Cebuano Word: telepono — “telephone, phone” (landline or mobile, depending on context)
1. Part of speech, meaning, usage, and example sentences
- Part of speech: noun
- Core meaning: a device used for voice calls; in daily Cebuano, telepono can refer to a desk phone, a cordless handset, or even a mobile if the speaker is being generic.
- Typical usage:
• Ang telepono nag-ring tibuok adlaw. — “The phone rang all day.”
• Nangayo siya og permiso aron gamiton ang telepono. — “He asked permission to use the telephone.”
2. Singular & plural forms
3. Where the word fits in a sentence
- As subject: Ang telepono daan pero functional pa. — “The phone is old but still works.”
- As object: Ihatag palihug ang telepono kay Mama. — “Please hand the phone to Mom.”
- In a locative phrase: Naa sa telepono ang lista sa numero. — “The phone contains the list of numbers.”
4. Common collocations
- bag-ong telepono – new phone
- rimot sa telepono – phone receiver
- mga telepono sa opisina – office phones
- telepono ug internet – phone and internet
- linya sa telepono – telephone line
5. Detailed usage notes
- Cebuano speakers sometimes shorten to fon when talking about mobiles, but telepono remains clear and formal.
- For “cell phone,” many simply add selpon or cellphone; telepono alone is context-dependent.
- When you mention ringing or calling, the verb mo-ring ang telepono or tubaga ang telepono is common.
- Adjectives must link with nga: pula nga telepono (“red phone”).
6. Common mistakes to watch for
- • Adding “-s” for plural ( teleponos ❌ ) instead of mga telepono ✅
- • Dropping the article ang / sa when telepono is the subject or object
- • Forgetting nga between adjective and noun ( bag-o telepono ❌ )
- • Using telepono for “speakerphone” or “headset” when headset is clearer
- • Mixing English order (answer the phone) directly: remember Cebuano word order (Tubaga ang telepono)
7. Conversational phrases
- Asa ang telepono? — “Where is the phone?”
- Tubaga ang telepono, palihug. — “Please answer the phone.”
- Naa ko’y tawag sa telepono. — “I have a call on the phone.”
- Busy pa ang telepono nila. — “Their phone is still busy.”
- Ang telepono nagkinahanglan ug charger. — “The phone needs a charger.”
8. Short everyday conversations
Conversation 1
A: Asa nimo gibutang ang telepono? — “Where did you put the phone?”
B: Sa ibabaw sa lamesa. — “On top of the table.”
Conversation 2
A: Kinsa ang nagtawag sa telepono ganina? — “Who phoned earlier?”
B: Ang bangko, nag-follow-up sa bayad. — “The bank, following up on the payment.”
Conversation 3
A: Unsa’y problema sa telepono? — “What’s wrong with the phone?”
B: Wala na’y signal. — “It has no signal.”
Conversation 4
A: Ngano nga nag-ring ang telepono pirme? — “Why does the phone keep ringing?”
B: Auto-dialer tingali gikan sa kompanya. — “Probably an auto-dialer from a company.”
Conversation 5
A: Kanus-a ka mopalit og bag-ong telepono? — “When will you buy a new phone?”
B: Inig sale sa weekend. — “During the weekend sale.”
Question–Answer Exercise
Part 1 — Questions with shuffled answer choices
- Asa gibutang ang telepono sa opisina?
- Unsa’y gipalit para sa telepono?
- Kinsa ang mo-tubag sa telepono karon?
- Kanus-a nimo gi-charge ang telepono?
- Ngano nga nag-pawala ang signal sa telepono?
Part 2 — Correct answers
- Correct sentence: B. Sa opisina gibutang ang telepono.
- Start with the location phrase “Sa opisina,” then verb plus subject-object—natural Cebuano order.
- Correct sentence: B. Ang case gipalit para sa telepono.
- The item “Ang case” is topicalised first; verb phrase follows.
- Correct sentence: A. Si Carlo ang mo-tubag sa telepono karon.
- Person’s name gets Si and is highlighted by ang as the one answering.
- Correct sentence: C. Kanus-a nimo gi-charge ang telepono.
- Question adverb “Kanus-a” heads the sentence; pronoun + verb come next.
- Correct sentence: A. Tungod sa bagyo nag-pawala ang signal sa telepono.
- Cause phrase leads; verb and the rest of the clause follow normally.
