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How to Say “Please” in Bisaya: Palihog

The Bisaya (Cebuano) word for “Please” is Palihog, pronounced pah-LEE-hohg. 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

Palihog

pah-LEE-hohg

English meaning: Please
Part of speech: interjection

How to pronounce Palihog

Say it as pah-LEE-hohg. 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.

Common Variations of “Please” in Bisaya

There are several ways to express this in Bisaya depending on context, formality, and who you are speaking to.

Standard (end of request)Palihogpah-LEE-hohg
The universal Bisaya 'please' — appended to any request, like English 'please' at the end
Standard (start of request)Palihog, ...pah-LEE-hohg
Can also open a sentence — 'Palihog, tabang ko' (Please, help me)
Humble requestMakisuyo lang komah-kee-SOO-yoh lahng koh
"May I ask a favor?" — adds a layer of humility; softer than a direct request
Can you pleasePwede baPWEH-deh bah
"Is it okay? / Can you please?" — softens any request naturally
Emphatic pleasePalihog gyudpah-LEE-hohg joohd
"Please, really / I'm earnestly asking" — adds urgency or sincerity
Formal requestPalihog ko ninyopah-LEE-hohg koh nin-YOH
"I humbly request from you" — polished and formal; used in professional settings

Example sentences

Basic food or drink request
Tubig, palihog.
“Water, please.”
Asking for assistance
Tabangi ko, palihog.
“Please help me.”
Polite request with 'pwede ba'
Pwede ba mo tabang nako? Palihog.
“Can you help me please?”
Politely asking someone to be quiet
Palihog, dili maingon. Natutulog ang bata.
“Please, don't be loud. The child is sleeping.”
Humble request for patience
Makisuyo lang ko ha. Antayan ko nimo?
“May I ask a favor? Will you wait for me?”
Restaurant — ordering food
Puwede bang mag-order? Humba, palihog.
“May I order? Humba pork, please.”
Urgent or sincere plea
Palihog gyud, importante kaayo kini.
“Please, really — this is very important.”

How to respond to “Palihog”

When someone says “Palihog” to you, here are the most common replies native speakers use:

Sige, tabangan tika.SEE-geh, tah-BAH-ngahn TEE-kah
“Okay, I'll help you.”
Agreeing to the request
Oo, sige.oh-OH, SEE-geh
“Yes, okay.”
Simple agreement
Walay problema.wah-LAHY prohb-LEH-mah
“No problem.”
Casual acceptance
Ay, di ko kaya. Pasayloa.ay, dee koh KAH-yah. pah-sahy-LOH-ah
“Sorry, I can't. I'm sorry.”
Declining the request politely

Cultural context

In Cebuano speech, a bare command without 'palihog' sounds blunt at best and rude at worst. Cebuano children are taught from a young age to add 'palihog' when asking for anything from parents, grandparents, and teachers — it is one of the earliest politeness lessons. The cultural concept behind it runs deep: making a request of someone is asking them to give you their time or effort, and acknowledging that with 'palihog' signals awareness of the favor. In markets, restaurants, and service settings, 'palihog' is the default polite word that marks you as well-mannered. 'Makisuyo' (may I ask a favor) elevates the request further by framing it explicitly as a privilege, not an expectation.

Usage note

The universal request softener. Add to any command or request.

“Please” across Visayan languages

Bisaya is part of a larger family. Here's how the same word appears in five major Visayan languages:

Cebuanopalihog
Hiligaynonpalihog
Warayalayon
Kinaray-apalihug
Tausugjunjung

Compare more words across Visayan languages

Related Bisaya words

Pasensya

Sorry / forgive me / patience

pah-SEHN-syah

Salamat

Thank you

sah-LAH-maht

Frequently asked questions

How do you say "Please" in Bisaya?

The Bisaya (Cebuano) word for "Please" is Palihog, pronounced pah-LEE-hohg.

How do you pronounce "Palihog"?

Pronounce it as pah-LEE-hohg. Capitalized syllables indicate the stressed part of the word.

What does "Palihog" mean in English?

"Palihog" means "Please" in English. It functions as a interjection in everyday Cebuano conversation.

How do you use "Palihog" in a sentence?

Example: "Hatagi ko'g pan, palihog." — Give me bread, please.

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.

Does 'palihog' come before or after the request in Bisaya?

Both positions are grammatically correct. 'Palihog' most naturally comes after the request — 'Tubig, palihog' (Water, please) — mirroring the common English pattern. But it can also open a sentence: 'Palihog, tabang ko' (Please, help me). Either order is natural to native speakers.

What is the difference between 'palihog' and 'pakiusap'?

'Palihog' is the native Bisaya word for please. 'Pakiusap' is Tagalog and is understood in Cebu but sounds out of place to native Bisaya speakers — it marks you as someone who learned Filipino rather than Bisaya. Always use 'palihog' when speaking Cebuano.

How do you politely get someone's attention in Bisaya?

Say 'Tabi lang' (excuse me, coming through or getting attention), 'Palihog' followed by what you need, or 'Makisuyo lang ko' (may I ask a favor). 'Pwede ba' (is it okay if / can you please) is also a common and natural polite opener before a request.

Continue learning Bisaya

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Browse the full Bisaya dictionary, compare words across all five Visayan languages, or jump into our beginner's guide.

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