kwatro syentos

1. Part of Speech, Meaning, and Example Sentences

• Part of speech: numeral (cardinal)
• Meaning: “kwatro syentos” = four hundred (400)
• Example sentences
  • Naay kwatro syentos ka upuan sa gym. — There are four hundred seats in the gym.
  • Gipalit namo ang kwatro syentos ka itlog para sa negosyo. — We bought four hundred eggs for the business.
  • Ang abot kay kwatro syentos pesos ra. — The income is only four hundred pesos.

2. Number Origin

• Spanish-based loan (from Spanish cuatrocientos).
• The formal native Bisaya equivalent is upat ka gatos.

3. Cebuano- vs Spanish-Based Numbers

• Native series (e.g., upat ka gatos = 400) appears in folk chants, very formal counting, or rural speech.
• Spanish series (kwatro syentos, kwatro syentos uno, …) rules in prices, dates, pagination, and daily conversation.
• Speakers keep one system per number: ✓ kwatro syentos singko (405); ✗ upat ka gatos ug singko (mixed).

4. Detailed Usage Notes

• Standard spelling is kwatro syentos; casual speech may shorten to kwat’ syentos.
• Always add the classifier ka before the noun counted: kwatro syentos ka tao.
• In joking “clock” talk: alas nuwebe ug kwatro syentos (9 : 400, clearly humorous).
• As a stand-alone answer about quantity or cost: “Kwatro syentos.”

5. Five Common Pitfalls

1. Writing pure-Spanish cuatrocientos in Cebuano text.
2. Mixing systems (upat ka gatos ug singkwenta ✗).
3. Wrong stress (correct kwá-tro syén-tos, not kwatro syen-tós).
4. Forgetting ka with nouns (kwatro syentos libro ✗ → kwatro syentos ka libro ✓).
5. Omitting the unit in prices (kwatro syentos ✗ → kwatro syentos pesos ✓).

6. Common Collocations

• kwatro syentos pesos — 400 pesos
• kwatro syentos ka minuto — 400 minutes
• kwatro syentos ka adlaw — 400 days
• kwatro syentos anyos — 400 years old (hyperbole)
• kwatro syentos ka piraso — 400 pieces

7. Common Mistakes to Watch For

• Misspelling (kuatro syentos, kwatro siyentos).
• Adding mga before the numeral (mga kwatro syentos ka …).
• Forgetting ug in playful time phrases (alas otso kwatro syentos ✗).
• Saying syentos kwatro for 400 (needs the “kwatro”).
• Using plain numerals only in formal prose (400 ka minuto) without the word.

8. Five Frequent Conversational Phrases

• Kwatro syentos tanan. — It is 400 in total.
• Na-late ko ug kwatro syentos ka minuto. — I was 400 minutes late.
• Kwatro syentos ra gyod! — Make it just 400!
• Kwatro syentos ang budget. — The budget is 400.
• Quota kay kwatro syentos ka buok. — The quota is 400 pieces.

9. Five Simple Conversation Exchanges

1. A: Pila ang pamasahe? — How much is the fare?
   B: Kwatro syentos pesos ra. — Only 400 pesos.
2. A: Tag-pila ning saging? — How much are these bananas?
   B: Kwatro syentos pesos ang usa ka bugkos. — 400 pesos per bunch.
3. A: Unsa kadugay ang lecture? — How long is the lecture?
   B: Mga kwatro syentos ka minuto. — About 400 minutes.
4. A: Pila kabuok bisita? — How many guests are there?
   B: Naay kwatro syentos ka bisita. — There are 400 guests.
5. A: Unsang oras nagsugod ang show? — What time did the show start?
   B: Alas nuwebe ug kwatro syentos (joking). — At 9 : 400 (obviously joking).

10. Multiple-Choice Dialogue Questions

Q1. Pila ang imong allowance? — How much is your allowance?
A. Pesos allowance kwatro syentos akong.
B. Allowance akong kwatro syentos pesos.
C. Kwatro syentos pesos akong allowance.

Q2. Pila ka adlaw ang workshop? — How many days is the workshop?
A. Kwatro syentos adlaw ka.
B. Kwatro syentos ka adlaw.
C. Ka adlaw kwatro syentos.

Q3. Unsa kadugay ang biyahe? — How long is the trip?
A. Kwatro syentos ka minuto ang biyahe.
B. Ka minuto kwatro syentos ang biyahe.
C. Ang biyahe kwatro syentos ka minuto ang.

Q4. Pila kabuok estudyante sa klase? — How many students are in the class?
A. Estudyante kwatro syentos ka naa.
B. Kwatro syentos ka estudyante naa.
C. Naa kwatro syentos ka estudyante ka.

Q5. Unsang oras ka miabot? — What time did you arrive?
A. Ko miabot kwatro syentos ug alas dos.
B. Miabot ko kwatro syentos alas dos ug.
C. Alas dos ug kwatro syentos ko miabot.

Answer Key

• Q1 – C — Correct order: numeral + pesos + “akong allowance.”
• Q2 – B — Standard counting: numeral + ka + noun.
• Q3 – A — Proper sequence: numeral + ka + minutes + topic noun.
• Q4 – B — Numeral phrase precedes existential naa.
• Q5 – C — Time format: “Alas [hour] ug [minutes].”