16

Conjunctions and Connecting Ideas

Joining sentences and ideas together

Overview

Conjunctions help connect words, phrases, and sentences. Common Bisaya conjunctions include words for 'and', 'but', 'or', 'because', and 'so'. Key conjunctions: • Ug - and • Pero/Apan - but • O - or • Kay/Tungod kay - because • Busa - so/therefore

Examples

Mokaon ko ug moinom

I will eat and drink

💡 'Ug' connects two actions (and)

Gusto ko pero wala koy kwarta

I want to but I don't have money

💡 'Pero' or 'apan' for 'but'

Kape o tsa?

Coffee or tea?

💡 'O' for 'or' (choices)

Wala ko miadto kay nasakit ko

I didn't go because I was sick

💡 'Kay' introduces reason (because)

Naulan, busa wala ko migawas

It rained, so I didn't go out

💡 'Busa' for 'so/therefore'

Kung gusto ka, moadto ta

If you want, we'll go

💡 'Kung' for 'if' (conditional)

Samtang nagkaon ko, mitext siya

While I was eating, he/she texted

💡 'Samtang' for 'while'

💡 Tips to Remember

  • 'Ug' is also used as the object marker - context determines meaning
  • 'Kay' is short for 'tungod kay' (because of that)
  • 'Pero' and 'apan' are interchangeable for 'but'
  • 'Kung' can also mean 'when' in some contexts
  • 'Unya' can mean 'then' in sequence: Mokaon ko unya matulog (I'll eat then sleep)