Bisaya Grammar · Lesson 13 of 30
Time Expressions
Talking about time in Bisaya
Overview
Examples & Usage
Buntag (morning), Udto (noon), Hapon (afternoon), Gabii (evening/night)
Parts of the day
Used in greetings: Maayong buntag! (Good morning!)
Karon (now/today), Ugma (tomorrow), Gahapon (yesterday)
Relative time
Moadto ko ugma (I will go tomorrow)
Unya (later), Ganina (earlier), Kaniadto (a while ago/long ago)
More time references
Mobalik ko unya (I'll come back later)
Alas dos (2 o'clock), Alas tres (3 o'clock)
Clock time (Spanish-derived)
'Alas' + Spanish number for telling time
Adlaw-adlaw (every day), Kada semana (every week)
Frequency expressions
Reduplicated words often mean 'every'
Karong gabii (tonight), Ugma sa buntag (tomorrow morning)
Compound time expressions
Combine time words for specific times
Key Tips
- 1Clock time uses Spanish numbers with 'alas': alas singko (5 o'clock)
- 2'Sa' is used before time expressions in sentences: 'sa buntag' (in the morning)
- 3Days of the week are Spanish-derived: Lunes, Martes, Miyerkules...
- 4'Kada' (every) comes from Spanish: kada adlaw (every day)
- 5For half hours: 'alas dos y medya' (2:30)
Mini Quiz
Test your knowledge
5 questions · select the best answer for each
1.Which Bisaya word means 'tomorrow'?
2.'Maayong hapon!' When would you use this greeting?
3.'Alas dos y medya.' What time does this mean?
4.What does 'adlaw-adlaw' mean?
5.How do you say 'last night' in Bisaya?
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I say 'yesterday', 'today', and 'tomorrow' in Bisaya?
'Gahapon' = yesterday, 'Karon' = today/now, 'Ugma' = tomorrow. These three are essential. Extended: 'Kagahapon' is a variant of gahapon. For 'the day after tomorrow': 'Sunod-sunod ugma' or 'Duha ka adlaw' (two days). For 'the day before yesterday': 'Kagahapon pa' or 'Duha ka adlaw na milabay.' Time words typically come at the beginning or end of a sentence in Bisaya.
How do I greet people at different times of day in Bisaya?
Bisaya greetings change with the time of day: 'Maayong buntag' (Good morning — from sunrise until about 11 AM), 'Maayong udto' (Good noon — around lunchtime), 'Maayong hapon' (Good afternoon — from about 12 PM to sunset), 'Maayong gabi-i' or 'Maayong gabii' (Good evening — after sunset). All follow the same pattern: 'maayong' (good) + time of day. These greetings are warmly received and show cultural awareness.
How do the parts of the day work as time markers in sentences?
Parts of the day act as time adverbials: 'sa buntag' (in the morning), 'sa udto' (at noon), 'sa hapon' (in the afternoon), 'sa gabii' (in the evening/at night). Add a day for more precision: 'ugma sa buntag' (tomorrow morning), 'gahapon sa gabii' (last night). The 'sa' preposition is used before all time expressions. 'Karong buntag' means 'this morning' (karon + ng + buntag = karong buntag).
What does 'adlaw-adlaw' mean and how do reduplication patterns work for time?
Reduplication (repeating a word) creates frequency expressions: 'adlaw-adlaw' (every day), 'gabi-i-gabi-i' (every night), 'tuig-tuig' (every year). This is a productive pattern across Bisaya. Related: 'kada' (every, from Spanish 'cada'): 'kada adlaw' (every day), 'kada semana' (every week), 'kada bulan' (every month). Both patterns are in active use and mean the same thing.
How do I say 'a long time ago' and 'a while ago' in Bisaya?
'Dugay na' means 'a long time ago' or 'it's been a long time.' 'Ganina' means 'a little while ago / earlier today.' 'Kaniadto' means 'back then / in the past (distant).' Examples: 'Kaniadto, lain ang Cebu' (In the past, Cebu was different). 'Ganina pa ko nag-abot' (I arrived a while ago). 'Dugay na nako wala nakakita nimo' (It's been a long time since I've seen you).
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