Language/Cebuano/Vocabulary/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
- What time is it now? Answer in Cebuano.
- Express the following times in Cebuano:
- Complete the following sentences with the correct time in Cebuano:
-
Sa lunes, aduna akong klase sa ____________.
- Answer: Sayo ka ug baynte
-
Nagkaon mi sa among ____________ sa tunga sa adlaw.
- Answer: Duha ka ug tunga sa ala-una
-
Ang amoa nga byahe mosugod sa ____________ sa hapon.
- Answer: Upat ka ug kwarenta'y lima sa tarde
Cebuano | Pronunciation | English Translation |
---|---|---|
Unsa ang orasa karon? | oon-sah ahng oh-rah-sah kah-ron | What time is it now? |
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 |
Congratulations! You just learned how to tell time in Cebuano. Practice asking for and expressing time using different clock times to improve your skills.
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