How to Ask Opening Hours in English | Shopping Conversation #BC20

2021/5/13

Learn how to ask and answer about opening hours in English and Cebuano through practical shopping conversations! 🛍️
In this lesson, you will:

  • Practice asking when stores open and close.
  • Learn useful Cebuano words and expressions for shopping.
  • Review days of the week and telling time (12-hour & 24-hour clock).
  • Improve your English and Cebuano listening and speaking skills with dialogues.

Perfect for beginners, travelers, and anyone who wants to build confidence in real-life shopping situations.

VOCABULARY

Mangabli

  • English meaning: to open (something) / will open
  • Part of speech: verb (future or habitual aspect, actor-focus)
  • Usage: Refers to the act of opening, often used for stores, windows, doors, or events. Equivalent to “open” or “will open” in English. The prefix mang- indicates a future or habitual action.

Example sentences

  1. Mangabli ang tindahan alas otso sa buntag.
    → The store will open at eight in the morning.
  2. Kinsa ang mangabli sa bintana?
    → Who will open the window?
  3. Mangabli sila ug bag-ong negosyo sunod bulan.
    → They will open a new business next month.

Manira

  • English meaning: to close / will close
  • Part of speech: verb (future or habitual aspect, actor-focus)
  • Usage: Refers to the act of closing something, often used for doors, windows, or stores. Equivalent to “close” or “will close” in English. The prefix maN- indicates a future or habitual action.

Example sentences

  1. Manira ang tindahan alas nuwebe sa gabii.
    → The store will close at nine in the evening.
  2. Palihog manira sa pultahan.
    → Please close the door.
  3. Manira siya sa bintana kay kusog ang hangin.
    → He will close the window because the wind is strong.

Taga adlaw

  • English meaning: every day / daily
  • Part of speech: adverbial phrase
  • Usage: Used to describe actions or events that happen regularly on a daily basis. Equivalent to “every day” in English.

Example sentences

  1. Mag-ehersisyo ko taga adlaw.
    → I exercise every day.
  2. Taga adlaw siya mosimba sa simbahan.
    → She goes to church every day.
  3. Nagkita mi sa akong silingan taga adlaw.
    → I see my neighbor every day.

Taud-taud

  • English meaning: a while / some time / later
  • Part of speech: adverb
  • Usage: Refers to a short period of time. Depending on context, it can mean “after a while,” “in a little while,” or “for quite some time.”

Example sentences

  1. Maghulat lang ta ug taud-taud.
    → Let’s wait for a while.
  2. Moadto ko didto taud-taud.
    → I will go there in a little while.
  3. Nag-istorya sila ug taud-taud sa telepono.
    → They talked on the phone for quite some time.

Gikan

  • English meaning: from / came from / origin
  • Part of speech: preposition; can also function as a verb form (came from) depending on context
  • Usage: Used to indicate the starting point of movement, the origin of something, or where someone/something came from. Equivalent to “from” in English.

Example sentences

  1. Gikan ko sa Cebu.
    → I am from Cebu.
  2. Asa ka gikan?
    → Where did you come from?
  3. Daghang turista gikan sa lain-laing nasod.
    → Many tourists from different countries.

Hangtod

  • English meaning: until / up to / as far as
  • Part of speech: preposition, conjunction
  • Usage: Used to express a limit in time, place, or extent. Equivalent to “until” or “up to” in English.

Example sentences

  1. Maghulat ko hangtod alas dose.
    → I will wait until twelve o’clock.
  2. Gikan sa plaza hangtod sa baybayon, daghan kaayo og tawo.
    → From the plaza up to the beach, there are so many people.
  3. Pagpaningkamot hangtod makab-ot nimo ang imong damgo.
    → Keep striving until you reach your dream.

Lunes

  • English meaning: Monday
  • Part of speech: noun (day of the week)
  • Usage: Refers to the first day of the week (Monday). Borrowed from Spanish, just like the other Cebuano weekdays.

Example sentences

  1. Ang klase magsugod sa Lunes.
    → The class will start on Monday.
  2. Moadto ko sa ospital karong Lunes.
    → I will go to the hospital this Monday.
  3. Busy kaayo ko matag Lunes sa buntag.
    → I’m very busy every Monday morning.

Martes

  • English meaning: Tuesday
  • Part of speech: noun (day of the week)
  • Usage: Refers to the second day of the week (Tuesday). Like Lunes, it comes from Spanish.

Example sentences

  1. Naa koy appointment sa Martes.
    → I have an appointment on Tuesday.
  2. Ang meeting gi-reschedule sa Martes.
    → The meeting was rescheduled to Tuesday.
  3. Magpraktis mi og sayaw matag Martes.
    → We practice dancing every Tuesday.

Miyerkules

  • English meaning: Wednesday
  • Part of speech: noun (day of the week)
  • Usage: Refers to the third day of the week (Wednesday). Borrowed from Spanish, like the other Cebuano weekday names.

Example sentences

  1. Ang eksamin mao sa Miyerkules.
    → The exam is on Wednesday.
  2. Magsimba siya matag Miyerkules sa buntag.
    → She goes to church every Wednesday morning.
  3. Magkita ta sa opisina karong Miyerkules.
    → Let’s meet at the office this Wednesday.

Huwebes

  • English meaning: Thursday
  • Part of speech: noun (day of the week)
  • Usage: Refers to the fourth day of the week (Thursday). Like the other weekdays, it is borrowed from Spanish.

Example sentences

  1. Magsugod ang seminar sa Huwebes.
    → The seminar will start on Thursday.
  2. Mangadto mi sa merkado matag Huwebes.
    → We go to the market every Thursday.
  3. Na-postpone ang klase hangtod sa Huwebes.
    → The class was postponed until Thursday.

Biyernes

  • English meaning: Friday
  • Part of speech: noun (day of the week)
  • Usage: Refers to the fifth day of the week (Friday). Borrowed from Spanish, just like the other weekday names.

Example sentences

  1. Mag-party ta sa Biyernes sa gabii.
    → We will have a party on Friday night.
  2. Moadto ko sa doktor karong Biyernes.
    → I will go to the doctor this Friday.
  3. Daghang tawo sa mall matag Biyernes.
    → There are many people in the mall every Friday.

Sabado

  • English meaning: Saturday
  • Part of speech: noun (day of the week)
  • Usage: Refers to the sixth day of the week (Saturday). Borrowed from Spanish, like the other weekday names.

Example sentences

  1. Maglaba ko matag Sabado.
    → I do the laundry every Saturday.
  2. Aduna’y dula sa plaza karong Sabado.
    → There is a game at the plaza this Saturday.
  3. Magbakasyon ta sa Sabado.
    → We will go on vacation on Saturday.

Domingo

  • English meaning: Sunday
  • Part of speech: noun (day of the week)
  • Usage: Refers to the seventh day of the week (Sunday). Borrowed from Spanish, like the other weekday names. Often associated with rest, family gatherings, and going to church.

Example sentences

  1. Magsimba mi matag Domingo.
    → We go to church every Sunday.
  2. Pahulay lang ta sa Domingo.
    → Let’s just rest on Sunday.
  3. Magkita ang pamilya sa Domingo sa buntag.
    → The family will meet on Sunday morning.

FLASHCARDS

DIALOGUE PRACTICE

Directions: Listen and repeat after your teacher.
Situation: Asking the schedule of the mall.

Cebuano

English

  • Joyce: Excuse me Ms. What time does SM mall open?
  • Leah: SM mall opens at 10 am.
  • Joyce: What time does SM mall close?
  • Leah: SM mall closes at 9 pm.
  • Joyce: Is SM mall open everyday?
  • Leah: Yes, they open everyday. From Monday to Sunday.
  • Joyce: Ah okay Ms, they will probably open in a while, right?
  • Leah: Yes, they will open in a while.
  • Joyce: Okay Ms, thank you.
  • Leah: Okay Ms, you’re welcome.

LESSON

There are two ways of telling time in Cebuano, the 12-hour
clock and the 24-hour clock.
The 12-hour clock

Ala/alas + oras + minuto/s + buntag / udto / hapon / gabii / kadlawn / tunga-tunga sa gabii

For examples:
Mangabli ang SM alas diyes sa buntag.
SM mall opens at 10 am.
Alas noybe sa gabii manira na ang SM.
SM mall closes at 9 pm.

The 24-hour clock
minuto/s + pasado (past) / para (to) + ala/alas + oras

For examples:
24:05 – singko minutos pasado alas dose
14:45 – kinse minutos para alas tres

COMPREHENSION QUIZ

Directions: Choose the correct answer.

  1. How do we say ‘everyday’ in Cebuano?

a. taga buntag
b. taga gabii
c. taga adlaw
d. taga hapon

  1. How do you say ‘open’ in Cebuano?

a. manira
b. gikan
c. mangabli
d. hangtod

  1. Do Cebuano people only say the 12-hour clock in telling
    time?
    a. O
    b. Dili
    c. Wala
    d. Ayaw
  2. How do you say ’14:25′ in Cebauno?

a. baynte singko minutos pasado alas dos
b. baynte minutos pasado alas dos
c. baynte singko minutos para alas dos
d. baynte minutos para alas dos

  1. How do you say ‘4:30 pm’ in Cebuano?
    a. alas kwatro traynta sa buntag
    b. alas kwatro y medya sa buntag
    c. alas kwatro traynta sa hapon
    d. alas kwatro y medya sa gabii

EXERCISE

Arrange the words to make sentences.

  1. gabii / ang / alas / manira / sa / noybe / SM
  2. oras / ang / unsa / SM / mangabli / ?
  3. sa / Lunes / Dominggo / sa / gikan / hangtod
  4. ang / unsa / SM / oras / manira / ?
  5. sa / mangabli / buntag / SM / alas / ang / diyes

REVIEW

Directions: Write your daily schedule in Cebuano.

For example:
Momata ko alas syete sa buntag.
I wake up at 7 am.

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