Question
How do English Vowels (a, e, i, o, u) sound in Bisaya/Cebuano?
How a, e, i, o, u pronounced in bisaya?
Answer
In English, one vowel can have different sounds.
Example the letter a. It is pronounced in different sounds in words such as bark, face, take, adjust, call, bat, fat, float.
But in Bisaya, each vowel has only one sound or pronunciation.
- A as in fart.
- E as in bet.
- I as in pig.
- O as dog.
- U as in put.
Most of the time, E and I are pronounced the same.
And also O and U are pronounced the same oftentimes.
Remember those sounds. Only one sound for each vowel. That’s how bisaya vowels are pronounced.
Example of Bisaya/Cebuano words using the “a” in bisaya sound:
- Ako – bisaya translation of “I”
- Asa – “Where?”
- Aha – “Where?”
- Adto – “There”
- Amigo – “Male Friend”
- Amiga – “Female Friend”
- Asawa – “Wife”
- Bana – “Husband”
- Anak – “Son or Daughter”
- Ambot – “I don’t know”
- Ari – “Here”
- Aguy! – “Oh”
- Hala! – “Ohhh”
- Anhia – “Come here”
- Adtoa – “Go there”
- Amoa – “Ours”
- Atimana – “Take good care of it”
Example of Bisaya/Cebuano words using the “e” in bisaya sound:
- Eroplano – “Airplane”
- Elisi – “Change or Replace”
- Ensaymada – “Ensaimada bread”
- Espiya – “Spy”
- Eskwelahan – “School”
- Eskwela – “Go to school”
- Estudyante – “Student”
- Estante – “Stand or shelf”
- Espiritu – “Spirit”
- Estado – “State”
- Engkanto – “Bad spirit”
- Erehe – “Heretic”
- Eskandalo – “Scandal”
- Entrada – “Entrance”
Example of Bisaya/Cebuano words using the “i” in bisaya sound:
- Ilaha – “Theirs”
- Ihawa – “Slaughter or Slay”
- Itik – “Duck”
- Ibabaw – “Above, on top of it”
- Ilalum or Ilawm- “Below or Under”
- Ingles – “English”
- Itom – “Black|
- Inday – “Darling”
- Igat -“Sexy or Hot”
- Ilabay – “Dump”
- Itagak – “Fall”
- Ipakaon – “Feed”
- Ipapaak – “Bite”
- Ibaligya – “Sell”
- Isuka – “Vomit”
- Iduhol – “Hand it to…”
Example of Bisaya/Cebuano words using the “o” in bisaya sound:
- Opaw – “Bald”
- Oten – “Penis”
- Otot – “Fart”
- Okasyon – “Occassion”
- Ongo – “Ghost or Creepy Creature”
- Obligasyon – “Obligation”
- Obserbasyon – “Observation”
- Otok – “Brain”
- Oklab – “Detach”
- Okoy – “Male Mermaid or Merman”
- Orasyon – “Oration or Prayer”
- Omoy – “Muscle strength”
- Oplok – “Idiot or mediocre”
- Otok – “Brain”
- Opisyal – “Official”
- Operasyon – “Operation”
Example of Bisaya/Cebuano words using the “u” in bisaya sound:
- Ulo – “Head”
- Ube – “Purple Yam”
- Ubos – “Down, under or inferior”
- Ubo – “Cough”
- Umahan – “Farm”
- Uhaw – “Thirsty”
- Ukab – “Open”
- Ukay-ukay – “Imported second-hand clothes”
- Uwang – “Shrimp”
- Uwag – “Sexual Desire”
- Uli – “Come home or Go home”
- Unlan – “Pillow”
- Usahay – “Sometimes”
- Unta – “May it be”
- Uling – “Charcoal”
- Umagad – “Son-in-law”
- Ugangan – “Mother-in-law or Father-in-law”
- Uswag – “Progress”
