Learn how to identify and use nouns in Cebuano while practicing real conversations! 🌏✍️
In this lesson, you will:
- Understand what nouns are and how they are used in Cebuano.
- Learn useful patterns with nouns (pronoun + noun, adjective + noun, number + plural nouns).
- Practice everyday Cebuano and English dialogues with translations.
- Test your knowledge with a comprehension quiz and sentence exercises.
Perfect for beginners, travelers, and language learners who want to improve their Cebuano grammar skills in daily life.
VOCABULARY
Directions: Listen and repeat after your teacher.
- English meaning: store / shop
- Part of speech: noun
- Usage: Refers to a place where goods are sold, from small neighborhood shops to larger stores. Equivalent to “store” or “shop” in English.
Example sentences
- Mopalit ko ug tinapay sa tindahan.
→ I will buy bread at the store. - Daghan og tao sa tindahan kada hapon.
→ There are many people in the shop every afternoon. - Ang tindahan nagbukas alas siyete sa buntag.
→ The store opens at seven in the morning.
- English meaning: our / ours (exclusive)
- Part of speech: pronoun (first person plural, possessive, exclusive)
- Usage: Refers to possession by us (the speaker + others) but excludes the listener. Equivalent to “our” or “ours” in English, in the exclusive sense.
Example sentences
- Among balay naa sa bukid.
→ Our house is in the mountains. - Among maestro maayo kaayo.
→ Our teacher is very good. - Among plano mao ang magnegosyo.
→ Our plan is to start a business.
Naa
- English meaning: there is / there are / to have / to be present
- Part of speech: verb / existential particle
- Usage: Used to indicate existence, presence, or possession. Equivalent to “there is/are,” “to have,” or “is present” in English, depending on context.
Example sentences
- Naa koy libro.
→ I have a book. - Naa sila sa balay.
→ They are at home. - Naa bay problema?
→ Is there a problem?
- English meaning: there (near you / nearby)
- Part of speech: adverb of place
- Usage: Refers to a place close to the listener (but not the speaker). Equivalent to “there” in English, with nuance of proximity. Often contrasted with diri (here, near speaker) and didto (there, far from both).
Example sentences
- Unsa ang naa diha?
→ What is there (near you)? - Maghulat ko diha sa eskina.
→ I will wait there at the corner. - Diha nagpuyo imong amigo.
→ Your friend lives there.
Kilid
- English meaning: side / beside / beside something
- Part of speech: noun; can also function adverbially
- Usage: Refers to the side of something, or being beside/next to something. Equivalent to “side” or “beside” in English.
Example sentences
- Naa siya sa kilid sa balay.
→ He is beside the house. - Lingkod sa kilid nako.
→ Sit beside me. - Ang tindahan naa sa kilid sa kalsada.
→ The shop is on the side of the road.
Tag-iya
- English meaning: owner / proprietor
- Part of speech: noun
- Usage: Refers to the person who owns or possesses something (a house, land, business, etc.). Equivalent to “owner” or “proprietor” in English.
Example sentences
- Kinsa ang tag-iya sa balay?
→ Who is the owner of the house? - Ang tag-iya sa tindahan maayo ug batasan.
→ The owner of the shop is kind. - Tag-iya siya sa daghang yuta sa baryo.
→ He is the owner of many lands in the village.
- English meaning: almost / nearly / about to
- Part of speech: adverb; can also be used as a verb auxiliary
- Usage: Indicates that something is close to happening, nearly finished, or close in distance. Equivalent to “almost” or “about to” in English.
Example sentences
- Hapit na ko mahuman sa akong trabaho.
→ I’m almost done with my work. - Hapit na sila moabot.
→ They are about to arrive. - Hapit na ang Pasko.
→ Christmas is near.
- English meaning: cold / cool
- Part of speech: adjective
- Usage: Describes temperature (weather, objects, drinks, etc.) or the sensation of feeling cold. Equivalent to “cold” or “cool” in English.
Example sentences
- Bugnaw kaayo ang tubig.
→ The water is very cold. - Bugnaw ang panahon sa buntag.
→ The weather is cold in the morning. - Nagbugnaw ang akong kamot tungod sa aircon.
→ My hand feels cold because of the air conditioner.
Pila man?
- English meaning: How much? / How many?
- Part of speech: interrogative phrase
- Usage: Used when asking about price (how much) or quantity (how many). Equivalent to “How much is it?” or “How many?” in English.
Example sentences
- Pila man kini nga libro?
→ How much is this book? - Pila man ang imong edad?
→ How old are you? (literally: How many is your age?) - Pila man sila kabuok?
→ How many of them are there?
- English meaning: now / today / this time
- Part of speech: adverb; can also function as a noun of time
- Usage: Refers to the present moment or the current day. Equivalent to “now” or “today” in English, depending on context.
Example sentences
- Asa ka karon?
→ Where are you now? - Karon ang adlaw sa imong birthday.
→ Today is your birthday. - Magkita ta karon sa hapon.
→ We will meet this afternoon.
FLASHCARDS
DIALOGUE PRACTICE
Directions: Listen and repeat after your teacher.
Situation: Leah has a vacation in Cebu.
Cebuano Version
Leah: Jen, asa inyong tindahan?
Jen: Mao kana ang among tindahan.
Leah: Naa imong mama ug papa diha karon?
Jen: O, naa sila mama ug papa diha karon.
Leah: Naa lagi bata.
Jen: Akong pag-umangkon na.
Leah: Ah. Naa’y mga utanon ug prutas sa kilid. Inyoha sad na?
Jen: Dili. Lain tag-iya ana.
Leah: Mamalit ta og prutas na.
Jen: Sige. Naa sila’y dako nga pakwan.
Leah: Paliton ta na. Unya, mansanas sad.
Jen: Pila man?
Leah: Lima ka mansanas lang.
Jen: Unsa paman?
Leah: Kana lang.
Jen: Sige. Hapita ta sa tindahan namo. Manginum ta og bugnaw nga coke.
Leah: Sige
English Version
Leah: Jen, where’s your store?
Jen: That is our store.
Leah: Are your mother and father there now?
Jen: Yes, mom and dad are there now.
Leah: There’s a child.
Jen: That’s my niece.
Leah: Oh, I see. There are vegetables and fruits on the side. Is that yours too?
Jen: No. That’s another owner.
Leah: Let’s buy fruits.
Jen: Okay. They have big watermelon.
Leah: Let’s buy that. Then, apples too.
Jen: How many?
Leah: Just five apples.
Jen: What else?
Leah: That’s all.
Jen: Okay. Let’s drop by to our store. Let’s drink cold coca cola.
Leah: Okay.
LESSON
Noun is a word that refers to a person, place, thing, etc.
Now, let’s learn how to construct sentences in Cebuano.
Mao kini/kana/kato + noun
For examples:
Mao kana ang among tindahan.
That is our store.
Verb + Noun
For examples:
Naa’y taw diha?
Is someone there?Naa’y utanon ug prutas sa kilid.
There are vegetables and fruits on the side.
Number + plural nouns
For examples:
Naa ko’y lima ka saging.
I have five bananas.
Lima ka mansanas lang.
Just five apples.
Pronoun + noun
For examples:
Nisakay ko sa among sakyanan.
I rode our car.
Akong pag-umangkon na.
That’s my niece.
Adjective + noun
For examples:
Naa sila’y dako nga pakwan.
They have big watermelon.
COMPREHENSION QUIZ
Directions: Choose the correct answer.
- Is the word “palit” a noun?
a. o
b. dili
c. ayaw
d. wala - Is the word “dako” an adjective?
a. o
b. dili
c. ayaw
d. wala - How do you say ‘five bananas’ in Cebuano?
a. lima ka saging
b. lima ka mansanas
c. lima ka pakwan
d. lima ka orange - How do you say ‘our’ in Cebuano?
a. akong
b. sila
c. among
d. ilang - Is the word ‘naa/naa’y’ is a verb?
a. o
b. dili
c. ayaw
d. wala
EXERCISE
Directions: Make sentences using the pattern that you’ve learned in the lesson.
For example:
Naa ko’y lima ka saging.
I have five bananas.
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