1 Part of speech, core meaning, and example sentences
- Part of speech
- Typical predicate position
A conjugated saka form generally comes first in the predicate and any clitic actor-pronoun follows: Mo-saka ko sa hagdan pagkahuman sa paniudto.
I’ll go up the stairs after lunch. - Example sentences Cebuano sentence English translation Mo-saka ko sa bus sa sunod hunonganan. I’ll get on the bus at the next stop. Nag-saka ang presyo sa gulay karon. The price of vegetables is rising now. Gi-sak-an sa manununod ang bukid sa duha ka oras. The hiker climbed the mountain in two hours.
2 Verb derivations of saka
| Form | Voice & aspect | Typical translation | Sample sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| mag-saka | Actor focus, habitual / future | “will usually go up” | Mag-saka sila sa hagdanan kada alas-sais sa buntag. |
| mo-saka | Actor focus, non-past / imperative | “will climb; climb!” | Mo-saka ta sa rooftop, ha. |
| nag-saka | Actor focus, progressive / recent past | “is / was ascending” | Nag-saka ko pag-text nimo. |
| ni-saka / mi-saka | Actor focus, completed past | “went up / climbed” | Ni-saka siya sa stage kagabii. |
| gi-saka | Patient focus, completed past | “was raised / was climbed” | Gi-saka sa team ang bandera. |
| sak-on (-on) | Patient focus, future / imp. | “to be climbed / raise it” | Sak-on nato ang ladder ugma. |
| sak-an / sak-i (-an / -i) | Locative / beneficiary focus | “to climb onto / ascend for” | Sak-i ko palihog sa tricycle. |
3 Where it fits in a sentence
- Actor-focus predicate + actor pronoun: Mo-saka ko sa tower karon.
- Patient-focus predicate + agent phrase: Gi-saka sa bomberong* ang lubid.*
- Locative focus: Sak-i ang jeep, dali!
4 Common collocations
- saka sa hagdan — climb the stairs
- mag-saka og bundok — go mountain-climbing
- nag-saka ang temperatura — temperature is rising
- walay saka — no increase / no climbing
- sak-an nga bahin — part to be climbed on
5 Detailed usage notes
- Motion vs. increase – saka covers physical ascent (mo-saka sa atop) and figurative rise (nag-saka ang presyo).
- Transportation – Used for boarding vehicles: mo-saka ko ug jeep.
- Voice choice – Actor focus for the climber; patient focus when the climbed object matters (sak-on ang poste).
- Prefixes & suffixes – Locative -an/-i marks the object you get on: sak-i ang bisikleta.
- Aspect – Completed past ni-saka; progressive nag-saka; future/imperative mo-saka.
- Noun form – Kusog ang saka sa dollar = “The dollar’s rise is strong.”
6 Common mistakes & how to avoid them
| Mistake | Problem | Correct form |
|---|---|---|
| Mo-saka ako sa dala-nan. | Clitic pronoun must follow verb. | Mo-saka ko sa dala-nan. |
| Gi-saka ko ang flag. | With gi-, actor must be genitive (ni / sa). | Gi-saka ni ko ang flag. |
| Sak-on ta siya! | Beneficiary/locative imperative needs sak-i. | Sak-i siya! |
| Nag-saka sa pader | Missing actor. | Nag-saka ang iring sa pader. |
7 Conversational phrases with saka
- “Mo-saka ta?” — “Shall we go up?”
- “Nag-saka na sad ang gasolina!” — “Gas prices are rising again!”
- “Sak-i lang sa likod, ha.” — “Just hop on the back, okay.”
- “Ayaw saka didto, delikado.” — “Don’t climb up there, it’s dangerous.”
- “Kinsay ni-saka sa ranggo?” — “Who got promoted (rose in rank)?”
8 Short everyday conversations
- A: Mo-saka ka sa bus diri? — Are you getting on the bus here?
B: Oo, para dili ko malate. — Yes, so I won’t be late. - A: Nag-saka ang tubig sa suba. — The river water is rising.
B: Siguro tungod sa kusog nga ulan. — Probably because of the heavy rain. - A: Sak-i ko palihog sa motor. — Please let me ride on the motorcycle.
B: Sige, pero suot og helmet. — Sure, but wear a helmet. - A: Ni-saka ka sa view deck kagabii? — Did you go up to the view deck last night?
B: Oo, nindot kaayo ang city lights. — Yes, the city lights were beautiful. - A: Balita, nag-saka ang pamasahe? — I heard the fare went up?
B: Tinood, lima ka pesos ang dugang. — True, five pesos more.
