English → Bisaya · Pronouns
How to Say “I” in Bisaya: Ako
The Bisaya (Cebuano) word for “I” is Ako, pronounced ah-KOH. It's used as a pronoun in everyday Cebuano conversation across the Visayas and Mindanao, where over 22 million people speak Bisaya as their native language.
Bisaya translation
Ako
ah-KOH
- English meaning
- I / Me
- Part of speech
- pronoun
How to pronounce Ako
Say it as ah-KOH. 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
Ako si Maria.
“I am Maria.”
Ako ang mag-ayo niana.
“I will fix that.”
Ako ra kini.
“This is mine / This belongs to me.”
Ako ang nagbuhat niana.
“I was the one who did that.”
Akong problema kini.
“This is my problem.”
Para nako kini.
“This is for me.”
Dili nako gusto.
“I don't like it.”
Cultural context
Bisaya has a two-form system for 'I': the full form 'Ako' and the short clitic 'ko'. Both mean the same thing but are placed differently. 'Akong' is the possessive 'my' — 'akong balay' means 'my house.' The word 'nako' doubles as a possessive ('mine') and as an exclamation of surprise you'll hear constantly in Cebuano conversations: 'Nako, lami kaayo!'
Usage note
The emphatic/focus form of the first-person singular pronoun. Use 'Ako' at the start of a sentence or to emphasize the subject. The short enclitic form 'ko' is used after verbs and particles and cannot start a sentence.
Common phrases using Ako
- Ako ra·Just me / Me alone
- Akong amahan·My father
- Akong inahan·My mother
- Akong higala·My friend
- Para nako·For me / In my opinion
- Nako gyud!·Oh my! (exclamation of surprise or exasperation)
Synonyms and alternatives
You may also hear Ko (enclitic form), Nako (possessive/mine) as alternative ways to express “I” in Bisaya.
Related Bisaya words
Frequently asked questions
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