The Cebuano/Bisaya word Kana means “that (near listener)”. Pronounced KAH-nah, it is used as a pronoun across Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, and much of Mindanao. This guide covers what Kana 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), Kana translates to “that (near listener)”.
Usage note: Refers to something near the listener — not the speaker. The most common learner mistake is reaching for kadto when kana is correct.
Bisaya word
Kana
English meaning
that (near listener)
Part of speech
Pronoun
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 Kana, put the main stress on the uppercase syllable in KAH-nah. Practice by saying it slowly first, then gradually speed up to natural conversational pace.
Unsa kana sa imong kamot?
What's that in your hand?
Kana nga libro akoa.
That book is mine.
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