How to Conjugate Verbs in Cebuano (Bisaya)

In Cebuano (Bisaya), verbs are conjugated based on focus (actor, object, or location), aspect (completed, ongoing, or future), and mood (indicative or imperative).

Most Cebuano verbs are regular, but conversational shortcuts or irregularities emerge in common verbs like adto, dili, and kaon. If you focus on actor-focused (mo-, nag-, mi-) and object-focused (gi-, -on) patterns, you’ll master most conjugations quickly!

Basic Conjugation Example

Let’s use the verb kaon (to eat):

  1. Actor-Focused
    • Completed (Past):
      • Mi-kaon ko og saging. (I ate a banana.) (more Cebu)
      • Nag-kaon ko og saging. (More Cagayan)
    • Ongoing (Present): Ga-kaon ko og saging (I am eating a banana.)
    • Future: Mo-kaon ko og saging. (I will eat a banana.)
  2. Object-Focused
    • Completed (Past): Gi-kaon nako ang saging. (The banana was eaten by me.)
    • Ongoing (Present): Gi-na-kaon nako ang saging. (I am eating the banana.) Ga-kaon-on
    • Future: Kaon-on nako ang saging. (The banana will be eaten by me.)

What about irregular verbs?

In Cebuano, conjugation is mostly regular, but there are some exceptions. Most verbs follow predictable patterns based on focus and aspect. However, a few verbs have irregularities, either in their conjugation or in how they’re used in sentences.

Common Irregularities

Here are some verbs with irregular patterns or unique behavior:

1. Dili (to not)

It’s not conjugated like regular verbs. Instead, it works as a negation marker for future actions.

Example:

  • Dili ko mokaon. (I will not eat.)
  • No need for other affixes like “mo-” or “nag-.”

2. Adto (to go)

Adto changes based on focus, but it also has unique forms:

  • Miadto: I went.
  • Moadto: I will go.
  • Nag-adto: I am going.
  • Giadto: Went (with object focus).

3. Kaon (to eat)

While largely regular, kaon sometimes skips the “nag-” in informal speech:

  • Nikaon ko. (I ate) vs. Nagkaon ko. (I am eating).
  • Both forms are understood but have slight differences in nuance.

4. Ingon (to say)

  • This verb often drops prefixes in spoken Cebuano:
    • Miingon siya. (He/she said.)
    • Moingon siya. (He/she will say.)
    • Nag-ingon siya. (He/she is saying.)

5. Hatag (to give)

Focus changes can sound irregular, though it follows the rules:

  • Nihatag ko og libro. (I gave a book.)
  • Gihatag nako ang libro. (The book was given by me.)
  • Hatagon nako siya. (I will give it to him/her.)

Commonly Irregularized Verbs

Some other verbs often used irregularly in casual Cebuano include:

  • Basa (to read): Can shift forms like “nibasa” (read past tense) instead of “nagbasa.”
  • Ligo (to bathe): Often simplified to “naligo” instead of “nagaligo.”