1 Part of speech, core meaning, sentence position, and example sentences
- Part of speech
- Sentence-position rule
A conjugated sabut form usually heads the predicate and any clitic actor-pronoun immediately follows: Mo-sabut ko nimo. – I will come to an agreement with you. - Example sentences
- Mo-sabut ko sa presyo kung makadiskwento ka. — I will agree to the price if you can give a discount.
- Nag-sabut sila sa detalye sa kontrata karon. — They are agreeing on the contract details now.
- Gi-sabutan sa duha ka kumpanya ang joint venture. — The joint venture was agreed upon by the two companies.
2 Verb derivations of sabut
| Form | Voice & aspect | Typical translation | Sample sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| mag-sabut | Actor focus, habitual / future | “will be discussing / usually agree” | Mag-sabut mi sa team kada Lunes. — We usually discuss and agree every Monday. |
| mo-sabut | Actor focus, non-past / imperative | “will agree; agree!” | Mo-sabut ta karon, ha. — Let’s agree now, okay. |
| nag-sabut | Actor focus, progressive / recent past | “is / was agreeing” | Nag-sabut siya sa kliyente pag-abot nimo. — She was negotiating with the client when you arrived. |
| ni-sabut / mi-sabut | Actor focus, completed past | “agreed” | Ni-sabut ko sa bag-ong iskedyul kagahapon. — I agreed to the new schedule yesterday. |
| gi-sabutan | Patient focus, completed past | “was agreed upon (by …)” | Gi-sabutan sa konseho ang bagong palisiya. — The new policy was agreed upon by the council. |
| sabuton (-on) | Patient focus, future / imperative | “to be agreed / settle it” | Sabuton nato ang problema unya. — We will settle the problem later. |
| sabutan (-an) | Beneficiary / locative focus | “to agree with / agree on for” | Sabuti ko palihog bahin sa budget. — Please come to an agreement with me about the budget. |
3 Common phrases
- sabut sa kontrata — contract agreement
- mag-sabut og presyo — negotiate a price
- walay sabut — no agreement
- gi-sabutan sa duha — agreed upon by both
- sabuton nga termino — terms to be agreed on
4 Detailed usage notes
- Actor-focus forms (mo-, nag-, ni-) foreground the parties negotiating or agreeing.
- Patient focus (gi-sabutan, sabuton) highlights the matter settled: gi-sabutan ang tibuok plano “the whole plan was agreed upon.”
- Beneficiary focus (sabutan / sabuti) stresses who you need to reach agreement with: sabuti ang kliyente “come to terms with the client.”
- Noun sense — sabut = “agreement/understanding”: klaro ang among sabut “our agreement is clear.”
- Reduplication — sabut-sabut can refer to informal arranging or back-door deals.
5 Common mistakes & how to avoid them
| Mistake | Issue | Correct form |
|---|---|---|
| Mo-sabut ako sa kondisyon. | Clitic pronoun misplaced. | Mo-sabut ko sa kondisyon. |
| Gi-sabut ko ang bayad. | With gi-, actor must appear in genitive (ni / sa). | Gi-sabutan ni ko ang bayad. |
| Sabuton ta siya! | Beneficiary/locative command needs sabuti. | Sabuti siya! |
6 Short everyday conversations
- A: Unsa inyong gisabutan sa landlord? — What did you agree on with the landlord?
B: Ni-sabut mi nga bayaran ang deposito ugma. — We agreed that the deposit will be paid tomorrow. - A: Nag-sabut ba mo sa presyo? — Did you agree on the price?
B: Oo, mo-sabut mi sa P500 matag unit. — Yes, we will settle at ₱500 per unit. - A: Sabuti ko palihog bahin sa oras sa miting. — Please coordinate with me about the meeting time.
B: Sige, tawagan tika unya. — Okay, I’ll call you later. - A: Wala pa gyod sila ni-sabut? — Haven’t they come to an agreement yet?
B: Wala pa, nag-sabut pa sa detalye sa kontrata. — Not yet, they’re still discussing the contract details. - A: Mag-sabut ta daan aron walay kalibog. — Let’s agree beforehand so there’s no confusion.
B: Sakto, sabuton nato karon mismo. — Right, let’s settle it right now.
