« Back to Glossary Index 1 Part of speech, core meaning, and example sentences Role Cebuano labay Core English sense Verb (root) labay to throw, fling, discard”Common noun labay
Predicate order (verb) – Conjugated labay
Mo-labay ko ug basura pagkahuman sa klase .
Cebuano sentence English translation Mo-labay ko ug papel sa basurahan. I’ll toss the paper in the bin. Nag-labay sila og bato sa suba . They are skipping stones in the river. Gi-labay sa mekaniko ang daotang piyesa. The mechanic discarded the defective part.
2 Verb derivations of labay Form Voice & aspect Typical translation Sample sentence mag-labay Actor-focus, habitual / future “will usually throw” Mag-labay siya og balat kada luto . mo-labay Actor-focus, non-past / imperative “will throw; throw!” Mo-labay ta karon , ha. nag-labay Actor-focus, progressive “is / was throwing” Nag-labay ko pag-tawag nimo . ni -labay / mi-labay Actor-focus, completed past “threw / tossed” Ni -labay sila og carta kagahapon .gi-labay Patient-focus, completed past “was thrown / discarded by …” Gi-labay sa crew ang sobra nga yelo. labayon (-on)Patient-focus, future / imp. “to be thrown / throw it” Labayon nato ang bola unya . labayan / labayi (-an / -i)Beneficiary / locative “to throw at / throw for someone” Labayi ko palihog ug syanse ang manok .
3 Where it fits in the clause Actor focus: Mo-labay ko ug lata sa recycling. Patient focus: Gi-labay ang plastic sa saktong basurahan. Locative / beneficiary: Labayi siya ug bukay sa baybayon. 4 Common collocations labay sa basurahanmag-labay og bato — skip / throw stoneswalay labay — no dumpinggi-labay sa dagat — thrown into the sealabayon nga bola — ball to be tossed5 Detailed usage notes Physical discard – Applies to garbage disposal, passing objects, stone-skipping.Figurative throw – Used for figurative abandonment: labay og oportunidadto waste an opportunity.”Markers – ug /ogmo-labay ko og papel ), sa for definite place/object (nag-labay siya sa sapa ).Beneficiary suffix –an/-i – Emphasises the target or recipient: labayi ko ug bola (“throw the ball to me”).Noun sense – dako ’g labay Environmental signage – “Bawal mag-labay og basura.” – “No littering.”6 Common mistakes & corrections Mistake Issue Correct form Mo-labay ako sa dumi. Clitic pronoun misplaced. Mo-labay ko sa dumi. Gi-labay ko ang papel . gi- requires a genitive actor (ni / saGi-labay ni papel . Labayon ta siya ! Beneficiary/locative command must use labayi . Labayi siya ! Nag-labay sa kalsada Subject missing. Nag-labay ang tawo sa kalsada.
7 Conversational phrases “Labayi ko beh.” — “Throw it to me, please.”“Ayaw ilabay diha !” — “Don’t throw it there!”“Kinsay nag-labay og basura diri ?” — “Who dumped trash here?”“Walay labay og bisan unsa diri .” — “No throwing anything here.”“Ni -labay ra ko para makapanghinlo.” — “I just threw (it) out to clean up.”8 Short everyday conversations A: Mo-labay ka ba anang lata? — Will you throw that can away?B: Oo, ihapak nako sa recycle bin. — Yes, I’ll drop it in the recycle bin.A: Nag-labay pa ba ang mga bata og bato sa suba ? — Are the kids still skipping stones at the river?B: Oo, lingaw kaayo sila . — Yes, they’re having fun.A: Labayi ko palihog sa susi. — Please toss me the key.B: Koptí ha, basin mahulog. — Catch it, it might fall.A: Ni -labay diay ka sa imong daan nga sapatos ?B: O , daot na man gud.A: Mag-labay ta og hugaw sa saktong tapunan. — Let’s dispose of the trash in the proper bin.B: Sakto, aron limpyo ang palibot. — Right, so the surroundings stay clean.« Back to Glossary Index 
