usa ka libo

▸ 1. Part-of-Speech & Meaning

• Part of speech: numeral / determiner
• Meaning: “one thousand (1 000)”

Usa ka libo ka estudyante ang mitan-aw sa dula.
→ One thousand students watched the game.

Nag-order ko og usa ka libo ka siomai.
→ I ordered one thousand siomai.

Usa ka libo ra ko ka minuto nag-hulat.
→ I waited only one thousand minutes.

▸ 2. Cebuano or Spanish?

Native (Cebuano): usa ka libo
Spanish-based: mil

▸ 3. Where the Two Systems Differ

Context	usa ka libo (native)	mil (Spanish)
Counting people / items	✓	—
Prices, phone digits, product codes	—	✓
Ordinal form	ika-usa ka libo (1000ᵗʰ)	Spanish ordinals practically unused

▸ 4. How to Use usa ka libo

usa ka libo ka + Noun
Usa ka libo ka tiket among gipalit.

Short phrases: usa ka libo ra = only 1000 | usa ka libo pa = 1000 more
Frequency: Usa ka libo ka beses siya mi-praktis sa tuig.
Ordinal: ika-usa ka libo = 1000ᵗʰ

▸ 5. Five Common Pitfalls

Missing ka → ✗ usa ka libo mansanas
Double plural → ✗ usa ka libo ka mga tawo
Mixing mil inside an otherwise native sentence
Reversed order → ✗ mansanas usa ka libo ka
Using cardinal instead of ordinal when talking about rank or sequence

▸ 6. Quick Collocations

usa ka libo ka piraso / tawo / pesos
usa ka libo ra — only 1000
usa ka libo pa — 1000 more
ika-usa ka libo — 1000ᵗʰ
sa usa ka libo ka adlaw — in 1000 days

▸ 7. Learner Alerts

Prices & phone numbers are usually read mil or English “one-thousand.”
Pronounce /u-SA ka LI-bo/ (stress SA & LI).
Avoid Tagalog isang-libo in Cebuano contexts.
Use mga or hapit for rough estimates (hapit usa ka libo = almost 1000).

▸ 8. Handy Phrases

Usa ka libo ra mi kabuok karon. — “There are only a thousand of us now.”
Pwede ko mangayo og usa ka libo pa ka kutsara? — “May I have a thousand more spoons?”
Usa ka libo na lang ang nahibilin. — “Only one-thousand remain.”
Magkita ta mga usa ka libo ka oras gikan karon. — “Let’s meet about one-thousand hours from now.”
Usa ka libo ka beses nako gisulayan—nakaya ra gyud! — “I tried a thousand times and finally did it!”

▸ 9. Mini-Dialogues (Cebuano ⇄ English)

#	Cebuano Q → A	English Translation
1	Q Tag-pila ang usa ka libo ka mangga?A Singko mil pesos ra tanan.	“How much for 1 000 mangoes?” — “Only ₱5 000 for all.”
2	Q Usa ka libo ba ka adlaw ka mag-bakasyon?A Dili, siyam-ka-gatos ra.	“Are you vacationing for 1 000 days?” — “No, just 900.”
3	Q Naa kay usa ka libo ka tiket?A Wala, siyam-ka-gatos ug napulo ra nabilin.	“Do you have 1 000 tickets?” — “No, only 910 left.”
4	Q Usa ka libo na ka tuig ta nag-kaila?A Murag sobra; 950 pa lang.	“We’ve known each other 1 000 years?” — “Not that long—just 950.”
5	Q Mopalit ta og usa ka libo ka botelya?A Daghan ra; walo-ka-gatos lang una.	“Shall we buy 1 000 bottles?” — “Too many; let’s get 800 first.”

▸ 10. Multiple-Choice Dialogue Questions

Q	Question	A	B	C
1	Usa ka libo ba ka libro imong gipalit?	Libro usa ka libo ka akong gipalit.	Usa ka libo ka libro akong gipalit.	Gipalit ko usa ka libo ka libro.
2	Usa ka libo ba mo ka adlaw mag-puyo dinhi?	Mag-puyo dinhi mo usa ka libo ka adlaw.	Mo mag-puyo dinhi usa ka libo ka adlaw.	Dinhi usa ka libo ka adlaw mo mag-puyo.
3	Usa ka libo ba ka bata ang nag-dula sa gawas?	Usa ka libo ka bata nag-dula sa gawas.	Sa gawas nag-dula usa ka libo ka bata.	Nag-dula usa ka libo ka bata sa gawas.
4	Usa ka libo ba ta ka botelya ang paliton?	Paliton ta usa ka libo ka botelya.	Ta usa ka libo ka botelya paliton.	Botelya usa ka libo ka paliton ta.
5	Usa ka libo ba sila ka beses ni-adto didto?	Ni-adto sila didto usa ka libo ka beses.	Usa ka libo ka beses sila didto ni-adto.	Didto sila usa ka libo ka beses ni-adto.

▸ Answer Key

Q	Correct	Reason
1	C	Verb gipalit ko + object; numeral phrase before noun.
2	A	Order: verb → place → subject → numeral; others mis-place helper mo.
3	A	Subject phrase then verb; B/C move adverbial awkwardly.
4	A	Imperative Paliton ta followed by complete object.
5	A	Frequency phrase best at clause end; B/C invert clause parts.

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