1 Part of speech, core meaning, and example sentences
| Role | Cebuano usab | Core English sense |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (root) | usab — “to change, modify, alter” | |
| Adverb / particle | usab — “again; also, too” | |
| Common noun (rare) | usab — “change, alteration” |
Sentence-position tips
- Verb sense – The conjugated form starts the predicate and a clitic actor-pronoun follows: Mo-usab ko sa design unya.
I’ll change the design later. - Adverb sense – usab usually comes after the word or clause it modifies: Salamat usab. — “Thanks again/also.”
Si Ana mi-abot, si Ben usab. — “Ana arrived, and Ben too.”
Example sentences
| Cebuano | English |
|---|---|
| Mo-usab ko ug password matag bulan. | I change my password every month. |
| Nag-usab ang panahon, nianha na pud ang ulan. | The weather is changing; the rain has come again. |
| Gi-usab sa tig-print ang layout. | The layout was changed by the printer. |
| Balik-balik nga proseso na kini, pero buhaton nato usab. | This is a repetitive process, but we’ll do it again. |
2 Verb derivations of usab (“to change”)
| Form | Voice & aspect | Translation | Sample sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| mag-usab | Actor-focus, habitual / future | “will usually change” | Mag-usab siya ug theme kada event. |
| mo-usab | Actor-focus, non-past / imperative | “will change; change!” | Mo-usab ta karon, ha. |
| nag-usab | Actor-focus, progressive | “is / was changing” | Nag-usab ko sa settings pag-text nimo. |
| ni-usab / mi-usab | Actor-focus, completed past | “changed / altered” | Ni-usab sila sa plano kagahapon. |
| gi-usab | Patient-focus, completed past | “was changed (by …)” | Gi-usab sa admin ang schedule. |
| usbon (-on) | Patient-focus, future / imp. | “to be changed / change it” | Usbon nato ang format ugma. |
| usban / usbi (-an / -i) | Beneficiary / locative | “to change for / change at” | Usbi siya ug diaper, palihog. |
3 Typical places in a sentence
- Actor focus: Mo-usab ko ug kolor sa logo.
- Patient focus: Gi-usab ang kontrata sa abogado.
- Locative / beneficiary: Usbi ko ug tubig ang vase.
- Adverb “again/also”: usually clause-final or after subject: Si Carlo usab mo-adto.
4 Common collocations
- usab sa plano — change of plan
- mag-usab og huna-huna — change one’s mind
- walay usab — no change
- gi-usab sa gobyerno — amended by the government
- usbon nga dokumento — document to be revised
5 How the word is used in detail
| Sense | Usage hints |
|---|---|
| Verb “change” | Used for revising documents, modifying designs, replacing clothes, altering schedules. Actor-focus highlights the changer; patient-focus highlights what is changed. |
| Adverb “again/also” | Functions like English “again” (repetition) or “also/too” (addition). Usually placed after the element it modifies or at clause end. Combines naturally with na (already): balik na usab “came back again.” |
| Noun | Refers to the act/result of change: dako’g usab sa presyo – “big change in price.” |
6 Common mistakes & cautions
| Mistake | Issue | Correct form |
|---|---|---|
| Mo-usab ako sa file. | Clitic pronoun mis-placed. | Mo-usab ko sa file. |
| Gi-usab ko ang layout. | gi- needs actor in genitive form (ni / sa). | Gi-usab ni ko ang layout. |
| Usbon ta siya! | Beneficiary command needs usbi when target is indirect. | Usbi siya! |
| Misplacing adverb | Salamat usab kaayo. (acceptable) is better than splitting: Usab salamat. |
7 Conversational phrases
- “Usba palihog.” — “Please change it.”
- “Salamat usab!” — “Thanks again / thanks as well!”
- “Ni-usab na pud ang schedule.” — “The schedule has changed again.”
- “Pwede pa ba ma-usab?” — “Can it still be changed?”
- “Ako usab!” — “Me too!”
8 Short everyday conversations
- A: Mo-usab ka ba sa kolor sa background? — Will you change the background color?
B: Oo, usbon nako aron mas hayag. — Yes, I’ll change it to make it brighter. - A: Salamat sa tabang. — Thanks for the help.
B: Walay sapayan; salamat usab sa imong oras. — You’re welcome; thanks also for your time. - A: Nag-usab pa ka sa slides? — Are you still revising the slides?
B: Oo, nag-usab ko sa fonts. — Yes, I’m changing the fonts. - A: Ni-usab diay ang presyo sa pamasahe. — The fare has changed, by the way.
B: Patay, wala ko kahibalo. — Oh no, I didn’t know. - A: Usbi ko palihog sa schedule kung naay conflict. — Please adjust my schedule if there’s a conflict.
B: Sige, ako’y bahala ani. — Sure, I’ll take care of it.
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