The Cebuano/Bisaya word gana means “enthusiasm / appetite / motivation”. Pronounced GA-na, it is used as a noun across Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, and much of Mindanao. This guide covers what gana means in Bisaya, how to pronounce it, when to use it, common example sentences, and how it compares to similar Cebuano words.
In Bisaya (Cebuano), gana translates to “enthusiasm / appetite / motivation”. The word covers closely related meanings — enthusiasm, appetite, motivation — the right one depends on context.
Usage note: Gana covers both literal appetite for food and figurative enthusiasm for an activity.
Bisaya word
gana
English meaning
enthusiasm
Part of speech
Noun
Capital letters mark the stressed syllable — say it louder and slightly longer.
Bisaya stress is phonemic, meaning the wrong stress can change a word's meaning or make it unrecognisable to native speakers. For gana, put the main stress on the uppercase syllable in GA-na. Practice by saying it slowly first, then gradually speed up to natural conversational pace.
Walay gana mokaon si mama karong buntag.
Mom had no appetite to eat this morning.
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