The Cebuano/Bisaya word may means “particle used as an existential marker”. It is used as a verb by native Cebuano speakers across Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, and much of Mindanao. This page covers what may means in Bisaya, how to pronounce it correctly, how to use it in a sentence, and related words in the same category.
Bisaya word
may
English meaning
particle used as an existential marker
Part of speech
Verb
In Bisaya (Cebuano), may translates to “particle used as an existential marker”.
As a verb in the Verbs category, “may” is part of the core Bisaya vocabulary that learners encounter early on. Native speakers use it across all registers — casual home conversations in Cebu, busy marketplaces in Bohol, and everyday interactions throughout the Visayas and Mindanao.
In Bisaya, verbs like "may" are frequently modified with prefixes and suffixes to show tense, focus, and mood. Adding "mag-" often signals a future or habitual action, while "mi-" or "nag-" marks completed past actions. The verb "may" (particle used as an existential marker) is a core action word that appears regularly in everyday Cebuano conversation. Practice using it in simple sentences first, then gradually add particles like "na" (already) or "pa" (still/yet) to make your speech sound more natural to native speakers.
may bulawan sa ungib
there is gold in the cave
Expand your vocabulary by learning other Bisaya verbs in the same category as “may”.
Meaning shortened and example sentence adapted from Wiktionary, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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