1 Part of speech, core meaning, and example sentences
- Part of speech
- Core meaning
- As a verb, it expresses physically or figuratively going after someone/something or complying with instructions.
- As an adverb/noun, it labels the succeeding item, person, or moment in a sequence.
- Example sentences
- Mo-sunod ko nimo padulong sa terminal. → I will follow you to the terminal.
- Nag-sunod sila sa tanang safety rules. → They are following all safety rules.
- Gi-sunoran sa bata ang lakang sa iyang magulang. → The child copied (followed) the steps of her older sibling.
- Ikaw ang sunod sa linya. → You are next in line.
2 Verb derivations of sunod
| Form | Voice & aspect | English gloss | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| mag-sunod | Actor-focus, habitual / future | will routinely follow | Mag-sunod siya sa trend kada season. |
| mo-sunod | Actor-focus, non-past / imperative | will follow; follow! | Mo-sunod ta karon, ha. |
| nag-sunod | Actor-focus, progressive | is / was following | Nag-sunod ko sa GPS pag-drive. |
| ni-sunod / mi-sunod | Actor-focus, completed past | followed | Ni-sunod sila sa proseso kagahapon. |
| gi-sunoran | Patient-focus, completed past | was followed / emulated by … | Gi-sunoran sa mga trainee ang instruktor. |
| sunod-on (-on) | Patient-focus, future / imp. | to be followed / follow it | Sunod-on nato ang recipe ugma. |
| sunor-an / sunor-i (-an / -i) | Locative / beneficiary | to follow someone / follow at | Sunori ko palihog hangtod sa eskina. |
3 Typical clause placement
- Actor focus: Mo-sunod ko ug uli human sa meeting.
- Patient focus: Gi-sunoran ang giya sa manual.
- Locative / beneficiary: Sunori siya sa ruta kung malibog ka.
4 Common collocations
- sunod sa balaod — follow the law
- sunod sa lista — next on the list
- mag-sunod og order — follow orders
- walay sunod — no one next / no follower
- sunod-on nga instruksyon — instructions to be followed
5 Detailed usage notes
- Physical following vs. compliance – sunod can mean literally walking after someone or figuratively obeying guidelines.
- “Next” sense – Often paired with time words (sunod semana – next week) or sequence (sunod nga numero – next number).
- Imperatives – To tell someone to comply, use sunod-a / sunori (e.g., Sunod-a ang rules!).
- Sequence marker – In storytelling, “Sunod, nahitabo ang…” introduces the next event.
- Negative – dili mosunod (“will not obey/follow”) is used when someone refuses instructions.
6 Common mistakes & things to watch out for
| Mistake | Problem | Correct form |
|---|---|---|
| Mo-sunod ako sa teacher. | Clitic ko must follow the verb. | Mo-sunod ko sa teacher. |
| Gi-sunod ko ang steps. | gi- form needs actor in genitive (ni / sa). | Gi-sunoran ni ko ang steps. |
| Sunod-on ta siya! | Beneficiary imperative should be sunori. | Sunori siya! |
| Nag-sunod sa instruction | Missing subject. | Nag-sunod ang team sa instruction. |
7 Conversational phrases
- “Sunod ta nako, ha?” — “Follow me, okay?”
- “Unsa’y sunod?” — “What’s next?”
- “Mosunod ba ka sa among plano?” — “Will you go along with our plan?”
- “Ni-sunod ra ko sa iyang tambag.” — “I just followed his advice.”
- “Sunod semana na nato ni buhaton.” — “We’ll do this next week.”
8 Short everyday conversations
- A: Asa ta moagi paingon sa lobby? — Which way do we pass to the lobby?
B: Sunod lang ko nimo, ikaw may kahibalo. — I’ll just follow you, you know the way. - A: Natuman ba ang schedule? — Did the schedule get followed?
B: Oo, nag-sunod sila sa timeline. — Yes, they stuck to the timeline. - A: Ikaw na ba sunod sa counter? — Are you next at the counter?
B: Oo, ako na sunod. — Yes, I’m next. - A: Sunori ko ug sakay sa jeep, bag-o pa ko diri. — Follow me in catching the jeep; I’m new here.
B: Sige, salamat sa tabang. — Sure, thanks for the help. - A: Ni-sunod ka sa diet plan? — Have you followed the diet plan?
B: Oo, pero lisod gyud kung naay dessert. — Yes, but it’s hard when there’s dessert around.
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