The Cebuano/Bisaya word Naulaw means “embarrassed / shy / ashamed”. Pronounced nah-OO-lahw, it is used as a verb across Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, and much of Mindanao. This guide covers what Naulaw 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), Naulaw translates to “embarrassed / shy / ashamed”. The word covers closely related meanings — embarrassed, shy, ashamed — the right one depends on context.
Usage note: The single most-used emotion word in Cebuano. Variant: nauwaw.
Bisaya word
Naulaw
English meaning
embarrassed
Part of speech
Verb
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 Naulaw, put the main stress on the uppercase syllable in nah-OO-lahw. Practice by saying it slowly first, then gradually speed up to natural conversational pace.
Naulaw ko sa akong sayop.
I'm embarrassed by my mistake.
In Filipino cultures, naulaw governs behavior. When a Cebuano says naulaw ko, they're often signaling I don't want to impose — not I'm blushing.
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