Learn Cebuano Vocabulary: How to Say Things in Cebuano #BC24

Learn how to ask and answer “What’s this?” in Cebuano while discovering everyday household vocabulary!
In this lesson, you will:

• Learn Cebuano words for common household items (chair, table, cabinet, light, window, etc.).
• Practice asking and answering questions like “Unsa ni?” (What’s this?)
• Improve your sentence-building skills in Cebuano.
• Review with a quiz and practice exercises.

Perfect for beginners, travelers, and language learners who want to build a strong Cebuano vocabulary foundation.

VOCABULARY

Directions: Listen and repeat after your teacher.

Magkat-on

• English meaning: to learn
• Part of speech: verb (future or habitual aspect)
• Usage: Refers to the act of learning, acquiring knowledge, or studying. Equivalent to “to learn” in English.

Example sentences

1. Magkat-on ko og Cebuano matag adlaw.
   → I learn Cebuano every day.
2. Magkat-on siya og pagluto gikan sa iyang inahan.
   → She learns cooking from her mother.
3. Gusto ko magkat-on og laing pinulongan.
   → I want to learn another language.

Tudloan

• English meaning: to teach someone (something)
• Part of speech: verb (object-focus, future or habitual aspect)
• Usage: Derived from the root tudlo (to teach / to point). Tudloan means “to teach [someone]” and emphasizes the object (the person being taught). Equivalent to “teach” in English.

Example sentences

1. Tudloan tika og English.
   → I will teach you English.
2. Tudloan sila sa maestro sa matematika.
   → They are taught mathematics by the teacher.
3. Kinsa ang tudloan nimo og kanta?
   → Who will you teach to sing?

Atong

• English meaning: our / ours (inclusive)
• Part of speech: pronoun (first person plural, possessive, inclusive)
• Usage: Refers to possession by us (the speaker + others, including the listener). Equivalent to the inclusive “our” or “ours” in English.

Example sentences

1. Atong balay naa sa bukid.
   → Our house is in the mountains.
2. Atong plano mao ang magnegosyo.
   → Our plan is to start a business.
3. Atong buhaton ang maayo para sa tanan.
   → We will do what is good for everyone.

Ibutang

• English meaning: put / place / set (something)
• Part of speech: verb (imperative or infinitive, object-focus)
• Usage: Derived from the root butang (thing / to put). Ibutang is used when instructing or describing the act of placing something somewhere. Equivalent to “put” or “place” in English.

Example sentences

1. Ibutang ang libro sa lamesa.
   → Put the book on the table.
2. Asa nimo ibutang ang mga sud-an?
   → Where will you put the dishes?
3. Ibutang kini sa sulod sa kahon.
   → Place this inside the box.

Unsa

• English meaning: what
• Part of speech: interrogative pronoun
• Usage: Used to ask about things, objects, actions, or explanations. Equivalent to “what” in English. Often appears at the beginning of a question.

Example sentences

1. Unsa imong ngalan?
   → What is your name?
2. Unsa imong gikaon?
   → What are you eating?
3. Unsa ang problema?
   → What is the problem?

Sunod

• English meaning: next / follow / afterwards
• Part of speech: adjective, adverb, or verb depending on context
• Usage:
  • As adjective/adverb: means next or following.
  • As verb: means to follow.

Example sentences

1. Sunod nga semana magsugod ang klase.
   → The class will start next week.
2. Sunod siya nako sa linya.
   → He is next to me in line.
3. Sunod sa maestro aron makat-on ka.
   → Follow the teacher so you can learn.

FLASHCARDS

DIALOGUE PRACTICE

Directions: Listen and repeat after your teacher.
Situation: Kim is teaching her younger sister Yuri some Cebuano words.

Cebuano Version

Kim: Yuri, magkat-on ta og Bisaya. Tudloan ko ikaw.
Yuri: Sige ate.
Kim: Mao ni ang cabinet. Diri ibutang ang atong mga sanina.
Yuri: Okay. Unsa ni ate?
Kim: Mao ni ang mga sanina. Unsa ni?
Yuri: Mga sanina
Kim: Sakto. Sunod, mao ni ang bangko ug kato ang lamesa.
Yuri: bangko ug lamesa
Kim: Unsa ni sa Bisaya?
Yuri: TB
Kim: Sakto. Ka maayo nimo inday Yuri.

English Version

Kim: Yuri, let’s learn Cebuano. I will teach you.
Yuri: Okay sister.
Kim: This is a cabinet. We put our clothes here.
Yuri: Okay. What’s this?
Kim: These are clothes. What this?
Yuri: Clothes
Kim: That’s right. Next, this is a chair and that thing over there is a table.
Yuri: Chair and table
Kim: What’s this in Cebuano?
Yuri: Television
Kim: Right. You’re very good Yuri.

LESSON

If you want to ask what this thing is, we say;
⚫ Unsa kini? / Unsa ni sa Bisaya?
⚫ Unsa’y tawag ninyo ani sa Bisaya?
⚫ Mao kini ang + noun.
⚫ Noun + kini/kana/kato.

For examples:
Unsa ni?
What’s this?

Mao kini ang kabinet.
This is a cabinet.

Unsa’y tawag ninyo ani sa Bisaya?
What do you call this in Cebuano?

Mao ni ang bangko.
This is a chair.

Unsa ni?
What’s this?

Lamesa ni.
This is a table.

COMPREHENSION QUIZ

Directions: Choose the correct answer.

1. How do you say ‘table’ in Cebuano?
   a. bangko
   b. rip
   c. lamesa
   d. pultahan
2. How do you say “What’s this in Cebauno? in
   Cebuano?
   a. Unsa imong pangalan?
   b. Unsa ni sa Bisaya?
   c. Unsa imong gibuhat?
   d. Unsa?
3. How do you say ‘ceiling fan’ in Cebauno?
   a. bangko
   b. lamesa
   c. pultahan
   d. silingpan
4. How do you answer the question ‘Unsa ni?’ ?
   a. Mao ni ang lamesa.
   b. Akong pangalan kay Yam.
   c. Nagkaon ko.
   d. Tagdiyes ni.
5. How do you say ‘light’ in Cebuano?
   a. kabinet
   b. rip
   c. sopa
   d. suga

EXERCISE

Directions: Arrange the words to make sentences.

1. mga / ni / sanina / ang / mao
2. bangko / ni / ang / lamesa / ang / mao / ug / kato
3. sa / Bisaya / ni / unsa / ?
4. tawag / ani / unsa’y / Bisaya / ninyo / sa / ?
5. ang / ni / mao / cabinet

REVIEW

Directions: Let’s use the pattern that you’ve learned during the lesson and make sentences.

For example:
Mao ni ang bangko.
This is a chair

1. –
2. –
3. –