Basic Sentence Structure
Understanding how Bisaya sentences are formed
Overview
Bisaya typically follows a Verb-Subject-Object (VSO) word order, which is different from English's Subject-Verb-Object (SVO). However, the word order can be flexible depending on emphasis. The basic pattern is: VERB + SUBJECT + OBJECT But remember: What English calls "subject" isn't always what Bisaya treats as the topic!
Examples
Mokaon ko ug mansanas
I will eat an apple
💡 VSO: Verb (mokaon) + Subject (ko) + Object (ug mansanas)
Nagbasa siya ug libro
He/She is reading a book
💡 VSO structure with present progressive verb
Maayo ang pagkaon
The food is good
💡 Adjective sentences: Adjective + ang + Subject
Estudyante ko
I am a student
💡 For 'to be' sentences: Noun + Subject pronoun (no verb needed!)
Taga-Cebu ko
I am from Cebu
💡 Origin statements: Taga- + place + pronoun
💡 Tips to Remember
- •Unlike English, Bisaya doesn't have a direct equivalent of 'to be' (am, is, are)
- •The marker 'ang' is used before the subject/topic noun
- •The marker 'ug/og' is used before indefinite object nouns
- •Adjectives typically come before 'ang' + noun: 'Dako ang balay' (The house is big)