Phrase guide • Bisaya / Cebuano (Boholano focus)

Say it with heart.

Learn useful Bisaya for conversations with family and friends from Bohol and Cebu. Take your time, listen often, and let each phrase bring you closer.

A little practice
goes a long way.

Use the pronunciation guides, listen when audio is available, and come back whenever your family calls.

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Pronunciation Primer

01Vowels: Cebuano really has three vowel sounds: a ('ah'), i/e ('ee' or 'eh'), u/o ('oo' or 'oh'); i and e, u and o are often interchangeable.

02NG: one sound like in 'singer', can start a word (ngano = NGAH-noh).

03Glottal stops: a catch in the throat, written with a hyphen (kan-on, ig-agaw) or between double vowels (maayo = mah-AH-yoh, gabii = gah-BEE-ee).

04Stress: follow the CAPS syllable; stress can change meaning.

05Boholano accent: many Boholanos pronounce 'y' as a 'j' (like English 'j') in many words: iya > ija, kaayo > kaajo, kayo > kajo, ninyo > ninjo. Boholano is also known for a musical, sing-song intonation. Learners can use standard spelling and will be understood everywhere.

06Respect: Cebuano has no 'po'; use titles like Nang (older woman) and Nong (older man) and a gentle tone.

Everyday words

Find your phrase.

Each card pairs the meaning, the phrase, and a simple guide for saying it out loud.

Greetings and polite words

Hello / How are you?

Kumusta?

koo-moos-TAH

Listen

How are you? (polite)

Kumusta man ka?

koo-moos-TAH mahn kah

Respect in Cebuano comes from tone and titles (Nang, Nong), not 'po'.

Listen

Good morning

Maayong buntag

mah-AH-yohng BOON-tahg

Boholano speakers may sound it 'maajong': the y-to-j shift.

Listen

Good afternoon

Maayong hapon

mah-AH-yohng HAH-pohn

Listen

Good evening

Maayong gabii

mah-AH-yohng gah-BEE-ee

Listen

Thank you

Salamat

sah-LAH-maht

Listen

Thank you very much

Daghang salamat

DAHG-hahng sah-LAH-maht

Listen

You're welcome

Walay sapayan

wah-LAI sah-PAH-yahn

Listen

Please (polite request)

Palihug

pah-LEE-hoog

Listen

Excuse me (to pass)

Agi lang

AH-gee lahng

Literally 'just passing'.

Listen

Sorry

being reviewed

Pasayloa ko

pah-sai-loh-AH koh

Listen

Goodbye

being reviewed

Babay / Adios

BAH-bai / ah-DYOHS

Also 'Mauna ko' (I'll go ahead).

Listen

Take care

Amping

AHM-ping

Listen

Introductions

What is your name?

Unsa imong pangalan?

OON-sah ee-MOHNG pah-NGAH-lahn

Listen

My name is ...

Ako si ...

ah-KOH see

Listen

Nice to meet you

being reviewed

Nalipay ko nga nakaila ka

nah-lee-PAI koh ngah nah-kah-EE-lah kah

Many speakers simply use English here.

Listen

Where are you from?

Taga-asa ka?

tah-gah-AH-sah kah

Listen

I am from Bohol

Taga-Bohol ko

tah-gah-boh-HOHL koh

Listen

I am from America

Taga-Amerika ko

tah-gah-ah-MEH-ree-kah koh

Listen

I'm learning Bisaya

Nagtuon ko og Bisaya

nahg-too-OHN koh ohg bee-SAH-yah

Listen

I understand a little

Kasabot ko gamay

kah-SAH-bot koh gah-MAI

Listen

I don't speak Bisaya well

being reviewed

Dili ko kahibalo mo-Bisaya og tarong

dee-LEE koh kah-hee-BAH-loh moh-bee-SAH-yah ohg tah-ROHNG

Listen

How old are you?

Pila na imong edad?

PEE-lah nah ee-MOHNG EH-dahd

Listen

Family

Mother

Inahan / Nanay / Mama

ee-NAH-hahn / NAH-nai

Listen

Father

Amahan / Tatay / Papa

ah-MAH-hahn / TAH-tai

Listen

Grandmother

Lola

LOH-lah

Listen

Grandfather

Lolo

LOH-loh

Listen

Older sister / older woman

Manang / Nang

MAH-nahng / NAHNG

Respectful title, like Tagalog 'Ate'.

Listen

Older brother / older man

Manong / Nong

MAH-nohng / NOHNG

Respectful title, like Tagalog 'Kuya'.

Listen

Sibling

Igsoon

eeg-SOH-ohn

Listen

Child / offspring

Anak

AH-nahk

Listen

Aunt

Tiya / Tita

TEE-yah / TEE-tah

Listen

Uncle

Tiyo / Tito

TEE-yoh / TEE-toh

Listen

Cousin

Ig-agaw

eeg-AH-gaw

Listen

Family

Pamilya

pah-MEEL-yah

Listen

Numbers

One

Usa

oo-SAH

Listen

Two

Duha

doo-HAH

Listen

Three

Tulo

too-LOH

Listen

Four

Upat

OO-paht

Listen

Five

Lima

lee-MAH

Listen

Six

Unom

OO-nohm

Listen

Seven

Pito

pee-TOH

Listen

Eight

Walo

wah-LOH

Listen

Nine

Siyam

see-YAHM

Listen

Ten

Napulo

nah-POO-loh

Listen

Twenty

Kawhaan

kaw-hah-AHN

Listen

Fifty

being reviewed

Kalim-an

kah-leem-AHN

Listen

One hundred

Usa ka gatos

oo-SAH kah GAH-tohs

Spanish numbers (singkwenta, siyento) are very common for prices.

Listen

Days and time basics

Today / now

Karon

kah-ROHN

Listen

Tomorrow

Ugma

oog-MAH

Listen

Yesterday

Gahapon

gah-HAH-pohn

Listen

Monday

Lunes

LOO-nes

Listen

Friday

Biyernes

bee-YER-nes

Listen

Sunday

Domingo

doh-MEENG-goh

Listen

What time is it?

being reviewed

Unsa nang orasa?

OON-sah nahng oh-RAH-sah

Listen

Morning

Buntag

BOON-tahg

Listen

Night

Gabii

gah-BEE-ee

Listen

Later

Unya

OON-yah

Listen

Later (Boholano 'unja')

being reviewed

Unja

OON-jah

Boholano y-to-j shift of 'unya'.

Listen

Food and eating

Let's eat!

Kaon ta!

kah-OHN tah

Listen

Have you eaten?

Nikaon na ka?

nee-kah-OHN nah kah

Listen

I'm hungry

Gigutom ko

gee-GOO-tohm koh

Listen

Delicious!

Lami!

LAH-mee

Listen

Very delicious (Boholano sound)

Lami kaajo!

LAH-mee kah-AH-joh

Standard spelling 'lami kaayo'; Boholanos say 'kaajo'.

Listen

Rice (cooked)

Kan-on

KAHN-ohn

Glottal stop at the hyphen.

Listen

Water

Tubig

TOO-big

Listen

I'm full

Busog na ko

BOO-sog nah koh

Listen

More, please

being reviewed

Dugangi palihug

doo-GAH-ngee pah-LEE-hoog

Listen

Fish

Isda

ees-DAH

Listen

Coffee

Kape

kah-PEH

Listen

Getting around and directions

Where is ...?

Asa man ang ...?

AH-sah mahn ahng

Listen

Where is the bathroom?

Asa man ang CR?

AH-sah mahn ahng see-AHR

Listen

Left

Wala

wah-LAH

Careful: in Tagalog 'wala' means 'none'.

Listen

Right

Tuo

TOO-oh

Listen

Straight ahead

Diretso

dee-RET-soh

Listen

Near

Duol

doo-OHL

Listen

Far

being reviewed

Layo

LAH-yoh

Boholanos may say 'lajo'.

Listen

Here

Diri

DEE-ree

Listen

There

Didto

DEED-toh

Listen

Stop here (to the driver)

Lugar lang

loo-GAHR lahng

Common in Cebu and Bohol jeepneys.

Listen

House / home

Balay

BAH-lai

Listen

Shopping and money

How much is this?

Tagpila ni?

tahg-PEE-lah nee

Listen

Expensive

Mahal

mah-HAHL

Listen

Cheap

Barato

bah-RAH-toh

Listen

Can you give a discount?

being reviewed

Pwede ma-hangyo?

PWEH-deh mah-hahng-YOH

'Hangyo' = to bargain.

Listen

I'll buy this

being reviewed

Paliton nako ni

pah-LEE-tohn NAH-koh nee

Listen

Money

Kwarta

KWAR-tah

Listen

Peso

Pesos / Piso

PEH-sohs

Listen

Do you have ...?

being reviewed

Naa ba moy ...?

nah-AH bah moy

Listen

None / there isn't any

Wala

wah-LAH

Also means 'left' (direction); context tells.

Listen

Change (coins back)

Sukli

sook-LEE

Listen

Store

Tindahan

teen-DAH-hahn

Listen

Feelings and common responses

Yes

OH-oh

Listen

Dili

dee-LEE

'Wala' for 'none / did not'.

Listen

I'm fine

Maayo man

mah-AH-yoh mahn

Boholano sound: 'maajo man'.

Listen

I'm happy

Nalipay ko

nah-lee-PAI koh

Listen

I'm tired

Kapoy

kah-POY

Listen

I love you

Gihigugma tika

gee-hee-GOOG-mah tee-KAH

Casual: 'Love tika'.

Listen

I miss you

Gimingaw ko nimo

gee-mee-NGAW koh NEE-moh

Listen

Okay / Go ahead

Sige

SEE-geh

Listen

I don't know

Ambot / Wala ko kahibalo

AHM-bot

Listen

I don't understand

Wala ko kasabot

wah-LAH koh kah-SAH-bot

Listen

Very good (Boholano sound)

Maayo kaajo

mah-AH-yoh kah-AH-joh

Standard 'maayo kaayo'.

Listen

It's his/hers (Boholano 'ija')

being reviewed

Iya na / Ija na

EE-yah nah / EE-jah nah

Boholano y-to-j shift of 'iya'.

Listen

Faith and church phrases

God

Dios / Ginoo

DYOHS / gee-NOH-oh

'Ginoo' = Lord.

Listen

God bless you

being reviewed

Panalanginan ka sa Ginoo

pah-nah-lahng-EE-nahn kah sah gee-NOH-oh

Listen

Bless, please (elder's hand blessing)

being reviewed

Amen, Nang / Amen, Nong

AH-men nahng

In Cebuano areas children often say 'Amen' when taking the elder's hand.

Listen

Thank God

Salamat sa Ginoo

sah-LAH-maht sah gee-NOH-oh

Listen

Let's pray

Mag-ampo ta

mahg-AHM-poh tah

Listen

Church

Simbahan

seem-BAH-hahn

Listen

Go to Mass

Magsimba

mahg-SEEM-bah

Listen

Amen

AH-men

Listen

Merry Christmas

Malipayong Pasko

mah-lee-PAH-yohng PAHS-koh

Listen

Our Father (Lord's Prayer opening)

Amahan namo

ah-MAH-hahn NAH-moh

Listen

Useful questions

What?

Unsa?

OON-sah

Listen

Who?

Kinsa?

KEEN-sah

Listen

Where?

Asa?

AH-sah

Listen

When? (future)

Kanus-a?

kah-NOOS-ah

Listen

Why?

Ngano?

NGAH-noh

Listen

How?

being reviewed

Unsaon?

oon-sah-OHN

Listen

Can you repeat that, please?

being reviewed

Balika palihug

bah-LEE-kah pah-LEE-hoog

Listen

Can you speak slowly?

being reviewed

Hinaya lang palihug

hee-NAH-yah lahng pah-LEE-hoog

Listen

What is this in Bisaya?

Unsa ni sa Bisaya?

OON-sah nee sah bee-SAH-yah

Listen

Do you speak English?

being reviewed

Kahibalo ka mo-Ingles?

kah-hee-BAH-loh kah moh-EENG-gles

Listen

Try it in context

Common
conversations.

Greeting an elder

Maayong buntag, Nang!

Good morning, ma'am.

Maayong buntag pod. Nikaon na ka?

Good morning too. Have you eaten?

Oo, salamat.

Yes, thanks.

Meeting someone

Kumusta! Unsa imong pangalan?

Hello! What is your name?

Ako si Mia. Taga-Amerika ko.

I'm Mia. I'm from America.

Amping, Mia!

Take care, Mia!

At the market

Tagpila ni?

How much is this?

Singkwenta.

Fifty.

Sige, palihug. Daghang salamat!

Okay, please. Thank you very much!

At the table

Kaon ta!

Let's eat!

Lami kaajo!

Very delicious!

Busog na ko, salamat.

I'm full, thank you.

Practice Bisaya Try Tagalog

Say it with heart.

Pronunciation Primer

Find your phrase.

Greetings and polite words

Introductions

Family

Numbers

Days and time basics

Food and eating

Getting around and directions

Shopping and money

Feelings and common responses

Faith and church phrases

Useful questions

Commonconversations.

Greeting an elder

Meeting someone

At the market

At the table

Common
conversations.