1 Part of speech, core meaning, sentence position, and example sentences
- Part of speech
- Sentence-position rule
A conjugated pili form normally heads the predicate; any clitic actor-pronoun follows it: Mo-pili ko sa labing maayo.
I will choose the best. - Example sentences Cebuano sentence English translation Mo-pili ko ug prutas sa merkado ugma. I will choose fruit at the market tomorrow. Nag-pili sila sa menu karon. They are choosing from the menu now. Gi-pilian sa HR ang tulo ka kandidato. Three candidates were selected by HR.
2 Verb derivations of pili
| Form | Voice & aspect | Typical translation | Sample sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| mag-pili | Actor focus, habitual / future | “will regularly choose / usually choose” | Mag-pili sila ug tema kada meeting. — They choose a theme at every meeting. |
| mo-pili | Actor focus, non-past / imperative | “will choose; choose!” | Mo-pili ta karon, ha. — Let’s choose now, okay. |
| nag-pili | Actor focus, progressive / recent past | “is / was choosing” | Nag-pili ko pag-abot nimo. — I was choosing when you arrived. |
| ni-pili / mi-pili | Actor focus, completed past | “chose” | Ni-pili siya ug kurso kagahapon. — She chose a course yesterday. |
| gi-pili | Patient focus, completed past | “was chosen (by …)” | Gi-pili sa komite ang nag-unang disenyo. — The leading design was chosen by the committee. |
| pilion (-on) | Patient focus, future / imperative | “to be chosen / choose it” | Pilion nato ang pinakamaayo. — Let us choose the best one. |
| pilian (-an) | Beneficiary / locative focus | “to choose for someone / choose among” | Pilia ko palihog og regalo. — Please choose a gift for me. |
3 Common phrases
- pili sa kandidato — choose a candidate
- mag-pili og kolor — select a color
- walay pili — no preference
- gi-pili sa publiko — chosen by the public
- pilion nga opsyon — option to be selected
4 Detailed usage notes
- Actor-focus forms (mo-/nag-/ni-pili) emphasize the chooser.
- Object markers — use sa for definite choices (mo-pili ko sa jacket), og/ug for indefinite (nag-pili ug libro).
- Patient focus (gi-pili, pilion) highlights what is chosen.
- Beneficiary focus (pilian, pilii) stresses for whom you choose: pilian siya “choose for her.”
- Noun sense — pili as “choice”: lisod ang pili — “the choice is hard.”
- Reduplication — pili-pili can imply browsing or hesitating among options.
5 Common mistakes & how to avoid them
| Mistake | Issue | Correct form |
|---|---|---|
| Mo-pili ako ug sapatos. | Clitic pronoun misplaced. | Mo-pili ko ug sapatos. |
| Gi-pili ko ang libro. | With gi-, actor must be genitive (ni / sa). | Gi-pili ni ko ang libro. |
| Pilion ta siya! | Beneficiary/locative command needs pilii. | Pilii siya! |
| Nag-pili sa kolor | Missing actor pronoun. | Nag-pili ko sa kolor. |
6 Short everyday conversations
- A: Unsa imong pilion nga dessert? — Which dessert will you choose?
B: Mo-pili ko ug leche flan. — I’ll choose leche flan. - A: Nag-pili na ba ka sa imong subjects? — Have you chosen your subjects yet?
B: Oo, human na ko nag-pili kagahapon. — Yes, I finished choosing yesterday. - A: Pilia palihog ang labing barato nga tiket. — Please choose the cheapest ticket.
B: Sige, akong tan-awon online. — Sure, I’ll check online. - A: Ni-pili ka og neutral nga kolor? — Did you choose a neutral color?
B: Oo, para bagay sa tanan. — Yes, so it matches everything. - A: Mag-pili pa ta og venue ugma? — Shall we choose a venue tomorrow?
B: Oo, aron maka-reserve ta dayon. — Yes, so we can reserve right away.
