The Cebuano/Bisaya word sumbong means “to report / to tell on someone / to complain to authority”. Pronounced SUM-bong, it is used as a verb across Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, and much of Mindanao. This guide covers what sumbong 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), sumbong translates to “to report / to tell on someone / to complain to authority”. The word covers closely related meanings — to report, to tell on someone, to complain to authority — the right one depends on context.
Usage note: Common among kids threatening to tell a parent; adults use it when reporting to bosses or filing complaints.
Bisaya word
sumbong
English meaning
to report
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 sumbong, put the main stress on the uppercase syllable in SUM-bong. Practice by saying it slowly first, then gradually speed up to natural conversational pace.
Isumbong nako kay mama kung dili ka mohunong.
I'll tell Mom if you don't stop.
If our free Bisaya resources helped you today, consider buying the team a coffee ☕ — it keeps the site alive and growing.