aslom

1 Part of speech, core meaning, usage, and sample sentences

Part of speech: adjective (also adverb “sourly”)
Core meaning: “sour,” “tart,” “acidic,” literal or figurative (unpleasant attitude).

Examples

• Aslom ang kalamunggay nga sabaw kung wala’y asin. – The moringa soup tastes sour if there’s no salt.
• Aslom kaayo ang lemon; kinahanglan pa og dugos. – The lemon is very sour; it still needs honey.
• Nangitag aslom nga mangga si mama. – Mom is craving sour mango.
• Aslom iyang dagway pagkadungog sa balita. – His face turned sour when he heard the news.

2 Linking endings & derivational patterns

• Linkers
  • -ng before a consonant → aslom-ng suka – sour vinegar.
  • nga before a vowel / for clarity → aslom nga prutas – sour fruit.
• Degree & intensity
  • mas aslom – more sour.
  • pinakaaslom – most sour.
  • aslom-aslom – somewhat sour.
  • aslom kaayo / aslom gyud – very sour / truly tart.
• Exclamatory & abstract nouns
  • Kaaslom oy! – How sour!
  • kaaslomon – sourness, acidity.
  • pagkaaslom – the state of being sour.
• Verb-like forms
  • mugaslom / nagaslom / niaslom – to turn sour.
  • paaslom-a / paaslomon – make something sour.

3 Sentence placement

1. Predicate: Ang gatas aslom. – The milk is sour.
2. Modifier: aslom-ng gatas.
3. Emphatic complement: Mao ni ang aslom nga parte sa putahe. – This is the sour part of the dish.

4 Common collocations

• aslom nga mangga – sour mango
• aslom nga suka – sour vinegar
• aslom nga baho – sour smell
• aslom nga dagway – sour expression
• aslom nga sabaw – sour soup

5 How it’s used in detail

“Aslom” labels sharp acidity in taste or smell but also bad moods (aslom nga batasan – sour attitude). When the adjective comes before a noun, attach the linker; leave it out in predicate position. Comparative mas aslom and superlative pinakaaslom follow regular Cebuano rules. Reduplication (aslom-aslom) tones it down to “a bit sour.” Verb forms (mugaslom) describe turning sour—foods spoiling or moods souring.

6 Frequent mistakes

• Dropping the linker: ✗ aslom sabaw → ✓ aslom nga sabaw.
• Writing aslom mas instead of mas aslom.
• Separating pinaka from root: ✗ pinaka aslom → ✓ pinakaaslom.
• Using aslom for spicy (use halang).
• Forgetting the hyphen in reduplication: ✗ aslomaslom → ✓ aslom-aslom.

7 Five everyday phrases

1. Kaaslom sa sinugba kung walay sawsawan! – Grilled food is so sour without sauce!
2. Mas aslom ning green nga mansanas kaysa red. – This green apple is more sour than the red one.
3. Pinakaaslom gyud ni nga sinigang akong natilawan. – This is the sourest Filipino stew I’ve tasted.
4. Aslom-aslom ra ang juice; sakto ra kaayo sa uhaw. – The juice is just a bit tart; perfect for thirst.
5. Mugaslom ra ang gatas kung biyaan sa gawas. – The milk will turn sour if left outside.

8 Five short conversation exchanges

1. Q: Aslom ba ang biko karon? – Is the rice cake sour now?
   A: Dili, tam-is pa; wala pa nagaslom. – No, still sweet; it hasn’t soured.
2. Q: Ngano mas aslom man ning yogurt? – Why is this yogurt sourer?
   A: Mas aslom kay dugay na sa ref. – Sourer because it’s been in the fridge longer.
3. Q: Asa ang pinakaaslom nga suka diri? – Where’s the sourest vinegar here?
   A: Kana sa botelya nga pula ang pinakaaslom. – The one in the red bottle is the sourest.
4. Q: Aslom-aslom ba ang lemonade kung gamay ra ang asukar? – Does lemonade get a bit sour if sugar is low?
   A: Oo, mao nay lami kung diet ka. – Yes, that’s tasty if you’re on a diet.
5. Q: Unsaon nato pag-paaslom pa sa sabaw? – How can we make the soup even sourer?
   A: Idugang pa og calamansi para taas aslom. – Add more calamansi to increase the sourness.

9 Multiple-choice dialogue practice

Q1. Aslom ba ang imong sinigang?
A. Aslom kaayo ang akong sinigang.
B. Sinigang aslom kaayo akong ang.
C. Aslom sinigang kaayo ang akong.

Q2. Asa ang mas aslom, ang lemon o ang kalamansi?
A. Mas aslom ang lemon kaysa kalamansi.
B. Kalamansi kaysa lemon ang mas aslom.
C. Mas aslom kaysa lemon ang kalamansi.

Q3. Pinakaaslom ba kini nga suka sa merkado?
A. Kini pinakaaslom suka sa merkado.
B. Pinakaaslom kini nga suka sa merkado.
C. Suka kini pinakaaslom sa merkado.

Q4. Ngano aslom ra imong dagway?
A. Aslom ra akong dagway kay gutom ko.
B. Dagway aslom ra akong kay gutom ko.
C. Gutom ko dagway aslom ra akong kay.

Q5. Kinsa’y naay aslom-aslom nga salad recipe?
A. Naay si Ana aslom-aslom salad recipe.
B. Si Ana naay aslom-aslom nga salad recipe.
C. Salad recipe aslom-aslom naay si Ana.

Answer key & simple explanations

• Q1 – A Correct order: predicate aslom kaayo precedes subject. B & C scramble article order.
• Q2 – C Comparative pattern “Mas aslom kaysa X ang Y.” A & B misplace elements.
• Q3 – B Pinakaaslom directly before kini and linked to noun; A & C mis-order demonstrative or drop linker.
• Q4 – A Predicate first, reason clause after; B & C jumble word sequence.
• Q5 – B Follows “naay + subject + description.” A & C break the structure.