Language/Cebuano/Grammar/Questions

Cebuano Grammar - Questions

Hi Cebuano learners! 😊

In this lesson, we are going to explore how to ask questions in Cebuano. Asking questions is important in any language, as it helps you to get the information you need and to communicate effectively with others. Not only that, but learning how to ask questions can also help you to learn new vocabulary and grammar.

So, let's get started!

Question words

In Cebuano, as in many other languages, there are specific question words that are used to ask different types of questions. Here are some examples:

Cebuano	Pronunciation	English
kinsa	KIN-sah	Who
unsa	OON-sah	What
diin	DEE-een	Where
kanus-a	ka-NOO-sah	When
ngano	ngah-NOH	Why
unsay	OON-sigh	What
pila	PEE-lah	How much/many

Note that "unsay" and "unsay na" both refer to "what," but "unsay na" is used in a more specific sense, such as to ask what someone is doing at the moment.

Types of questions

There are several types of questions in Cebuano, each with its own structure and grammar. Here are some examples:

Yes/No questions

Yes/No questions are the simplest type of questions in Cebuano. They are called Yes/No questions because they can be answered with either "yes" or "no." To form a Yes/No question, you simply invert the subject and the verb. Here are some examples:

• Affirmative statement: Naglakaw si Pedro. (Pedro walked.)
• Yes/No question: Naglakaw ba si Pedro? (Did Pedro walk?)

• Affirmative statement: Aduna koy kwarta. (I have money.)
• Yes/No question: Aduna ba koy kwarta? (Do I have money?)

• Affirmative statement: Gikaon nako ang adlaw. (I ate the day.)
• Yes/No question: Gikaon ba nako ang adlaw? (Did I eat the day?)

• Affirmative statement: Ako siyang gi-higugma. (I love him/her.)
• Yes/No question: Gi-higugmaan ba nako siya? (Do I love him/her?)

WH-questions

WH-questions are questions that begin with one of the question words mentioned earlier (who, what, where, when, why, how much/many). Unlike Yes/No questions, WH-questions cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." Instead, they require a more detailed response. Here are some examples:

• Who: Kinsa man kang asawa? (Who is your spouse?)
• What: Unsay imong trabaho? (What is your job?)
• Where: Diin ka nagpuyo? (Where do you live?)
• When: Kanus-a man ka moadto? (When will you go?)
• Why: Ngano man ka masuko? (Why are you angry?)
• How much/many: Pila ang imong edad? (How old are you?)

Tag questions

Tag questions are questions that are added to the end of a statement to confirm something or to ask for agreement. In Cebuano, you can form a tag question by adding "diba" or "dili ba" to the end of a statement. "Diba" is used for affirmative statements, and "dili ba" is used for negative statements. Here are some examples:

• Affirmative statement: Kuyaw kaayo niya, diba? (He/she is very talented, right?)
• Negative statement: Wala ka kahibalo ana, dili ba? (You don't know that, do you?)

• Affirmative statement: Pinulungan nako ang mga tawo, diba? (I spoke to the people, didn't I?)
• Negative statement: Wala siyay kwarta, dili ba? (He/she doesn't have money, does he/she?)

Choice questions

Choice questions are questions that offer a choice between two or more options. In Cebuano, you can form a choice question by using the word "o" (or) in between the options. Here are some examples:

• Mao ba kini o kana? (Is this one, or that one?)
• Moari ka ba or dili? (Will you come, or not?)
• Kumusta ka man o dili? (Are you good, or not?)

Dialogue

Here is a sample dialogue to help you practice asking questions in Cebuano:

• Person 1: Unsay imong pangalan? (What is your name?)
• Person 2: Ako si Juan. (My name is Juan.)

• Person 1: Asa man ka nagtrabaho? (Where do you work?)
• Person 2: Sa usa ka opisina sa syudad. (In an office in the city.)

• Person 1: Kinsa ang imong pinakagwapo nga artista? (Who is your favorite handsome actor?)
• Person 2: Si Jericho Rosales. (Jericho Rosales.)

• Person 1: Kanus-a man ka moadto didto? (When will you go there?)
• Person 2: Sa sunod nga buwan. (Next month.)

Tips

To improve your Cebuano Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

When asking questions, make sure to keep your tone polite and respectful. In Cebuano culture, it is important to show respect to others, especially elders and people in positions of authority. Using the polite form of address, such as "po" and "opo," can also help to show respect.

Sources

• Cebuano language
• Cebuano grammar

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