English → Bisaya · Expressions
How to Say “Hey” in Bisaya: uy
The Bisaya (Cebuano) word for “hey” is uy, pronounced UY. It's used as a interjection in everyday Cebuano conversation across the Visayas and Mindanao, where over 22 million people speak Bisaya as their native language.
Bisaya translation
uy
UY
- English meaning
- hey / oh (exclamation of surprise or noticing something)
- Part of speech
- interjection
How to pronounce uy
Say it as UY. Capitalized syllables in the pronunciation guide indicate stress — the part of the word you emphasize when speaking. Bisaya stress is meaningful: putting it on the wrong syllable can change the meaning of a word, so it's worth practicing out loud.
Example sentences
Uy, naa diay ka diri!
“Oh, you're here!”
Related Bisaya words
Frequently asked questions
How do you say "hey" in Bisaya?
The Bisaya (Cebuano) word for "hey" is uy, pronounced UY.
How do you pronounce "uy"?
Pronounce it as UY. Capitalized syllables indicate the stressed part of the word.
What does "uy" mean in English?
"uy" means "hey / oh (exclamation of surprise or noticing something)" in English. It functions as a interjection in everyday Cebuano conversation.
How do you use "uy" in a sentence?
Example: "Uy, naa diay ka diri!" — Oh, you're here!
Is Bisaya the same as Cebuano?
Yes — Bisaya and Cebuano are two names for the same language. Cebuano is the more formal linguistic name, while Bisaya is the everyday name used by speakers themselves. Both refer to the language spoken by 22+ million Filipinos. Read more in our Bisaya vs Binisaya guide.
Continue learning Bisaya
More than just translations.
Browse the full Bisaya dictionary, compare words across all five Visayan languages, or jump into our beginner's guide.