The Cebuano/Bisaya word manay means “older sister (term of address)”. Pronounced MA-nay, it is used as a noun across Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, and much of Mindanao. This guide covers what manay 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), manay translates to “older sister (term of address)”.
Usage note: Used to address an older sister or older woman — respectful but familiar.
Bisaya word
manay
English meaning
older sister (term of address)
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 manay, put the main stress on the uppercase syllable in MA-nay. Practice by saying it slowly first, then gradually speed up to natural conversational pace.
Manay, luto ka na ba?
Sis, have you cooked yet?
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