Cebu, having been a colony of Spain, America and Japan in the historic past, is resilient in having foreigners to the island. While the main language is Cebuano or Visayan, many locals speak Filipino, English and a handful can even converse in Korean. However, it is still fulfilling to be able to utter one or two phrases of a place’s dialect when visiting. Here are a few phrases that you can easily use in Cebu:
- Good morning/day/afternoon – Maayong buntag/udto/hapon
- Thank you very much – Daghang salamat
- You’re welcome – Walay sapayan
- Yes – oo
- No – dili
- I don’t understand. – Wa ko kasabot
- Can you understand English? – Kakasabot ka ug English?
- Please say it in English. – English lang palihug.
- I don’t know. – Wa ko kahibaw
- How much is the room? – Pila ang usa ka kwarto?
- Okay, I’ll take the room. – Sige, kuhaon ko ang kining kwarto.
- Do you have airon? – Nabay aircon?
- I am hungry. – Gigutom na ako.
- I am thurst. – Guihaw ako.
- That was a good meal. – Kalami sa pagkaon.
- May I have the bill, please? – Ang bayronon palihog.
- How much is the fare? – Tagpila ang plete?
- Where do I get off? – Asa ko manaog?
- Where do I get a jeepney? – Asa ko musakay ug jeepney?
- I’d like to pay. – Mogbayad na ko.
- It’s cheap! – Kabarato!
- It’s expensive! – Kamahal!
- How much is this? – Tagpila na?
- Do you have…? – Adunay…?
- How? – Unsaon
- What? – Unsa
- What did you say? – Unsa to?
- Where? – Asa?
- Why? – Nganong?
- You’re so beautiful. – Kagwapa nimo.
