1 Part of speech, core meaning, sentence position, and example sentences
- Part of speech
- Sentence-position rule
A conjugated hilak form comes first in the predicate, and any clitic actor-pronoun follows right after it: Mo-hilak ko kung makadungog anang kanta.
I’ll cry when I hear that song. - Example sentences
2 Verb derivations of hilak
| Form | Voice & aspect | Typical translation | Sample sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| mag-hilak | Actor focus, habitual / future | “will habitually cry” | Mag-hilak siya kung makakita og drama. — She always cries when she watches dramas. |
| mo-hilak | Actor focus, non-past / imperative | “will cry; cry!” | Mo-hilak ta karon kung kinahanglan. — We’ll cry now if we must. |
| nag-hilak | Actor focus, progressive | “is / was crying” | Nag-hilak ko pag-abot nimo. — I was crying when you arrived. |
| ni-hilak / mi-hilak | Actor focus, completed past | “cried” | Ni-hilak sila sa kasal sa ilang amiga. — They cried at their friend’s wedding. |
| gi-hilakan | Patient focus, completed past | “was cried over / cried for” | Gi-hilakan sa fans ang pagkadaog niya. — His victory was cried over by the fans. |
| hilak-on (-on) | Patient focus, future / imp. | “to be cried about” | Hilak-on nato kadiyot ang kalagot pero move-on dayon. — Let’s cry about the anger for a bit then move on. |
| hilak-an / hilaki (-an / -i) | Beneficiary / locative focus | “to cry for someone / cry at” | Hilaki ang bata kung mag-night terror siya. — Cry for the child if he has a night terror. |
3 Common phrases
- hilak sa kasakit — cry out in pain
- hilak sa kalipay — tears of joy
- mag-hilak og kusog — cry loudly
- gi-hilakan sa bata — cried over by the child
- hilak-hilak lang — just sobbing / sniffling
4 Detailed usage notes
- Emotional range — hilak covers grief, physical pain, great joy, or relief. Context or modifiers (e.g., sa kasakit, sa kalipay) clarify the cause.
- Intensity words — Add og kusog (loudly), paghilak (burst of crying), or hilak-hilak for light sobbing.
- Patient focus — Use gi-hilakan / hilak-on when the person or event that triggers tears is the grammatical subject: gi-hilakan ang salida.
- Beneficiary focus — hilakan / hilaki signals whom you cry for or where: hilaki siya “cry for her.”
- Noun sense — hilak means “crying”: dungog ang iyang hilak — “her crying is audible.”
- Cultural note — Public crying is generally acceptable at wakes (lamay) and melodramatic TV shows; men crying is less stigmatized in Visayan culture than elsewhere.
5 Common mistakes & tips
| Mistake | Issue | Correct form |
|---|---|---|
| Mo-hilak ako dayon. | Actor clitic misplaced. | Mo-hilak ko dayon. |
| Gi-hilak ko ang balita. | With gi-, actor must be genitive (ni / sa). | Gi-hilakan ni ko ang balita. |
| Hilak-on ta siya! | Beneficiary/locative command needs hilaki. | Hilaki siya! |
| Nag-hilak sa kwarto | Missing actor pronoun or subject. | Nag-hilak ko sa kwarto. / Nag-hilak ang bata sa kwarto. |
6 Short everyday conversations
- A: Ngano mo-hilak man ka? — Why are you going to cry?
B: Na-touch ko sa iyang mensahe. — I was touched by her message. - A: Nag-hilak pa ba ang baby? — Is the baby still crying?
B: Wala na, ni-hilom na pag-dala nako sa dede. — No, he calmed down when I brought the bottle. - A: Hilaki ko palihog kung madala pa. — Please cry for me if it can still be moved (emotional appeal).
B: Sige, pero basin dili gihapon sila musugot. — Okay, but they still might not agree. - A: Ni-hilak diay ka sa salida? — You cried at the movie?
B: Oo, grabe ka-drama. — Yes, it was so dramatic. - A: Mag-hilak ta sa kalipay kung ma-grant ang visa. — We’ll cry tears of joy if the visa is granted.
B: Amen, unta madayon gyud. — Amen, hope it really happens.
