evening” or “at night”; “sa hapon” means “in the afternoon”.
when to use it: when you are referring to an action or event that happens in the afternoon (hapon) or in the evening (gabii).
example sentences:
- manggawas mi aron manihapon sa gabii. (we will go out to eat dinner in the evening.)
- magdula mig basketbol sa hapon. (we will play basketball in the afternoon.)

SA UDTO

part of speech: adverbial phrase
meaning: at noon; at midday
when to use it: when you are referring to an action or event that happens at noon.
example sentences:
- mokaon ta og paniudto sa udto. (we will eat lunch at noon.)
- init kaayo ang adlaw sa udto. (the sun is very hot at noon.)

KADLAWON

part of speech: noun
meaning: dawn; daybreak; early morning (before sunrise)
when to use it: when you are referring to the time of day just before the sun rises, typically between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.
example sentences:
- bugnaw ang hangin sa kadlawon. (the wind is cold at dawn.)
- mobiyahe mi sa kadlawon aron malikayan ang trapik. (we will travel at dawn to avoid the traffic.)

TUNGA-TUNGA SA GABII

part of speech: adverbial phrase
meaning: midnight; middle of the night
when to use it: when you are referring to the time around twelve o’clock at night.
example sentences:
- nakamata ko sa tunga-tunga sa gabii. (i woke up in the middle of the night.)
- nahuman ang party sa tunga-tunga sa gabii. (the party ended at midnight.)

Y MEDYA

part of speech: phrase
meaning: and a half; thirty (minutes past the hour)
when to use it: it is used after “ala” or “alas” when telling time to mean “thirty” or “half past” the hour. it is borrowed from the spanish “y media”.
example sentences:
- moabot ko sa alas dos y medya sa hapon. (i will arrive at two thirty in the afternoon.)
- nahuman ang salida sa alas onse y medya sa gabii. (the movie finished at eleven thirty in the evening.)

PARA

part of speech: preposition or verb
meaning: 1. (preposition) for; in order to. 2. (verb) stop.
when to use it: it is used to indicate the purpose of something or the intended recipient (for). it is also commonly used as a command to stop a vehicle, like a jeepney or a bus.
example sentences:
- para kang kinsa kining mga buwak? (who are these flowers for?)
- nong, para sa unahan lang! (sir, please stop just ahead!)

PASADO

part of speech: adjective / adverb
meaning: past; after (in telling time)
when to use it: it is used to indicate that the time is a little past the specified hour. for example, “pasado alas tres” means “a little past three o’clock”.
example sentences:
- pasado alas dose na mi nangaon og paniudto. (we ate lunch a little past twelve.)
- niabot siya sa balay pasado alas nwebe sa gabii. (he/she arrived home a little past nine in the evening.)

MITING SA NEGOSYO

part of speech: noun phrase
meaning: business meeting
when to use it: when referring to a formal meeting or appointment related to business matters.
example sentences:
- naa koy importante nga miting sa negosyo ugma. (i have an important business meeting tomorrow.)
- gi-cancel ang among miting sa negosyo karong hapon. (our business meeting this afternoon was cancelled.)

BIYAHE

part of speech: noun or verb
meaning: as a noun: trip, journey; as a verb: to travel
when to use it: when referring to the act of traveling or a specific journey from one place to another.
example sentences:
- nalingaw ko sa atong biyahe sa miaging semana. (i enjoyed our trip last week.)
- mobiyahe mi paingon sa boracay ugma. (we will travel to boracay tomorrow.)

Spanish-derived numbers

Spanish-Derived Numbers (1-60)

Number	Spanish-Derived Name	Number	Spanish-Derived Name	Number	Spanish-Derived Name
1	Uno / Una	21	Baynte uno	41	Kwarenta’y uno
2	Dos	22	Baynte dos	42	Kwarenta’y dos
3	Tres	23	Baynte tres	43	Kwarenta’y tres
4	Kwatro	24	Baynte kwatro	44	Kwarenta’y kwatro
5	Singko	25	Baynte singko	45	Kwarenta’y singko
6	Sais	26	Baynte sais	46	Kwarenta’y sais
7	Syete	27	Baynte syete	47	Kwarenta’y syete
8	Otso	28	Baynte otso	48	Kwarenta’y otso
9	Noybe / Nueve	29	Baynte noybe	49	Kwarenta’y noybe
10	Diyes	30	Traynta	50	Singkwenta
11	Onse	31	Traynta’y uno	51	Singkwenta’y uno
12	Dose	32	Traynta’y dos	52	Singkwenta’y dos
13	Trese	33	Traynta’y tres	53	Singkwenta’y tres
14	Katorse	34	Traynta’y kwatro	54	Singkwenta’y kwatro
15	Kinse	35	Traynta’y singko	55	Singkwenta’y singko
16	Dise sais	36	Traynta’y sais	56	Singkwenta’y sais
17	Dise syete	37	Traynta’y syete	57	Singkwenta’y syete
18	Dise otso	38	Traynta’y otso	58	Singkwenta’y otso
19	Dise noybe	39	Traynta’y noybe	59	Singkwenta’y noybe
20	Baynte	40	Kwarenta	60	Saysenta

Flashcards

Dialogue Practise

Situation: Leah and Joyce are going to meet their friends in the

mall.

Cebuano

Leah: Joyce, unsa orasa imong giingon nila nga mag-abot ta dinhi?

Joyce: Ako sila giingnan nga alas onse.

Leah: Hapit naman y midya unya wala pa sila. Taudtaod na kita diri.

Joyce: Hapit naman sad sila.

Leah: Maayo nuon kay gutom na kaayo ko.

Joyce: Hala! Hapit naman diay alas dose.

Leah: Mao gani gigutom nako. Unsa diay sila orasa nigikan?

Joyce: Nigikan si Anna baynte minutos para alas onse. Samtang si Jen kay alas diyes y medya.

Leah: Sige, maghulat lang ta nila dinhi.

English

Leah: Joyce, what time did you tell them to meet us here?

Joyce: I told them at 11:00.

Leah: It’s almost half an hour then they are not yet here. We’ve been here for a while.

Joyce: They are almost here.

Leah: That’s good because I’m so hungry.

Joyce: Oh! It’s almost 12:00.

Leah: That’s why I’m hungry. What time did they leave?

Joyce: Anna left twenty minutes to eleven (10:40). While Jen left 10:30 (half past ten).

Leah: Okay, let’s just wait for them here.

Lesson

There are two ways of telling time in Cebuano, the 12-hour clock and the 24-hour clock.
The 12-hour clock
Ala/alas + oras + minuto/s +
buntag/udto/hapon/gabii/kadlawn/tunga-tunga sa gabii

For examples:
◆ 9:35 pm – alas noybe traynta’y singko sa gabii
◆ 4: 44 pm – alas kwatro kwarenta’y kwatro sa hapon
◆ 10: 22 am – alas diyes baynte dos sa buntag
◆ 4:45 am – alas kwatro kwarenta’y singko sa kadlawn
◆ 12:08 am – alas dose otso sa tunga-tunga sa gabii

The 24-hour clock
minuto/s + pasado (past) / para (to) + ala/alas + oras
For examples:
◆ 24:05 – singko minutos pasado alas dose
◆ 14:45 – kinse minutos para alas tres
◆ 17:50 – diyes minutos para alas sais
◆ 8: 30 – traynta minutos pasado alas otso
◆ 15:10 – diyes minutos pasado alas tres

Comprehension Quiz

Direction: Answer the following questions. Hint is given below.

Unsa orasa ang imong biyahe?
What time is your flight?
9:45 pm.
a. Alas noybe singkwenta sa gabii
b. Alas noybe kwarenta sa gabii
c. Alas noybe kwarenta’y singko sa gabii
d. Alas noybe singko sa gabii
Unsa orasa ang miting nako sa negosyo?
What time is my business meeting?
10 o’clock.
a. Alas diyes
b. Alas onse
c. Alas dose
d. Alas kwatro
Excuse me, Ms. Unsa na orasa karon?
Excuse me, Ms. What time is now?
It’s 4:15 now.
a. Alas kwatro diyes na karon
b. Alas kwatro baynte na karon
c. Alas kwatro singkwenta na karon
d. Alas kwatro kinse na karon
Unsa ta oras mag-abot sa SM mall?
What time will we meet in SM mall?
13:15
a. Kinse minutos para alas dos
b. Kinse minutos para ala una
c. Kinse minutos pasado alas kinse
d. Kinse minutos pasado alas una
Unsa ka orasa moadto sa irport?
What time will you go to the airport?
20:25
a. Baynte singko minutos para alas otso
b. Baynte singko minutos pasado alas otso
c. Baynte singko minutos pasado alas noybe
d. Baynte singko minutos para alas noybe

Exercise

Directions: Write the following time in Cebuano.

9:50am –
18:35 –
3:50 am –
12:38pm –
22:20 –

Review

Directions: Share your schedule for today.
For example:
Nimata ko alas kwatro kwarenta’y singko sa kadlawn.
Unya, nagtuon ko og Bisaya alas singko hangtod alas sais sa
buntag. (I woke up at 4:45am. Then, I studied Cebuano from 5:00 to 6:00am.)
Student: __________