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Cebuano to Ilocano Phrasebook

403 everyday phrases, grouped by the situation you need them in. Compiled from published references rather than generated by a translation engine, and marked pending review until native speakers have confirmed it.

No. Speakers of Cebuano and Ilocano cannot follow each other without having learned the other language. They share sentence structure and Spanish loanwords, which makes written text look more approachable than it is, and almost none of the high-frequency vocabulary.

Phrases
403
Categories
24
Cited sources
3
Pending review
403

Showing all 403 phrases across 24 categories.

Greetings

The opener changes in every one of these languages — this is the fastest way to tell them apart.

Greetings: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Maayong buntagpending reviewNaimbag a bigatGood morningEvery one of these is literally 'good' + 'morning', and the word for 'good' is the giveaway: maayo in the Visayan languages, maupay in Waray, marhay in Bikol, mayap in Kapampangan, maabig in Pangasinan, naimbag in Ilocano.
Maayong haponpending reviewNaimbag a malemGood afternoon
Maayong gabiipending reviewNaimbag a rabiiGood evening
Maayong adlawpending reviewNaimbag nga aldawGood day
Kumusta ka?pending reviewKumustaka?How are you?The one phrase that is effectively identical everywhere, because all eight borrowed it from Spanish '¿cómo está?'. Do not read that as evidence the languages are close.
Maayo rapending reviewNasayaat metI'm fine
Ayo-ayopending reviewAgpakadaakonGoodbyeCebuano 'ayo-ayo' and Hiligaynon 'halong' both mean 'take care' rather than 'farewell'; a bare word for goodbye is uncommon in the Visayan languages, and 'bye' is what people actually say.
Maayong gabiipending reviewNaimbag a rabiiGood night (on parting)The word for good behaves here as it does in every greeting on this site; it is the second half worth looking at. Rabii, gabii, gab-i, banggi, bengi and labi are six forms that rhyme more than they match.
Dugay na ta wala magkitapending reviewNabayagen a saantayo nagkikitaLong time no seeCebuano and Hiligaynon both build this on dugay. Waray reaches for maiha instead — and its sentence carries waray itself, the negator the language is named after.

Courtesy

Thank you, sorry, yes and no.

Courtesy: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Salamatpending reviewAgyamanakThank youIlocano is the odd one out. 'Salamat' is understood in Ilocos, but 'agyamanak' — literally 'I am grateful' — is the native form and the one a speaker will use back to you.
Daghang salamatpending reviewAgyamanak unayThank you very muchThe intensifier is the tell: daghan (Cebuano), madamo (Hiligaynon), damo (Waray), dakula (Bikol), dakal (Kapampangan), dakel (Pangasinan) — all meaning 'many', none of them the Tagalog 'marami'.
Walay sapayanpending reviewAwan ania manYou're welcomeWaray's own name comes from this construction — 'waray' is the word for 'none', and the language is named after how often outsiders heard it.
Oopending reviewWenYesFour different words for yes across eight languages. Kapampangan 'wa' and Pangasinan 'on' are unrecognisable to a Tagalog speaker, and machine translation frequently passes them through untouched.
Dilipending reviewHaanNoIlocano also uses 'saan' for no, which is a genuine trap: 'saan' is 'where' in Tagalog. Hiligaynon 'indi' and Waray 'diri' look alike but Waray 'diri' collides with Hiligaynon 'diri', meaning 'here'.
Pasayloa kopending reviewPakawanennakSorryIn everyday speech 'sorry' and 'pasensya' are what most speakers actually say in all eight; the native forms above are what you will see written.
Palihugpending reviewPangngaasimPleaseNone of these behave like English 'please'. They are requests in their own right — Cebuano 'palihug' is closer to 'do me the favour' — and are usually attached to the verb rather than added at the end.
Tabi langpending reviewUmisu manExcuse meTabi is the shared form: Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray and Bikol all build on it and differ only in what follows — lang, anay, po. Tagalog makikiraan and Ilocano umisu man share nothing with it, or with each other.
Walay problemapending reviewAwan problemaNo problemThe word for 'none' is the giveaway: wala, awan, walay, waray, mayo. Waray-speakers are named after theirs.
Ayo-ayopending reviewAgannadkaTake careCebuano ayo-ayo and Hiligaynon halong appear again as those languages' entry for goodbye. A Visayan farewell is usually an instruction to look after yourself rather than a word for parting.

Introductions

Names and first meetings.

Introductions: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Unsa'y imong ngalan?pending reviewAnia ti naganmo?What is your name?Kapampangan shares no root here at all — 'nanu' for what, 'lagyu' for name — which is a fair summary of how far Central Luzon sits from everything else on this list.
Ang akong ngalan kay…pending reviewTi naganko ket…My name is…
Nalipay ko nga nailhan tikapending reviewNaragsakak a nakaam-ammo kenkaNice to meet you
Taga-asa ka?pending reviewTaga-anoka?Where are you from?Same frame, eight different question words bolted onto it. This single row is the clearest illustration of why machine translation between these languages fails: the shared 'taga-' makes the sentence look translatable while the word that carries the meaning is unique to each.

Understanding

Getting by when you do not follow.

Understanding: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Wala ko kasabotpending reviewDiak maawatanI don't understand
Kamao ka mo-English?pending reviewMakasaoka iti Ingles?Do you speak English?The verb for 'to know how' differs completely: kamao, kabalo, maaram, tataong. None of them is the Tagalog 'marunong'.
Palihug balikapending reviewUliten yo manPlease say it again
Palihug hinay-hinaypending reviewIn-inuten yo manPlease speak slowly
Unsa ni?pending reviewAnia daytoy?What is this?
Kasabot kopending reviewMaawatakI understand
Unsa'y tawag ani?pending reviewAnia ti awag daytoy?What is this called?
Unsaon ni pagsulti?pending reviewKasano nga ibaga daytoy?How do you say this?

Numbers

Native numerals one to ten, which diverge sharply between the Luzon and Visayan languages.

Numbers: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Usapending reviewMaysaOneCebuano and Waray 'usa' is a false friend of the highest order: in Tagalog 'usa' is a deer.
Duhapending reviewDuaTwo
Tulopending reviewTalloThree
Upatpending reviewUppatFour
Limapending reviewLimaFiveThe one numeral that survives intact across all eight — and in Pangasinan 'lima' is also the word for 'hand', which is where the numeral came from in the first place.
Unompending reviewInnemSix
Pitopending reviewPitoSevenPito is unchanged in six of the eight. The two that look different are not: Kapampangan pitu is the u-for-o that runs through its whole numeral set, and Pangasinan pitora is pito carrying the -ra counting suffix that makes its numerals longer than everyone else's.
Walopending reviewWaloEightWalo survives untouched in six languages. Kapampangan walu and Pangasinan walora are the same word wearing each language's habits — the u for o, and the -ra that Pangasinan attaches to every numeral.
Siyampending reviewSiamNineSiyam everywhere, and the differences are spelling rather than vocabulary: Ilocano writes siam without the y, Pangasinan siamira adds its counting suffix to the same root. Nine is one of the numerals no language here replaced.
Napulopending reviewSangapuloTenPangasinan numerals carry a counting suffix -ra that none of the others use, so 'limara' and 'samplora' look longer than their neighbours for a structural reason rather than a phonetic one.
Napulog usapending reviewSangapulo ket maysaElevenThree different strategies for building teens: Tagalog and Kapampangan prefix labing-, the Visayan languages say 'ten and one', and Bikol has a dedicated form (kagsaro).
Napulog duhapending reviewSangapulo ket duaTwelveTwo ways of building it. Tagalog labindalawa, Kapampangan labingadwa and Pangasinan labinduara use a labi- prefix; the Visayan languages and Ilocano spell it out as ten and two — napulog duha, sangapulo ket dua. Bikol kagduwa contracts the same idea.
Kaluhaanpending reviewDuapuloTwentyCebuano and Hiligaynon 'kaluhaan' bears no visible relation to their own word for two, duha. Waray's 'karuhaan' shows the same form after its regular l→r shift.
Katloanpending reviewTallopuloThirtyThe Visayan languages wrap the root for three in ka- and -an and get katloan. Everyone else counts it out as three tens: tatlumpu, tallopulo, tulong pulo, atlungpulu, talomplo.
Kalim-anpending reviewLimapuloFiftyKalim-an is the same Visayan ka- -an circumfix seen on thirty, this time around lima. The others say five tens, and Ilocano limapulo shows that construction at its plainest.
Usa ka gatospending reviewSangagasutOne hundredKapampangan 'dinalan' and Pangasinan 'sanlasus' share nothing with the gatos/daan the rest use — another reminder that the Luzon languages are not a group.
Usa ka libopending reviewSangaribuOne thousandSeven of the eight share libo and differ only in the counter in front of it — isang, usa ka, isa ka, sang-, san-. Ilocano sangaribu swaps the l for an r; Kapampangan drops the counter and says libu on its own.

Question words

Who, what, where and when — the words that differ most and trip up readers most.

Question words: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Unsapending reviewAniaWhatAno covers Tagalog, Hiligaynon, Waray and Bikol, and Pangasinan anto is close enough to guess. Cebuano unsa, Kapampangan nanu and Ilocano ania are separate words entirely. Question words open most sentences, which is why this is where comprehension between these languages tends to fail first.
Kinsapending reviewSiasinoWhoHiligaynon 'sin-o' and Waray 'hin-o' differ by a single consonant, and that s→h shift runs through the whole of Waray. It is the single most reliable way to tell the two apart.
Asapending reviewSadinoWhereSeven distinct words. Cebuano 'asa' is a false friend in Tagalog, where it means to hope or depend on someone.
Kanus-apending reviewKaanoWhenSix of the eight begin with ka-, and three of those carry a glottal stop written as a hyphen — kanus-a, san-o, kakan-o. Bikol nuarin is the outlier, sharing its shape with none of them.
Nganopending reviewApayWhyKapampangan 'baket' looks like Tagalog 'bakit' and means the same thing — but it is also the Ilocano word for an old woman or a wife, so the same string means two unrelated things depending on which language you are reading.
Tagpila?pending reviewMano?How much?Two different questions. Tagalog magkano and Kapampangan magkanu ask about price directly. Cebuano and Hiligaynon tagpila, Waray tagpira, Bikol pira, Pangasinan pigara and Ilocano mano are all built on that language's word for 'how many' instead.
Pila?pending reviewMano?How many?Cebuano and Hiligaynon 'pila' means 'how many'. In Tagalog 'pila' is a queue — which makes 'Pila?' one of the most commonly misread words between Manila and Cebu.
unsaonpending reviewkasanoHow

Time & days

Today, tomorrow, day and night.

Time & days: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Karonpending reviewItaTodayEight words and no agreement, and two of them are the trap on this site's Cebuano-Hiligaynon page: Cebuano karon means today, while Hiligaynon reaches for subong instead — because karon in Hiligaynon means later.
Ugmapending reviewInton bigatTomorrowIlocano builds tomorrow out of 'bigat', the word for morning — the same root as in 'Naimbag a bigat'.
Gahaponpending reviewIdi kalmanYesterdayKahapon, gahapon and kasuhapon are one word with the prefix shifting. Waray kakulop, Ilocano idi kalman and Kapampangan napun stand outside it entirely.
Adlawpending reviewAldawDayIn the Visayan languages 'adlaw' is both the day and the sun. Tagalog keeps the same double meaning in 'araw'; Ilocano does not — 'aldaw' is the day and 'init' is the sun.
Gabiipending reviewRabiiNightGabi is also the Tagalog for taro, separated only by stress — one of the few places where a core time word collides with a vegetable. Ilocano rabii, Bikol banggi, Kapampangan bengi and Pangasinan labi are the same word pulled through each language's consonants.
Semanapending reviewLawasWeekThree Spanish routes to one word. The Visayan languages and Bikol took semana; Tagalog linggo and Kapampangan dominggo both come from domingo, the Sunday that bounds the week. Pangasinan simba arrived the same way — and it is why simba means a week there and 'to attend mass' in Tagalog.
Tuigpending reviewTawenYearTuig across all three Visayan languages, taon in Tagalog, Bikol and Pangasinan, with Ilocano tawen the same word carrying its w. Kapampangan banwa belongs to neither group.
Lunespending reviewLunesMondayAll eight took the Spanish weekday names wholesale. Only Sunday diverges — see below.
Martespending reviewMartesTuesdayIdentical in all eight. The Spanish weekday names arrived as a set, and none of these languages had a competing seven-day cycle to defend.
Miyerkulespending reviewMierkolesWednesdayThe only variation is spelling. Ilocano, Hiligaynon and Pangasinan write -koles; the other five write -kules.
Huwebespending reviewHuebesThursdayHuebes in Ilocano and Pangasinan, huwebes in the rest — the same choice between u and w those two make on Wednesday and again on Friday.
Biyernespending reviewBiernesFridayBiernes in Ilocano and Pangasinan, biyernes elsewhere. Three weekdays running where those two languages spell the Spanish the same way against the other six.
Sabadopending reviewSabadoSaturdaySabado in all eight with no variation whatsoever — the one weekday where even Ilocano and Pangasinan write it exactly as everyone else does.
Dominggopending reviewDomingoSundayTagalog is the outlier: 'Linggo' where the rest kept 'Domingo'. Pangasinan went further and uses 'Simba', from the word for churchgoing — the same root Tagalog uses for the verb 'to attend mass'.
Udtopending reviewTengnga ti aldawNoonUdto across the Visayan languages and Bikol, with Kapampangan ugtu the same word. Tagalog tanghali stands alone, and Ilocano does not use a single word at all: tengnga ti aldaw is 'the middle of the day'.
Buntagpending reviewBigatMorningAga in Hiligaynon, Waray and Bikol, and Tagalog umaga is that root under a prefix. Cebuano buntag, Ilocano bigat, Kapampangan abak and Pangasinan kabuasan are four separate answers — which is why the greetings built on them share so little.
Unyapending reviewMadamdamaLaterThe sharpest time-word trap in the Visayas. Hiligaynon 'karon' means later; Cebuano 'karon' means now. The same word moves an appointment in opposite directions.
Oraspending reviewOrasHourOras in all eight, from Spanish horas, with no language keeping an alternative alongside it.
Kanunaypending reviewKanayonAlwaysPirme and pirmi in Hiligaynon, Waray and Bikol are Spanish firme. Cebuano kanunay and Ilocano kanayon are one word between them; Tagalog lagi, Kapampangan pane and Pangasinan naynay are each on their own.

Family & people

Relationships and forms of address.

Family & people: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Inahanpending reviewInaMotherKapampangan 'ima' is a mother; Ilocano 'ima' is a hand. Two Luzon languages a hundred kilometres apart, same three letters, nothing in common.
Amahanpending reviewAmaFatherAma holds in Tagalog, Ilocano, Bikol and Pangasinan. Cebuano amahan and the Hiligaynon and Waray amay are the same root extended; Kapampangan ibpa is the only one that shares nothing, which is the pattern Kapampangan sets across this whole list.
Nanaypending reviewNanangMumNanay is the near-universal informal form. Ilocano nanang keeps the same shape with its own ending, and Kapampangan ima stands apart — the formal ina sits behind most of these, but nanay is what people actually say.
Tataypending reviewTatangDadTatay runs through six of the eight, with Ilocano and Kapampangan both saying tatang. That pairing is worth noticing: the two languages agree here while disagreeing on almost every other kinship term on this page.
Anakpending reviewAnakChild'Anak' is the offspring relationship in all eight; Bikol 'aki' is the exception and is a child in general.
Igsoonpending reviewKabsatSiblingSix unrelated roots. Only Tagalog 'kapatid' and Kapampangan 'kapatad' match, and that is a loan rather than shared inheritance.
Lolapending reviewApong baketGrandmotherLola is Spanish, and it has taken over Tagalog and all three Visayan languages plus Bikol. What it has not displaced is instructive — Ilocano apong baket, Kapampangan apu and Pangasinan bai all survive in the Luzon languages outside Tagalog.
Lolopending reviewApong lakayGrandfatherPangasinan 'laki' is a grandfather. In Tagalog, Cebuano and most of the rest, 'lalaki' is simply a man — close enough to mislead.
Higalapending reviewGayyemFriendEight languages, eight unrelated words. Kapampangan 'kaluguran' doubles as a term of affection, which is why 'Kaluguran daka' means 'I love you'.
Lalakipending reviewLalakiManLalaki, unchanged in seven of the eight. Pangasinan laki is the same word with the first syllable worn away, which it also does to babae — bii.
Babayepending reviewBabaiWomanBabae with local spellings — babai, babaye, babayi — in seven languages. Pangasinan bii is the outlier, and it is the same clipping that turns lalaki into laki.
Asawapending reviewAsawaSpouse'Asawa' covers husband and wife alike in seven of the eight — the sex of the spouse is not marked. Bikol 'agom' is the odd one out.
Ngalanpending reviewNaganNameNo single word here, which matters because 'what is your name' is the first sentence anyone learns. Ngalan and ngaran run through the Visayan languages and Bikol, Ilocano nagan is close, and Kapampangan lagyu shares nothing with any of them.
Silinganpending reviewKaarrubaNeighbourEight languages, eight words, no two alike. Everyday social vocabulary diverges far more than the numbers or the animals do, and this row is the clearest example of it on the site.
Masusopending reviewMaladagaBaby
Uyoanpending reviewUlitegUncleTiyo is Spanish and has taken Tagalog, Hiligaynon, Waray and Bikol. The native terms survive where Spanish reached less deeply: Ilocano and Pangasinan both keep uliteg, Cebuano uyoan, Kapampangan bapa.
Iyaanpending reviewIkitAuntThe same split as uncle, and the same languages resist. Tiya covers Tagalog, Hiligaynon, Waray and Bikol; Ilocano and Pangasinan both keep ikit, exactly as they both keep uliteg.
lalakipending reviewlalakiMan (adult male)Lalaki with no variation at all until Pangasinan, which clips it to laki — the same thing it does to the word for woman.
tawopending reviewtaoMan (human being)Tao and tawo are one word: the Visayan languages and Bikol keep the w, Tagalog and Ilocano drop it. Pangasinan too and Kapampangan tau are the same again with their own vowels.
batapending reviewanakChild (a youth)Two different words competing. Anak means offspring and covers most of the list; Tagalog and Cebuano bata means a young person regardless of whose child they are. Bikol aki is a third. Which one a language chose is a choice about what 'child' means.
asawapending reviewasawaWifeAsawa in seven of the eight, and it is gender-neutral in all of them — the same word appears as the entry for husband. Bikol agom is the only language here using a separate term.
banapending reviewasawaHusbandThe interesting row is this one against wife. Tagalog, Ilocano, Kapampangan and Pangasinan use asawa for both; Cebuano, Hiligaynon and Waray keep a distinct bana for a husband. Bikol agom covers both, like asawa does.

Food & eating

Meals, ingredients and asking for them.

Food & eating: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Bugaspending reviewBagasRice (uncooked)All eight distinguish uncooked grain from cooked rice with separate words — a distinction English has to spell out.
Kan-onpending reviewInapoyRice (cooked)Kapampangan 'nasi' is a Malay-shaped word that none of its neighbours share.
Isdapending reviewIkanFishBikol and Pangasinan 'sira' is a fish. In Tagalog and Cebuano 'sira' means broken or spoiled — so a Bikolano menu can read alarmingly to a Manila reader.
Karnepending reviewKarneMeatKarne in all eight without a single spelling change. That is unusual for a loan on this list — most leave at least one language holding its own word, and meat left none.
Manokpending reviewManokChickenManok in all eight, with only Kapampangan manuk differing and only in the vowel it always changes. Unlike karne directly above it, nothing displaced this one.
Baboypending reviewBaboyPigBaboy in seven. Bikol urig is the only language here that kept something else, and Kapampangan babi is baboy with its usual syllable lost.
Itlogpending reviewItlogEggOne of the sharpest splits in this file. 'Itlog' covers Tagalog through Hiligaynon, then Waray, Bikol, Kapampangan and Pangasinan each go their own way entirely.
Asinpending reviewAsinSaltThe province of Pangasinan is named for this word — 'pang-asin-an', the place where salt is made.
Utanpending reviewNatengVegetableUtan across the three Visayan languages, gulay in Tagalog and Bikol with Kapampangan gule beside them. Ilocano nateng and Pangasinan pising are each alone.
Mokaonpending reviewManganTo eatIlocano, Kapampangan and Pangasinan all use 'mangan' — a genuine Luzon isogloss, and one of the very few things the three share against the Visayan 'kaon'.
Gigutom kopending reviewMabisinakI'm hungryGutom is the shared root through Tagalog, the Visayan languages and Bikol. The three Luzon languages outside Tagalog each have their own — and each folds the 'I' into the verb rather than saying it separately: mabisinak, danupan ku na, naerasan ak.
Lamipending reviewNaimasDeliciousEight languages, eight unrelated words for the same compliment. If you learn one word from this list, learn the local one for this.
Busog na kopending reviewNabsogakonI'm fullBusog runs through Tagalog, the Visayan languages and Bikol. Ilocano nabsogakon is the same root with the person attached to it — the construction the pronouns guide sets out, where a whole sentence fits inside one word.
Panpending reviewTinapayBreadTinapay in seven languages. Cebuano alone says pan — Spanish, and shorter.
Asukalpending reviewAsukarSugarAsukal or asukar, and the split is one consonant: Tagalog, Cebuano, Kapampangan and Pangasinan take the l; Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Waray and Bikol take the r. Four against four.
Sagingpending reviewSabaBananaSaging in five. Ilocano and Pangasinan both say saba, which in Tagalog names one particular cooking variety rather than the fruit in general. Bikol batag is its own word.
Lubipending reviewNiogCoconutLubi across all three Visayan languages; niyog in Tagalog, Bikol and Pangasinan with Ilocano niog alongside. Kapampangan ungut belongs to neither group.
Manggapending reviewManggaMangoMangga in all eight with no variation, which on a page where sweet, sour and salty all splinter is worth noticing.
Maispending reviewMaisCornMais in all eight, from Spanish maíz. Maize is a New World crop that reached these islands through Spain, and the word came with the plant.
Ahospending reviewBawangGarlicThe Visayan languages took the Spanish 'ajos'; the Luzon languages kept the native 'bawang'.
Sabawpending reviewDigoSoup, brothSabaw in six, with Kapampangan sabo the same word shortened. Ilocano digo is the only real outlier.
Tam-ispending reviewNasam-itSweetTam-is is the root, and almost every language wraps it in its own adjective prefix — ma-, na-. Bikol mahamis differs by a single consonant; Kapampangan mayumu is the one form here unrelated to the rest.
Aslompending reviewNaalsemSourOne root under everyone's adjective prefix, and the vowels do the moving: aslom, aslam, alsem, alsom. The consonants hold. Tagalog maasim is the same word with the l dropped.
Halangpending reviewNagasangSpicy
Paratpending reviewNaapgadSaltyMaalat in Tagalog, Waray, Bikol and Kapampangan. Hiligaynon maasin builds it on asin — salt itself — while Cebuano parat and Ilocano naapgad are separate words again.
Maglutopending reviewAglutoTo cookLuto is the root in every one; only the prefix changes — mag-, ag-, man-. Ilocano agluto takes the ag- that marks actor focus, the same prefix the verb table sets out.
Platopending reviewPingganPlateA clean split between the Spanish word and the native one. Tagalog, Cebuano and Bikol took plato; Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Kapampangan and Pangasinan all kept pinggan. Five to three, and geography does not predict which.
Kutsarapending reviewKutsaraSpoonKutsara in all eight, from Spanish cuchara — and it sits beside plate, where five languages kept pinggan rather than take plato. The spoon was borrowed everywhere; the plate was not.

Drinks

Water, coffee and what to order.

Drinks: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Tubigpending reviewDanumWaterThe Luzon/Visayan split in one word: danum in the north, tubig everywhere else. Tagalog sides with the Visayan languages here despite sitting on Luzon.
Kapepending reviewKapeCoffee
Gataspending reviewGatasMilk
Moinompending reviewUminomTo drink
Palihug ug tubigpending reviewDanum manWater, please
Tsapending reviewTsaaTea
Beerpending reviewSerbesaBeer
Init nga tubigpending reviewNapudot a danumHot water
Bugnaw nga tubigpending reviewNalamiis a danumCold water

Market & money

Prices, haggling, paying.

Market & money: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Kwartapending reviewKuartaMoneyTagalog took 'pera' from Spanish 'perra'; everything north and south of it took 'cuarta' instead. The two are not interchangeable outside Manila.
Mahalpending reviewNanginaExpensiveIn Tagalog 'mahal' means both expensive and beloved. Ilocano keeps them apart — 'nangina' for costly, 'ay-ayat' for love — so the pun does not survive translation.
Baratopending reviewNalakaCheapFour of the eight reach for the Spanish 'barato' rather than a native word, while Tagalog and Ilocano kept their own.
Mopalitpending reviewGumatangTo buyCebuano 'palit' is to buy; in Tagalog 'palit' is to exchange or swap. Same root, opposite ends of a transaction.
Merkadopending reviewTiendaanMarket
Tagpila ni?pending reviewManu daytoy?How much is this?
Mahal kaayopending reviewNangina unayThat's too expensive
Pwede hangyo?pending reviewMabalin nga ibaba?Can you lower the price?
Mobaligyapending reviewAglakoTo sell

Directions

Left, right, here, there and how far.

Directions: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Walapending reviewKannigidLeftThe most dangerous word on this page. 'Wala' means left in four of these languages and 'none' in Tagalog — so a Tagalog speaker hearing directions in Cebu can understand the sentence and take the wrong turn.
Tuopending reviewKannawanRight
Dinhipending reviewDitoyHereHiligaynon 'diri' is 'here'. Waray 'diri' is 'not'. The two languages are neighbours and this pair catches people constantly.
Didtopending reviewIdiayThere
Layopending reviewAdayoFar
Duolpending reviewAsidegNear
Asa ang banyo?pending reviewAyanna ti banio?Where is the toilet?
Moadtopending reviewMapanTo go
Diretsopending reviewDiretsoStraight ahead
Taaspending reviewNgatoUp
Ubospending reviewBabaDown
Sulodpending reviewUnegInside
Gawaspending reviewRuarOutside

Health & emergency

The phrases worth knowing before you need them.

Health & emergency: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Tabang!pending reviewTulong!Help!Worth memorising the local form before you need it. Cebuano 'tabang' is help; Hiligaynon 'tab-ang' is bland or tasteless, which is a poor thing to shout.
Doktorpending reviewDoktorDoctor
Ospitalpending reviewOspitalHospital
Masakiton kopending reviewMasakitakI am sick
Sakitpending reviewNasakitIt hurtsWaray 'maul-ul' and Bikol 'makulog' share nothing with the 'sakit' the other six use.
Pulispending reviewPulisPolice
Sunog!pending reviewUram!Fire!Bikol shouts 'Kalayo!', which in Tagalog would be parsed as 'distance'. In an emergency that is the worst possible ambiguity.
Kawatan!pending reviewMannanakaw!Thief!
Pag-ampingpending reviewAgannad kaBe careful
Nawala kopending reviewNapukawakI am lost
Hilanatpending reviewGurigorFever
Labad sa ulopending reviewSakit ti uloHeadache

The body

Head to foot, where several of these languages share nothing at all.

The body: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Ulopending reviewUloHeadBikol 'payo' is a head. In Tagalog 'payo' is advice — which makes it one of the neatest false friends in the country.
Matapending reviewMataEye
Kamotpending reviewImaHandThree separate traps in one row: Ilocano 'ima' is Kapampangan for mother, Visayan 'kamot' is Tagalog for scratching, and Pangasinan 'lima' is the numeral five in every other language here.
Tiilpending reviewSakaFoot
Babapending reviewNgiwatMouthVisayan 'baba' is a mouth; Tagalog 'baba' is a chin, and with different stress it is also 'down'. Neighbouring body parts, different words.
Tiyanpending reviewBuksitStomach
Buhokpending reviewBuokHair
Dalungganpending reviewLapayagEar
Ilongpending reviewAgongNose
Ngiponpending reviewNgipenTooth
Dugopending reviewDayaBloodIlocano and Kapampangan both say 'daya' for blood — and in Tagalog and Cebuano the same word means cheating. Worth care in any medical setting.
Kasingkasingpending reviewPusoHeart
panitpending reviewkudilSkin (of a person)
unodpending reviewbagasMeat (as in flesh)
bukogpending reviewtulangBone
tambokpending reviewtabaFat (noun)
dilapending reviewdilaTongue
kukopending reviewkukoFingernail
paapending reviewgurongLeg
tuhodpending reviewtumengKnee
tiyanpending reviewtianBelly
tinaepending reviewbagisGuts
liogpending reviewtengngedNeck
likodpending reviewlikodBack
tutoypending reviewsusoBreast
ataypending reviewdalemLiver

Nature & weather

Sun, rain, sea and mountain.

Nature & weather: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Adlawpending reviewInitSunIlocano 'init' is the sun; Tagalog 'init' is heat. Related idea, different part of speech, and machine translation routinely mixes the two.
Bulanpending reviewBulanMoonSeven of the eight kept 'bulan'; Tagalog alone shifted the l to w. The same word means 'month' in all of them.
Bituonpending reviewBituenStar
Ulanpending reviewTudoRainIlocano is alone here. 'Tudo' shares nothing with the ulan/uran the other seven use.
Dagatpending reviewBaybaySea
Bukidpending reviewBantayMountainTwo traps at once. Ilocano 'bantay' is a mountain; in Tagalog it is a guard. Visayan 'bukid' is a mountain; in Tagalog 'bukid' is a field or farm.
Balaypending reviewBalayHouse
Kalayopending reviewApuyFireVisayan 'kalayo' is fire; Tagalog 'kalayo' would be parsed as 'distance'. The Luzon languages all keep apoy/apuy.
Subapending reviewKarayanRiverWaray and Bikol 'salog' looks close to Tagalog 'ilog' but is a separate root — and in Cebuano 'salog' is a floor.
Yutapending reviewDagaLand, soilSix unrelated roots for the ground under your feet, and Ilocano 'daga' collides head-on with Tagalog, where it means a rat.
Kahoypending reviewKayoTree
Bulakpending reviewSabongFlowerIlocano 'sabong' is a flower. In Tagalog 'sabong' is cockfighting — an unusually large gap for two languages spoken on the same island.
Batopending reviewBatoStone
Hanginpending reviewAnginWind
Langitpending reviewLangitSkyPangasinan 'tawen' is the sky; Ilocano 'tawen' is a year. Two Northern Luzon languages, one word, no shared meaning.
Linogpending reviewGingginedEarthquake
Bagyopending reviewBagyoTyphoon
lasangpending reviewkakayuanForest
pupotpending reviewkayoStick (of wood)
bungapending reviewbungaFruit
binhipending reviewbin-iSeed
dahonpending reviewbulongLeaf
gamotpending reviewramutRoot
upakpending reviewukis ti kayoBark (of tree)
balilipending reviewruotGrass
lanawpending reviewdanawLake
dagatpending reviewtaawSea (as in ocean)
balaspending reviewdaratSand
abogpending reviewtapokDust
yutapending reviewdagaEarth (as in soil)
panganodpending reviewulepCloud
gabonpending reviewangepFog
hanginpending reviewanginWind (as in breeze)
niyebepending reviewniebeSnow
yelopending reviewyeloIce
asopending reviewasokSmoke
abopending reviewdapoAsh
adlawpending reviewaldawDay (daytime)

Describing things

Big, small, good, beautiful.

Describing things: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Dakopending reviewDakkelBig
Gamaypending reviewBassitSmall
Maayopending reviewNasayaatGood
Dautanpending reviewDakesBad
Gwapapending reviewNapintasBeautifulBikol 'magayon' is the root behind Mayon, the volcano. Waray 'mahusay' means beautiful; in Tagalog the same word means skilled or well-arranged.
Initpending reviewNapudotHot
Bugnawpending reviewNalamiisCold
Paspaspending reviewNapartakFast
Bag-opending reviewBaroNew
Daanpending reviewDaanOld (of a thing)Ilocano and the Visayan languages use 'daan' for old — the same string Tagalog uses for a road.
Tigulangpending reviewLakayOld (of a person)Ilocano 'lakay' is an old man specifically; 'baket' is the word for an old woman, and that one collides with Kapampangan 'baket', meaning why.
Daghanpending reviewAduMany
Gamaypending reviewBassitFew
Taaspending reviewAtiddogLong
Mubopending reviewAbabaShort
Bug-atpending reviewNadagsenHeavy
Limpyopending reviewNadalusClean
Hugawpending reviewNarugitDirty
tananpending reviewaminAll
ubay-ubaypending reviewdaddumaSome
lainpending reviewsabaliOther
lapadpending reviewlawaWide
bagapending reviewpuskolThick
gip-otpending reviewkikidNarrow
nipispending reviewingpisThin
initpending reviewpudotWarm (as in weather)
tugnawpending reviewlamekCold (as in weather)
punopending reviewnapnoFull
daanpending reviewdaanOld
latapending reviewnabanglesRotten (as a log)
tarongpending reviewnatarusStraight
linginpending reviewnagbukelRound
haitpending reviewnatademSharp (as a knife)
habulpending reviewnamudelDull (as a knife)
hamispending reviewnalamuyotSmooth
basapending reviewbasaWet
ugapending reviewmagaDry (adjective)
tinuodpending reviewpaysoRight (correct)
tuopending reviewkannawanRight (side)
walapending reviewkannigidLeft (side)

Feelings

Saying how you are, and how you feel about someone.

Feelings: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Gihigugma tikapending reviewAy-ayatenkaI love youEight languages and eight completely different verbs. This row alone answers the question of whether Philippine languages are 'dialects of each other'.
Malipayonpending reviewNaragsakHappy
Guolpending reviewNalidaySad
Gikapoypending reviewNabannogTired
Nasukopending reviewNakaungetAngry
Gimingaw ko nimopending reviewMalmalagipkaI miss you
Nahadlokpending reviewMabutengAfraid
Nakuratanpending reviewNasdaawSurprised
Gilaayanpending reviewNaumaakBored

Colours

Basic colour terms.

Colours: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Pulapending reviewNalabagaRedPula covers Tagalog, all three Visayan languages and Bikol. The three that break from it — Ilocano nalabaga, Kapampangan malutu, Pangasinan ambalanga — are exactly the three Luzon languages that sit outside the Central Philippine branch. The family tree showing through a colour word.
Putipending reviewPurawWhitePuti is the base, and two languages keep it under a prefix: Kapampangan maputi, Pangasinan amputi. The two that abandon it are Ilocano puraw and Waray busag — and busag is one of the words that marks Waray off from its Bisayan neighbours, which both say puti.
Itompending reviewNangisitBlackKapampangan 'matuling' is black. Tagalog 'matulin' — one letter apart — means fast.
Asulpending reviewAsulBlueIdentical in all eight. That is what a loanword looks like: nothing native survives here, so there is nothing for the languages to disagree about. Compare red, where the native words hold and almost nothing matches.
Dalagpending reviewDuyawYellowThree groups, and they follow geography rather than Tagalog. The Visayan languages all say dalag. Ilocano and Pangasinan, both Northern Luzon, both say duyaw. Tagalog dilaw and Kapampangan dilo are what is left over.
Berdepending reviewBerdeGreenOnly Kapampangan kept a native word. The other seven took the Spanish 'verde' and never replaced it.
Kahelpending reviewKahelOrangeThe same word in all eight, which on this list is true only of orange and blue. Borrowed colour terms travel intact; the native ones — red, white, yellow — are where these languages part company.
Abuhonpending reviewDapoGreyEvery one of these is built on the word for ash — abo, dapo — rather than being a colour term of its own.

Everyday verbs

The actions that carry most sentences.

Everyday verbs: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Matulogpending reviewMaturogTo sleep
Makitapending reviewMakitaTo see
Isultipending reviewIbagaTo sayIlocano and Pangasinan share 'ibaga' — but in Tagalog 'baga' is an ember, and in Ilocano it is the colour red.
Kabalopending reviewAmmoTo know
Gustopending reviewKayatTo wantKapampangan 'buri' is to want or like. In Tagalog 'buri' is a species of palm.
Mohatagpending reviewMangtedTo give
Motrabahopending reviewAgtrabahoTo work
Molakawpending reviewMagnaTo walk
Mosultipending reviewAgsaoTo speakThe Visayan languages disagree with each other completely here — sulti, hambal, yakan — which is a useful corrective to the idea that they are one language.
Maminawpending reviewDumngegTo listen
Mosulatpending reviewAgsuratTo write
Mobasapending reviewAgbasaTo read
Molingkodpending reviewAgtugawTo sit
Motindogpending reviewTumakderTo stand
Modaganpending reviewAgtarayTo run
Maghulatpending reviewAgurayTo wait
Ablihanpending reviewLuktanTo open
Sirad-anpending reviewIrikepTo close
Manghugaspending reviewAgugasTo wash
Moanhipending reviewUmay ditoyTo come here
paakpending reviewkagatTo bite
supsoppending reviewsupsopTo suck
luwapending reviewtupraTo spit
sukapending reviewutaTo vomit
huyoppending reviewpuyotTo blow (as wind)
ginhawapending reviewangesTo breathe
katawapending reviewkatawaTo laugh
dungogpending reviewdengngegTo hear
kahibalopending reviewammoTo know (a fact)
hunahunapending reviewpanunotTo think
simhotpending reviewangotTo smell (sense odour)
hadlokpending reviewkutengTo fear
buhipending reviewbiagTo live
mataypending reviewmatayTo die
bunopending reviewmangpatayTo kill
awaypending reviewagapaTo fight
mangayampending reviewanupTo hunt (transitive)
igopending reviewpangorTo hit
putolpending reviewbalsigTo cut
pikaspending reviewbisakTo split
dunggabpending reviewdugsolTo stab (or stick)
katolpending reviewkudkodTo scratch (an itch)
kalotpending reviewkaliTo dig
langoypending reviewlangoyTo swim
lupadpending reviewtayabTo fly
aripending reviewumayTo come
higdapending reviewiddaTo lie (as on one's side)
likopending reviewlikkoTo turn (change direction)
hulogpending reviewtinnagTo fall (as in drop)
hawidpending reviewmangiggemTo hold (in one's hand)
pisapending reviewpespesTo squeeze
banyospending reviewradradanTo rub
pahidpending reviewpunasTo wipe
bitadpending reviewguyodTo pull
tuklodpending reviewduronTo push
labaypending reviewibatoTo throw
hikotpending reviewigalotTo tie
tahipending reviewdaitTo sew
ihappending reviewbilangTo count
awitpending reviewagkantaTo sing
dulapending reviewagay-ayamTo play
lutawpending reviewagtapawTo float
agaspending reviewayusTo flow
bagtokpending reviewagyeloTo freeze
burotpending reviewlumtegTo swell
sunogpending reviewuramTo burn (intransitive)

Months

The Spanish-derived month names, and where the spellings part company.

Months: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Eneropending reviewEneroJanuaryThe month names are Spanish in all eight languages. What varies is spelling: Tagalog respells the Spanish f as p (Pebrero), while several of the others keep Febrero.
Pebreropending reviewPebreroFebruary
Marsopending reviewMarsoMarch
Abrilpending reviewAbrilApril
Mayopending reviewMayoMay
Hunyopending reviewHunioJune
Hulyopending reviewHulioJuly
Agostopending reviewAgostoAugust
Septiyembrepending reviewSetiembreSeptember
Oktubrepending reviewOktubreOctober
Nobyembrepending reviewNobiembreNovember
Disyembrepending reviewDisiembreDecember

Getting around

Roads, boats, jeepneys and how to get off one.

Getting around: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Dalanpending reviewDalanRoadSeven of the eight use 'dalan'. Tagalog's 'daan' is the same root worn down, and Bikol went its own way with 'tinampo'.
Bangkapending reviewBangkaBoat
Sakyananpending reviewLuganCar
Mosakaypending reviewLumuganTo ride
Para langpending reviewPara manStop here, please'Para' comes from Spanish 'parar', to stop, and is the universal way to get off a jeepney anywhere in the country.
Asa ka paingon?pending reviewPapanam?Where are you going?
Tiketpending reviewTiketTicket

Somewhere to stay

Rooms, doors, keys — a category where almost nothing carries between languages.

Somewhere to stay: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Yawipending reviewTulbekKeyAnother row where nothing carries over. Ilocano 'tulbek' and Tagalog 'susi' share no history at all.
Pultahanpending reviewRuanganDoor
Bintanapending reviewTawaWindowIlocano 'tawa' is a window. In Tagalog it is laughter.
Kuwartopending reviewKuartoRoom
Katrepending reviewKamaBed
Kasilyaspending reviewBanioToilet

Things to buy

Everyday items you might need to ask for.

Things to buy: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Sininapending reviewBaduClothes
Sapatospending reviewSapatosShoes
Tambalpending reviewAgasMedicineWorth knowing before a pharmacy visit, and the source of a nasty trap: Tagalog 'gamot' is medicine, but in the Visayan languages the same word means a root.
Sabonpending reviewSabonSoap
Libropending reviewLibroBook
Papelpending reviewPapelPaper

Animals

Everyday creatures, and several of the sharpest false friends on the site.

Animals: Cebuano phrases with Ilocano and English translations
CebuanoIlocanoEnglish
Iropending reviewAsoDogFour unrelated words for the commonest domestic animal. Worth pairing with the Cebuano trap: 'aso' means smoke there, so the Tagalog word for dog is a real Cebuano word meaning something else entirely.
Iringpending reviewPusaCatThe one domestic animal with no agreement at all. Pusa covers Tagalog, Ilocano, Kapampangan and Pangasinan; the Visayan languages each have their own word — iring, kuring, uding — and Bikol ikos shares with none of them.
Kabawpending reviewNuangCarabaoThe national animal, and three of the eight have their own word for it — Ilocano nuang, Kapampangan damulag, Pangasinan dueg.
Kandingpending reviewKaldingGoatKanding across the Visayan languages, Bikol and Pangasinan; kambing in Tagalog and Kapampangan; Ilocano kalding sits between the two with its own consonant. Three shapes of what looks like one word.
Bakapending reviewBakaCowBaka in all eight without variation. Spanish vaca arrived with the animal itself, so there was no native word for it to displace — which is why this row is flat while cat is not.
Kabayopending reviewKabalyoHorseKabayo everywhere, from Spanish caballo, with only spelling separating them: Ilocano kabalyo keeps the Spanish ll, Kapampangan kabayu takes its usual u. Another animal that arrived with its name.
Bitinpending reviewUlegSnakeFive unrelated words, and the one worth memorising before you need it. Ilocano and Pangasinan share 'uleg', which is unusual — the two rarely agree.
Langgampending reviewBillitBirdCebuano 'langgam' is a bird; Tagalog 'langgam' is an ant. One of the most-cited false friends between the two largest languages in the country.
Ilagapending reviewUtotRatTwo traps in one row. Ilocano 'utot' is a rat and Tagalog 'utot' is a fart; Tagalog 'daga' is a rat and Ilocano 'daga' is land or soil.
Lamokpending reviewLamokMosquitoLamok in most, but Hiligaynon and Waray both say namok. The l-to-n shift between those two and their neighbours turns up elsewhere in Bisayan and is regular enough to guess at.
mananappending reviewayupAnimalHayop covers Tagalog, Hiligaynon, Waray and Bikol, with Ilocano ayup and Pangasinan ayep as the same word reduced. Cebuano mananap is its own; the Kapampangan cell reads animal, which is worth a speaker's eye before it is trusted.
kutopending reviewkutoLouseKuto in all eight, with only Kapampangan kutu differing and only in its usual vowel. Head lice are old and universal, and the word for them has not moved.
ulodpending reviewiggesWormUlod across the Visayan languages and Bikol, uod in Tagalog. Ilocano igges and Pangasinan biges share nothing with them or, on the face of it, with each other. Kapampangan bulati is a fourth answer.
sungaypending reviewsaraHornSungay holds in Tagalog and most of the Visayas, then falls apart: Ilocano sara, Waray budyong, Kapampangan sagu, Pangasinan saklor. Waray breaking from Cebuano and Hiligaynon here is its habit rather than an exception.
ikogpending reviewipusTailIkog runs through the Visayan languages and Bikol, and Pangasinan ikol and Kapampangan iki are recognisably the same. Tagalog buntot and Ilocano ipus are the two that stand outside it.
balhibopending reviewdutdutFeatherBalahibo, balhibo and barahibo are one word — the Waray r for l is the shift that language applies regularly. Ilocano dutdut, Kapampangan bulbul and Pangasinan bago are separate answers, and Bikol balukag is a fourth.
pakopending reviewpayakWingPakpak in five languages, and Cebuano and Waray pako is the same root without the doubling. Ilocano payak is the only form that has moved far from it.

Words that trap you

These exist in both languages but mean different things. They are where confident readers get caught, and where machine translation is least reliable.

  • bagahigh risk
    In Cebuano
    An ember, or a lung. Never the colour.
    In Ilocano
    Red.

    The engine tends to pass this through unchanged, so a reader sees a real word in their own language carrying an unrelated meaning.

  • apohigh risk
    In Cebuano
    A grandchild.
    In Ilocano
    A respectful title for an elder or person of authority — roughly 'sir' or 'ma'am'.

    A generation apart in either direction — the Ilocano term addresses an elder, the Tagalog one names a grandchild.

  • dayahigh risk
    In Cebuano
    Deceit, cheating.
    In Ilocano
    Blood.

    Medical or ritual context makes this one genuinely hazardous to get wrong.

  • bantay
    In Cebuano
    A guard; to watch over.
    In Ilocano
    A mountain.

    Place names carry it: Bantay in Ilocos Sur is not a town named after a guard.

  • init
    In Cebuano
    Heat; hot.
    In Ilocano
    The sun.

    Same underlying idea, different part of speech, and machine translation mixes the two freely.

How often the machine gets these right

We ran 403 Cebuano entries from the phrasebook below through the same engine this site uses, and compared each result against the human-written Ilocano. Categories are our own; the comparison ignores punctuation and casing. Neither Cebuano nor Ilocano is well resourced and the engine routes between them through English, so this measures two stacked translations rather than one.

Machine output matched or came close to the human Ilocano for 41.2% of 403 phrases. The rest were partly or entirely wrong.

Least reliable

  • Everyday verbs12%
  • Somewhere to stay17%
  • Family & people18%
  • Courtesy20%
  • Feelings22%

Most reliable

  • Months83%
  • Drinks78%
  • Colours75%

Sources

Last updated 2026-08-06. 403 entries are marked “pending review” — carried on general reference and awaiting confirmation from a native speaker.