gutom

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

• Part of speech: adjective / noun / stative verb
• Core meaning: “hungry” (adjective), “hunger” (noun), “to feel hunger” (verb).

Example sentences

• Gutom ko human sa klase. – I’m hungry after class.
• Gutom kaayo ang bata kay wa pa’y pamahaw. – The child is very hungry because there was no breakfast yet.
• Gihandom sa programa nga mapahunong ang gutom sa komunidad. – The program aims to stop hunger in the community.
• Nigutom sila sa taas nga biyahe. – They became hungry during the long trip.

2 Linking endings and derivational forms

• Linkers
  • -ng before a consonant: gutom-ng tiyan – hungry stomach.
  • nga before a vowel / clarity: gutom nga pamilyá – hungry family.
• Degree & intensity
  • mas gutom – hungrier.
  • pinakagutom – hungriest.
  • gutom-gutom – rather hungry.
  • gutom kaayo / gutom gyud – very hungry.
• Exclamation & abstract noun
  • Kagutom oy! – How hungry!
  • kagutomon – hunger, starvation.
  • pagkagutom – the state of being hungry.
• Verb relatives
  • mugutom / nigutom / nagutom – to feel hungry.
  • pagutoma! / pagutomon – make someone hungry.

3 Typical positions in a sentence

1. Predicate adjective: Ang iro gutom. – The dog is hungry.
2. Modifier with linker: gutom nga iro.
3. Emphatic complement: Mao ni ang gutom nga kamatuoran. – This is the hungry (harsh) truth.

4 Common collocations

• gutom nga tiyan – empty stomach
• gutom nga pamilya – starving family
• gutom nga mata – hungry eyes / craving look
• gutom nga masa – hungry masses
• gutom-gutom nga pagtan-aw – rather hungry expression

5 Detailed usage notes

“Gutom” describes the physical sensation of needing food (gutom kaayo ko), large-scale lack of food (kagutomon sa rehiyon), or figurative craving (gutom sa gahum – hunger for power).
Use -ng / nga when the adjective comes before the noun; omit it when gutom is predicate.
Comparatives (mas gutom) and superlatives (pinakagutom) follow standard Cebuano patterns.
Reduplication (gutom-gutom) tones it down to “a bit hungry.”
Verb forms (nigutom ko) denote the act of becoming hungry.

6 Common mistakes to avoid

• Missing linker: ✗ gutom bata → ✓ gutom nga bata.
• Saying gutom mas instead of mas gutom.
• Splitting pinaka from the root: ✗ pinaka gutom → ✓ pinakagutom.
• Confusing gutom (hungry) with gutum (not a Cebuano word).
• Writing reduplication without hyphen: ✗ gutomgutom → ✓ gutom-gutom.

7 Five everyday conversational phrases

1. Kagutom sa hapon, mang-merienda ta. – So hungry this afternoon; let’s grab a snack.
2. Mas gutom ko kung mag-exercise ko buntag. – I’m hungrier if I work out in the morning.
3. Pinakagutom gyud ko pagkahuman sa exam maraton. – I was the hungriest right after the exam marathon.
4. Gutom-gutom ra ko, dili pa kinahanglan bug-at nga pagkaon. – I’m just a little hungry; no need for heavy food.
5. Ayaw pag-work og sobra, basin magutman ka ug maayo. – Don’t overwork; you might end up very hungry.

8 Five brief conversation exchanges

1. Q: Gutom ba ka karon? – Are you hungry now?
   A: Oo, gutom kaayo ko kay wa pa ko’y paniudto. – Yes, I’m very hungry because I haven’t had lunch.
2. Q: Ngano mas gutom man ka kung gabii? – Why are you hungrier at night?
   A: Mas gutom ko kay sayo ra ko nag-almusal. – Hungrier because I ate breakfast early.
3. Q: Asa ang pinakagutom nga lugar nga atong tabangan? – Which area is the hungriest that we should help?
   A: Sa bukidnong sitio, didto pinakagutom ang mga pamilya. – In the mountain hamlet; families there are the hungriest.
4. Q: Gutom-gutom na ba imong anak? – Is your child already a bit hungry?
   A: Oo, nangita na siyag gatas. – Yes, she’s asking for milk.
5. Q: Unsaon nato pagpahunong sa kagutomon sa komunidad? – How do we stop hunger in the community?
   A: Mag-lunsad ta og feeding program ug urban gardening. – Let’s launch a feeding program and urban gardening.

9 Multiple-choice dialogue practice

Q1. Gutom ba ang imong tiyan?
A. Tiyan gutom kaayo ang akong.
B. Gutom kaayo ang akong tiyan.
C. Gutom tiyan kaayo ang akong.

Q2. Asa ang mas gutom, ikaw o ako?
A. Mas gutom ako kaysa ikaw.
B. Ikaw kaysa ako ang mas gutom.
C. Mas gutom kaysa ako ikaw.

Q3. Pinakagutom ba kini nga grupo sa barangay?
A. Pinakagutom kini nga grupo sa barangay.
B. Grupo kini pinakagutom sa barangay.
C. Kini pinakagutom grupo sa barangay.

Q4. Ngano gutom ra imong dagway pag-meeting?
A. Gutom ra akong dagway kay walay breakfast.
B. Dagway gutom ra akong kay walay breakfast.
C. Walay breakfast dagway gutom ra ako kay.

Q5. Kinsa’y naay gutom-gutom nga komentaryo sa plano?
A. Si Maya naay gutom-gutom nga komentaryo.
B. Naay si Maya gutom-gutom komentaryo.
C. Komentaryo gutom-gutom naay si Maya.

Answer key & brief explanations

Q1 – B Predicate gutom kaayo comes before the subject; A & C misplace the noun.
Q2 – A Comparative pattern: “Mas gutom ako kaysa ikaw.” Others mis-order comparison elements.
Q3 – A Pinakagutom right before kini and linked to grupo with nga; B & C mis-order demonstrative/noun.
Q4 – A Predicate then cause clause is clear; B & C scramble word order.
Q5 – A Follows “naay + subject + description.” B & C break this pattern.