masubo

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

Part of speech: adjective (also used as a stative verb “to be sad”)
Meaning: “sad,” “sorrowful,” “grieved,” “downhearted.”

Example sentences:

• Masubo ko sa balitang nahitabo. – I am sad about the news that happened.
• Masubo kaayo siya pagkakita sa lumolupyo nga nawad-an og balay. – She was very sorrowful on seeing residents who lost their homes.
• Dili ta gusto masubo ang mga bata sa kalit nga sunod-sunod nga problema. – We do not want the children to become sad because of the sudden series of problems.
• Nasubo ang dakbayan human sa baha. – The city became sad (in mourning) after the flood.

2 Linking endings and derivational forms

• Linker -ng before a consonant: masubo-ng pahibalo – sad announcement.
• Linker nga before a vowel or for emphasis: masubo nga panumduman – sorrowful memory.
• Comparative: mas masubo – sadder.
• Superlative: pinakamasubo – saddest.
• Reduplication: masubo-subo – rather sad / a bit sorrowful.
• Intensifiers: masubo kaayo / masubo gyud – very sad.
• Exclamation root: Kamasubo oy! – How sad!
• Abstract noun: kamasubon – sadness, sorrow.
• Stative verb: nasubo / nagsubo / magsubo – became sad, is being sad, will be sad.
• Causative: pamasub-a! / pamasubon – cause someone to feel sad.

3 Typical sentence positions

1. Predicate adjective: Ang lungsod masubo. – The town is sad.
2. Modifier with linker: masubo-ng lungsod.
3. Emphatic complement: Mao ni ang masubo nga tinuod. – This is the sad truth.

4 Common collocations

• masubo nga balita – sad news
• masubo nga nawong – sorrowful face
• masubo nga dapit – place in mourning / gloomy place
• masubo nga melodiya – sad melody
• masubo-subo nga kahimtang – somewhat sad situation

5 Detailed usage notes

“Masubo” conveys emotional pain or mourning, whether personal grief (masubo ko sa pagkawala) or general atmosphere (masubo ang baryo sa trahedya).
When it precedes a noun, attach a linker (-ng / nga); when it follows the noun as predicate, no linker is needed.
Comparatives and superlatives take the usual mas and pinaka- prefixes.
Reduplication (masubo-subo) softens it to “a bit sad” or “somewhat down.”
Verb forms (nasubo, nagsubo) describe the process or state of feeling sorrow.

6 Common mistakes

• Dropping the linker: ✗ masubo balita → ✓ masubo nga balita.
• Saying masubo mas instead of mas masubo.
• Separating pinaka from the root: ✗ pinaka masubo → ✓ pinakamasubo.
• Confusing masubo (sad) with masugo (angry).
• Omitting the hyphen in reduplication: ✗ masubosubo → ✓ masubo-subo.

7 Five useful conversational phrases

1. Kamasubo sa aksidente nga nahitabo. – The accident that occurred is so sad.
2. Mas masubo ko kung walay paglaum nga makita. – I get sadder when no hope can be seen.
3. Pinakamasubo gyud ang pagkawala sa usa ka hinigugma. – Losing a loved one is truly the saddest.
4. Masubo-subo ra ko, pero makasmile gihapon. – I’m a bit sad, yet I can still smile.
5. Ayaw pamasub-a imong kaugalingon sa mga negatibong hunahuna. – Don’t sadden yourself with negative thoughts.

8 Five short exchanges

1. Q: Masubo ba ka sa resulta? – Are you sad about the result?
   A: Oo, masubo kaayo ko pero dawaton nako. – Yes, I’m very sad but I will accept it.
2. Q: Ngano mas masubo man ka karon? – Why are you sadder today?
   A: Mas masubo ko kay wala koy nadawat nga balita gikan sa pamilya. – I’m sadder because I haven’t received any news from my family.
3. Q: Asa ang pinakamasubo nga eksena sa salida? – Which scene in the movie is the saddest?
   A: Katong katapusan nga nag-hilak sila tanan mao’y pinakamasubo. – The final scene where everyone cried is the saddest.
4. Q: Masubo-subo pa ba ang bata human sa dula? – Is the child still somewhat sad after the game?
   A: Dili na, na-aliw na siya sa ice cream. – No, he’s cheerful now after the ice cream.
5. Q: Unsaon nato pagpamasub-a sa tono sa kanta? – How do we give the song a sadder tone?
   A: Ibaba nato ang tempo ug gamitan ug minor chords. – We’ll lower the tempo and use minor chords.

9 Multiple-choice dialogue questions

(Q = question, A/B/C = answers)

Q1. Masubo ba ang imong kasing-kasing?
A. Masubo kasing-kasing kaayo ang akong.
B. Masubo kaayo ang akong kasing-kasing.
C. Kasing-kasing masubo kaayo ang akong.

Q2. Asa ang mas masubo, ang kanta o ang tula?
A. Mas masubo kaysa kanta ang tula.
B. Kanta kaysa tula ang mas masubo.
C. Mas masubo ang kanta kaysa tula.

Q3. Pinakamasubo ba kini nga balita sa tuig?
A. Balita kini pinakamasubo sa tuig.
B. Pinakamasubo kini nga balita sa tuig.
C. Kini pinakamasubo balita sa tuig.

Q4. Ngano masubo ra imong dagway?
A. Masubo ra akong dagway kay na-cancel ang trip.
B. Dagway masubo ra akong kay na-cancel ang trip.
C. Na-cancel ang trip dagway masubo ra ako kay.

Q5. Kinsa’y naay masubo-subo nga komentaryo bahin sa plano?
A. Si Carlo naay masubo-subo nga komentaryo.
B. Naay si Carlo masubo-subo komentaryo.
C. Komentaryo masubo-subo naay si Carlo.

Answer key and explanations

• Q1 – B Correct order: predicate masubo kaayo then subject; A & C misplace the noun before adjective.
• Q2 – A Proper comparative structure “Mas masubo kaysa X ang Y.” Options B and C invert the elements incorrectly.
• Q3 – B Pinakamasubo immediately precedes kini and links to balita with nga; A & C break the sequence.
• Q4 – A Predicate followed by reason clause flows naturally; B & C scramble subject-predicate order.
• Q5 – A Standard pattern “naay + subject + description.” B & C disrupt that pattern or miss the linker.