Language/Cebuano/Vocabulary/Telling-Time

Cebuano → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Numbers and Time → Telling Time

Introduction

Telling time is an essential skill in any language, and Cebuano is no exception. Being able to ask for and understand the time will help you in your daily life, whether you need to catch a bus, make an appointment, or simply plan your day. In this lesson, you will learn how to tell time in Cebuano, including how to ask for the time and express time in various ways.

Asking for the Time

Before you can tell time in Cebuano, you need to know how to ask for it. Here are some common ways to ask for the time:

• Unsa man karon nga orasa? - What time is it now?
• Unsaon pag-ayo sa orasa? - How do you say the time?

Note that "orasa" means "time" in Cebuano.

Expressing Time in Cebuano

Cebuano uses the 12-hour clock system, just like in English. However, there are some differences in how time is expressed.

Expressing Half Past the Hour

In English, when the time is half past the hour, we say something like "It's half past one" or "It's half past five." In Cebuano, however, we use the word "ka" to mean "half."

Here is how to express time when it is half past the hour:

• 1:30 - Usang ka tunga sa usa
• 2:30 - Duha ka tunga sa dos
• 3:30 - Tulo ka tunga sa tres
• 4:30 - Upat ka tunga sa kwatro
• 5:30 - Lima ka tunga sa singko

Note that the word "ka" is placed between the number of hours and the word "tunga sa" (half past).

Expressing Quarter Past and Quarter to the Hour

In English, when the time is a quarter past the hour, we say something like "It's a quarter past one" or "It's a quarter past five." When the time is a quarter to the hour, we say something like "It's a quarter to two" or "It's a quarter to six."

In Cebuano, we use the word "kwarda" to mean "quarter." Here is how to express time when it is a quarter past or a quarter to the hour:

• 1:15 - Usang kwarda sa usa
• 2:15 - Usang kwarda sa dos
• 3:15 - Usang kwarda sa tres
• 4:15 - Usang kwarda sa kwatro
• 5:15 - Usang kwarda sa singko
• 1:45 - Kwatrong kwarda sa dos
• 2:45 - Kwatrong kwarda sa tres
• 3:45 - Kwatrong kwarda sa kwatro
• 4:45 - Kwatrong kwarda sa singko
• 5:45 - Kwatrong kwarda sa unum

Note that the word "kwarda" is placed after the number of hours when expressing a quarter past the hour, and before the number of hours when expressing a quarter to the hour.

Expressing Minutes Past the Hour

To express the exact time in Cebuano, we simply say the number of hours followed by the number of minutes past the hour.

Here are some examples:

• 1:05 - Usang ala-una ug lima ka
• 2:10 - Duha ka ug napulo
• 3:20 - Tulo ka ug kawha-an
• 4:25 - Upat ka ug baynte-singko
• 5:35 - Lima ka ug kawha-an ug tunga

Note that the word "ug" means "and" in Cebuano, and "ka" is used to mean "minutes."

Expressing Midnight and Noon

In English, we use the terms "midnight" and "noon" to refer to 12:00 AM and 12:00 PM, respectively.

In Cebuano, we use the words "hatinggabi" and "hatinggum-a," which literally mean "midnight" and "midday," respectively.

Here is how to express midnight and noon in Cebuano:

• Midnight - Hatinggabi
• Noon - Hatinggum-a

Practice Exercises

1. What time is it now? Answer in Cebuano.

Cebuano	Pronunciation	English Translation
Unsa ang orasa karon?	oon-sah ahng oh-rah-sah kah-ron	What time is it now?

2. Express the following times in Cebuano:

Clock Time	Cebuano Translation	English Translation
8:45 AM	Walumpa ka ug kwatrong kwarda sa buntag	Quarter to nine in the morning
12:00 PM	Hatinggum-a na	Noon
2:30 PM	Duha ka tunga sa ala-una sa hapon	Half past two in the afternoon
7:15 PM	Pito ka ug usang kwarda sa gabii	Quarter past seven in the evening

3. Complete the following sentences with the correct time in Cebuano:
1. Sa lunes, aduna akong klase sa ____________.
   • Answer: Sayo ka ug baynte
2. Nagkaon mi sa among ____________ sa tunga sa adlaw.
   • Answer: Duha ka ug tunga sa ala-una
3. Ang amoa nga byahe mosugod sa ____________ sa hapon.
   • Answer: Upat ka ug kwarenta'y lima sa tarde

Congratulations! You just learned how to tell time in Cebuano. Practice asking for and expressing time using different clock times to improve your skills.

Table of Contents - Cebuano Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Basic Expressions

• Greetings and Goodbyes
• Polite Expressions

  ---

Basic Sentence Structure

• Subject-Verb-Object
• Negating Sentences

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Cardinal Numbers
• Telling Time

  ---

Questions and Responses

• Yes/No Questions
• Wh-Questions

  ---

Common Nouns

• People and Family
• Food and Drinks

  ---

Pronouns

• Personal Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns

  ---

Colors and Adjectives

• Colors
• Common Adjectives

  ---

Adjective Agreement

• Adjective Placement
• Comparatives and Superlatives

  ---

Places and Directions

• Common Places
• Directions

  ---

Everyday Life in Cebu

• Family and Relationships
• Food and Dining

  ---

Days and Months

• Days of the Week
• Months and Seasons

  ---

Festivals and Celebrations

• Sinulog Festival
• Christmas and New Year

Other Lessons

• Geography
• How to Say Hello and Greetings
• Feelings and Emotions
• Animals
• Health
• Clothes
• Common Places
• Months and Seasons
• Greetings and Goodbyes
• Count to 10

Sources

• How to Tell Time in Cebuano or Visayan Part II
• Cebuano - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com
• cebuano happy birthday bisaya greetings