1 Part of speech, core meaning, and example sentences
| Role | Cebuano ilis | Core English sense |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (root) | ilis — “to change, replace, exchange, switch” | |
| Common noun | ilis — “change, replacement, exchange” |
Predicate order rule – Conjugated ilis precedes the clitic actor-pronoun:
Mo-ilis ko ug sinina kadiyot.
I’ll change clothes in a moment.
Example sentences
- Mo-ilis ko sa oil sa sakyanan ugma. — I will replace the car’s oil tomorrow.
- Nag-ilis sila sa ilang plano tungod sa bagyo. — They are changing their plan because of the storm.
- Gi-ilisan sa tech ang sirang parts sa PC. — The defective parts in the PC were replaced by the technician.
2 Verb derivations of ilis
| Form | Voice & aspect | Typical translation | Sample sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| mag-ilis | Actor-focus (habitual / future) | “will usually change” | Mag-ilis siya ug bedsheet kada semana. |
| mo-ilis | Actor-focus (non-past / imperative) | “will change; change!” | Mo-ilis ta karon, ha. |
| nag-ilis | Actor-focus (progressive) | “is / was changing” | Nag-ilis ko pag-chat nimo. |
| ni-ilis / mi-ilis | Actor-focus (completed past) | “changed / replaced” | Ni-ilis sila sa bumbilya kagabii. |
| gi-ilisan | Patient-focus (completed past) | “was changed by …” | Gi-ilisan sa admin ang password. |
| ilison (-on) | Patient-focus (future / imp.) | “to be changed / change it” | Ilison nato ang tema sa event. |
| ilisan / ilisi (-an / -i) | Beneficiary / locative | “to change for / change at” | Ilisi siya ug diaper palihog. |
3 Where it fits in a clause
- Actor focus: Mo-ilis ko ug kwarta sa bangko.
- Patient focus: Gi-ilisan ang gulong sa mekaniko.
- Locative / beneficiary: Ilisi ko’g tubig ang plorera.
4 Common collocations
- ilis ug sinina — change clothes
- mag-ilis og oil — change oil
- walay ilis — no change / same
- gi-ilisan sa gobyerno — replaced by the government
- ilison nga schedule — schedule to be changed
5 Detailed usage notes
- Physical vs. abstract – ilis covers swapping objects (ilis ug bateriya), money exchange (ilis ug kwarta), and modifying plans (ilis sa plano).
- Marker choice – Use ug/og for the thing you substitute (mo-ilis ko og cover), sa for target location/receiver (nag-ilis sila sa officina).
- Beneficiary suffix – -an / -i shows who/what receives the change: ilisi ako’g schedule “change my schedule.”
- Reduplication – ilis-ilis suggests frequent switching or repeated outfit changes.
- Noun use – Naa kay ilis sa barya? “Do you have change (coins)?”
6 Common mistakes & corrections
| Mistake | Issue | Correct form |
|---|---|---|
| Mo-ilis ako ug sapatos. | Clitic pronoun should follow verb. | Mo-ilis ko ug sapatos. |
| Gi-ilis ko ang toner. | gi- needs actor in genitive (ni / sa). | Gi-ilisan ni ko ang toner. |
| Ilison ta siya! | Beneficiary command must use ilisi. | Ilisi siya! |
| Nag-ilis sa uniform | Missing subject. | Nag-ilis ang atleta sa uniform. |
7 Conversational phrases
- “Ilisi ko beh.” — “Change this for me, please.”
- “Ni-ilis ka na?” — “Have you changed already?”
- “Walay ilis ang presyo.” — “The price stays the same.”
- “Mo-ilis ko ug kwarta sa remittance.” — “I’ll exchange money at the remittance center.”
- “Human ko nag-ilis, larga na ta.” — “Once I change, let’s leave.”
8 Short everyday conversations
- A: Mo-ilis ka ba sa blouse? — Are you going to change your blouse?
B: Oo, kay hugaw na. — Yes, it’s already dirty. - A: Nag-ilis pa diay ka sa settings? — You’re still changing the settings?
B: Oo, gusto ko smoother ang gameplay. — Yes, I want smoother gameplay. - A: Ilisi ko palihog ug bagong bedsheet. — Please change my bedsheet.
B: Sige, ilison nako karon. — Okay, I’ll change it now. - A: Ni-ilis ka ug pesos ngadto sa yen? — Did you exchange pesos to yen?
B: Ni-ilis ko gahapon sa airport kiosk. — I exchanged yesterday at the airport kiosk. - A: Mag-ilis ta sa plan kung mag-ulan? — Shall we change the plan if it rains?
B: Sakto, basin kinahanglan indoor activity. — Right, we might need an indoor activity.
« Back to Glossary Index
