basta

Cebuano Word Focus: basta

1. Part of Speech, Meaning, and Example Sentences

• Part of speech: Conjunction / discourse marker
• Core meanings:
  1. “as long as / provided that” (sets a condition)
  2. “just / simply” (down-playing details)

Example sentences

1. Basta human na ka, pwede na ta molakaw. – “As long as you’re finished, we can leave.”
2. Basta dili mahal, mopalit ko. – “I’ll buy it provided it’s not expensive.”
3. Ayaw nag daghang pangutana, basta buhata lang. – “No more questions, just do it.”

2. Points to Keep in Mind When Learning basta

1. Condition first, result after: A basta-clause usually comes before the main clause, but reversing the order is acceptable.
2. Often followed by “kay”: basta kay softens the tone (“just so long as …”).
3. No double linkers: Avoid basta ug or basta pero in the same clause.
4. Informal register: It is common in everyday talk; in very formal writing use kon (“if”) instead.
5. Intonation matters: When used as “just,” it can appear alone (Basta!), relying on voice emphasis for meaning.

3. Common Collocations

• basta libre ka – “as long as you’re free”
• basta dili mahal – “provided it’s not expensive”
• basta kay – “just so long as / just because”
• basta okay ra nimo – “as long as it’s fine with you”
• basta ma-human – “so long as it gets finished”

4. Typical Position in a Sentence

• Leading condition: Basta naa kay time, kuyog ta.
• Trailing condition: Kuyog ta basta naa kay time.
  In both patterns, basta appears at the start of its own clause.

5. Five Handy Conversational Phrases

1. Basta libre ka, texti ko. – “Text me as long as you’re free.”
2. Basta kaya nimo, padayon ta. – “If you can manage, let’s continue.”
3. Basta dili ka ma-ulahi, ok ra. – “It’s fine provided you’re not late.”
4. Basta naa ko’y kape, malipayon ko. – “I’m happy as long as I have coffee.”
5. Basta buotan ka, daghan kag amigo. – “So long as you’re kind, you’ll have many friends.”

6. Five Short Dialogues Using basta

1. A: Kuyog ka ugma?
   B: Kuyog ko basta mahuman nako akong report.
   (A: “Will you join tomorrow?” / B: “Yes, provided I finish my report.”)
2. A: Pwede ko manghulam sa imo libro?
   B: Pwede ra, basta ibalik ugma.
   (“May I borrow your book?” / “Sure, as long as you return it tomorrow.”)
3. A: Ganahan ka mokaon sa gawas?
   B: Ganahan ko basta dili mahal ang pagkaon.
   (“Do you want to eat out?” / “Yes, if the food isn’t expensive.”)
4. A: Mag-movie marathon ta karong gabii?
   B: Pwede basta makamatikod ka sa subtitles!
   (“Movie marathon tonight?” / “Okay, as long as you keep up with the subtitles!”)
5. A: Moadto ba ka sa workshop?
   B: Moadto ko basta libre ang registration.
   (“Will you attend the workshop?” / “I’ll go provided the registration is free.”)

7. Multiple-Choice Dialogue Questions

Q1. Mo-uban ka ba basta libre ka?
A. Basta libre ka mo-uban ko.
B. Mo-uban basta ko libre ka.
C. Mo-uban ko basta libre ko.

Q2. Mokaon ba ka basta lami ang pagkaon?
A. Mokaon ko basta lami ang pagkaon.
B. Basta lami mokaon pagkaon ko ang.
C. Ang pagkaon basta lami mokaon ko.

Q3. Moadto ba ta basta dili mag-uwan?
A. Basta dili mag-uwan moadto ta.
B. Moadto ta basta dili mag-uwan.
C. Dili basta ta moadto mag-uwan.

Q4. Magpahuway ba ka basta humana ang trabaho?
A. Basta humana trabaho ang magpahuway ka.
B. Magpahuway basta ka humana ang trabaho.
C. Magpahuway ko basta humana ang trabaho.

Q5. Mopalit ka ba basta barato ang libro?
A. Mopalit ko basta barato ang libro.
B. Libro basta barato mopalit ang ko.
C. Basta barato mopalit libro ko ang.

Answer Key & Why Each Is Correct

• Q1 – C: Subject + verb, then basta clause with matching subject “ko.”
• Q2 – A: Declarative order “Mokaon ko …” followed by condition.
• Q3 – B: Main clause “Moadto ta” first; basta introduces weather condition.
• Q4 – C: Verb + subject first, then basta clause giving completion condition.
• Q5 – A: Clear statement “Mopalit ko” followed by price condition; others jumble word order.