Cebuano language

Cebuano (also referred to as Bisaya) is one of the main languages spoken in the Philippines. More than 28 million people speak this language. Cebuano is a member of the "Visayan language family". 

While Tagalog has more speakers than any other language in the Philippines today, Cebuano was the most widely spoken language in the Philippines from the 1950s until the 1980s. Cebuano is by far the most widely spoken of the "Visayan languages".

It is the most spoken language by many people in the Central Visayas, western parts of the Eastern Visayas, some western parts of Palawan and most parts of Mindanao. Cebuano is one of the three main Visayan languages, along with Waray, Hiligaynon and Davaoeño, which are more closely related to it.

 Name 
The name of the language comes from the Philippine island of Cebu, suffixed with the Spanish -ano (meaning nature, or a location). In other words, the language is more commonly called Bisaya. However, this can cause confusion among non-native speakers, as there are many other languages called Bisaya even though they cannot be understood by people who speak what linguists call Cebuano. In this sense, Cebuano applies to all speakers of the language who come from Cebu island, regardless of where they live now, as well as to the language they speak.

Some people do not like the term Cebuano. For example, many Cebuano speakers in Leyte, Bohol, and Northern Mindanao (Dipolog, Dapitan, Misamis Occidental, and Misamis Oriental, as well as in coastal areas of Butuan) say that their ancestors were Cebuano speakers who were native to their area, not immigrants or settlers from the Visayas. Also, they want to call themselves as Bisaya and their language Binisaya rather than Cebuano.

 Cebuano numbers 
Cebuano has two numeral systems. The native system is mostly used for counting things, like animals or houses. The Spanish system is only used for money and time. It is also used for counting from 11 and up.
 Number Native Cebuano Borrowed from Spanish0walânulo, sero1usáuno2duhádos3tulótres4upátkwatro5limásingko6unómséys7pitósiyete8walóotso9siyámnwebe10napulò, pulòdiyés11napúlog usáonse12napúlog duhádose13napúlog tulótrese14napúlog upátkatórse15napúlog limákinse16napúlog unómdiyesiséys17napúlog pitódiyesisiyete18napúlog walódiyesiyotso19napúlog siyámdiyesinwebe20kaluháan (kaduháan)beynte 21kaluháag usábeyntiwuno22kaluháag duhábeyntidos23kaluháag tulóbeyntitres24kaluháag upátbeyntikwatro25kaluháag limábeyntisingko30katlóan (katulóan)treynta40kap-atan (kaupátan)kwarénta50kalím-an (kalimáan)sinkwénta60kan-uman (kaunóman)sesenta70kapitóanseténta80kawalóanotsénta90kasiyámannobénta100usá ka gatóssiyén, siyento200duhá ka gatósdosiyéntos300tuló ka gatóstresiyéntos 400upát ka gatóskwatrosiyéntos500limá ka gatóskiniyéntos 1,000usá ka libomil5,000limá ka libosingko mil10,000usá ka laksà, napulò ka libodiyes mil50,000limá ka laksà, kalím-an ka libosingkwenta mil100,000usá ka yaba, usá ka gatós ka líbosiyén mil1,000,000usá ka yukótmilyón1,000,000,000usá ka wakátbilyón (mil milyones)

 Sample phrases 
+EnglishCebuanoHello?Kumusta?Good morning!Maayo'ng buntag!Good afternoon!Maayo'ng udto! (specifically from 12:00 PM to 12:59 PM)
Maayo'ng hapon! (specifically from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM)Good evening!Maayo'ng gabii!Goodbye!Adios! (Rarely, borrowed from Spanish word)
Babay! (Informal, from English “Bye-Bye”) Be careful.Ayo-ayo. (Formal)
Amping. Until next time.Hangtod sa sunod nga higayon. Thanks.Salamat. Thank you very much!Daghang salamat!
Daghan kaayong salamat! You're welcome.Walang sapayan.Do not! (Command)Ayaw!I don't knowAmbot.Yes.Oo.MaybeTingali. 
Basin.No.Dili.Nothing.Wala.Who?Kinsa?What?Unsa?Where?Diin? (Past)
Ása? (Present)Which?Hain?When?Kanus-a?How?Giunsa?
Unsaon?

Related pages
Cebuano Wikipedia

References

Other websites

 Cebuano Dictionary

Category:Austronesian languages
Cebuano