English → Bisaya · Verbs

“To sing” in Bisaya: kanta

The Bisaya (Cebuano) word for “to sing” is kanta, pronounced KAN-ta. It's used as a verb in everyday Cebuano conversation across the Visayas and Mindanao, where over 22 million people speak Bisaya as their native language.

Bisaya translation

kanta

KAN-ta

English meaning
to sing / a song
Part of speech
verb

How to pronounce kanta

Say it as KAN-ta. 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

  • Manganta siya sa kasal ugma.

    “She'll sing at the wedding tomorrow.”

Cultural context

Singing is central to Filipino gatherings — a request to kanta at a party is almost always honored.

Related Bisaya words

sayaw

to dance / a dance

SA-yaw

Frequently asked questions

How do you say "to sing" in Bisaya?
The Bisaya (Cebuano) word for "to sing" is kanta, pronounced KAN-ta.
How do you pronounce "kanta"?
Pronounce it as KAN-ta. Capitalized syllables indicate stress.
What does "kanta" mean in English?
"kanta" means "to sing / a song" in English. It functions as a verb in everyday Cebuano conversation.
How do you use "kanta" in a sentence?
Example: "Manganta siya sa kasal ugma." — She'll sing at the wedding tomorrow.
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.

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