bisan kanus-a

Cebuano Word: bisan kanus-a

(sometimes written “bisan kanus-a,” always two words)

1 Part of Speech, Meaning, and Example Sentences

• Part of speech: adverbial phrase (time)
• Core meaning: anytime; whenever; at whatever time

Example sentences

1. Pwede ka motawag bisan kanus-a. — You can call anytime.
2. Bisan kanus-a ko andam motabang. — I am ready to help whenever.
3. Di sila mo-close; bukas sila bisan kanus-a. — They never close; they are open at any time.

2 Learning Points for bisan kanus-a

1. Indefinite time marker – signals no fixed schedule; comparable to “whenever.”
2. Flexible position – may open a clause (“Bisan kanus-a, pwede ka mo-bisita.”) or follow the verb (“Mo-bisita ka bisan kanus-a.”).
3. Permission & offers – often paired with pwede, tawag, bisita, adto to give open-ended permission.
4. With negatives – “dili bisan kanus-a” means “never.”
5. No inflection – phrase stays intact; do not split across clauses.

3 Common Collocations

• pwede bisan kanus-a – allowed anytime
• tawag bisan kanus-a – call whenever
• bisan kanus-a nga oras – at whatever hour
• dili bisan kanus-a – never
• adto bisan kanus-a – go anytime

4 Typical Sentence Position

• Initial (emphatic): “Bisan kanus-a, welcome ka sa among balay.”
• Final (neutral): “Welcome ka sa among balay bisan kanus-a.”

5 Five Frequently Used Conversational Phrases

1. “Pwede ka mosuroy bisan kanus-a.” — You may drop by anytime.
2. “Tawagi ko bisan kanus-a kung naay problema.” — Call me whenever there’s a problem.
3. “Bisan kanus-a nako madawat ang bayad.” — I can accept the payment anytime.
4. “Available ko bisan kanus-a karong semana.” — I’m free anytime this week.
5. “Bisan kanus-a ta mag-meet kung human na ka.” — We can meet whenever you’re done.

6 Five Everyday Conversation Exchanges

1. A: Kanus-a ko pwede mag-submit?
   B: Bisan kanus-a basta sulod sa bulan.
   A: When may I submit?
   B: Anytime as long as it’s within the month.
2. A: Libre ka ba karong hapon?
   B: Libre ko bisan kanus-a pagkahuman sa klase.
   A: Are you free this afternoon?
   B: I’m free whenever after class.
3. A: Pwede ba ko manghulam sa libro?
   B: Oo, kuhaa lang bisan kanus-a sa shelf.
   A: May I borrow the book?
   B: Yes, just grab it anytime from the shelf.
4. A: Open ba ang café inig gabii?
   B: Open sila bisan kanus-a, 24/7 man.
   A: Is the café open at night?
   B: They’re open anytime; they’re 24/7.
5. A: Kung naay emergency, asa ko muduol?
   B: Tawagi ko bisan kanus-a, di ko mu-off sa phone.
   A: If there’s an emergency, whom should I approach?
   B: Call me anytime; I don’t turn off my phone.

7 Multiple-Choice Dialogue Questions

Q1. Pwede ba ka mo-text bisan kanus-a?
A. Mo-text ko pwede bisan kanus-a.
B. Pwede ko mo-text bisan kanus-a.
C. Bisan kanus-a mo-text pwede ko.

Q2. Bisan kanus-a ba sila mo-open sa opisina?
A. Mo-open sila sa opisina bisan kanus-a.
B. Bisan kanus-a sila mo-open sa opisina.
C. Sa opisina sila mo-open bisan kanus-a.

Q3. Dili ba nimo i-update ang app bisan kanus-a?
A. I-update nimo dili bisan kanus-a ang app.
B. Dili nimo i-update ang app bisan kanus-a.
C. Bisan kanus-a i-update nimo dili ang app.

Q4. Bisan kanus-a ko ba makapangayo’g tabang?
A. Makapangayo ko’g tabang bisan kanus-a.
B. Ko makapangayo’g tabang bisan kanus-a makaba?
C. Tabang bisan kanus-a makapangayo ko.

Q5. Mahimo ba kang mo-adto bisan kanus-a?
A. Mahimo kang mo-adto bisan kanus-a.
B. Bisan kanus-a mahimo kang mo-adto.
C. Kang mo-adto mahimo bisan kanus-a ka.

Answer Key

• Q1 → B – Verb phrase “pwede ko mo-text” followed by bisan kanus-a; natural order.
• Q2 → B – Clause starts with bisan kanus-a for emphasis, then subject + verb.
• Q3 → B – Negator dili + pronoun + verb + object + bisan kanus-a keeps correct flow.
• Q4 → A – Verb phrase comes before bisan kanus-a; other choices are ungrammatical.
• Q5 → A – Predicate before adverbial phrase; B acceptable but A chosen for variation.