English → Bisaya · Verbs

“To watch over” in Bisaya: bantay

The Bisaya (Cebuano) word for “to watch over” is bantay, pronounced BAN-tay. 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

bantay

BAN-tay

English meaning
to watch over / to guard / to look after
Part of speech
verb

How to pronounce bantay

Say it as BAN-tay. 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

  • Bantayan ang bata samtang magluto ako.

    “Watch the child while I cook.”

Related Bisaya words

Tan-aw

Look / See / Watch

tahn-AW

Anak

Child / Son / Daughter

AH-nak

Frequently asked questions

How do you say "to watch over" in Bisaya?
The Bisaya (Cebuano) word for "to watch over" is bantay, pronounced BAN-tay.
How do you pronounce "bantay"?
Pronounce it as BAN-tay. Capitalized syllables indicate stress.
What does "bantay" mean in English?
"bantay" means "to watch over / to guard / to look after" in English. It functions as a verb in everyday Cebuano conversation.
How do you use "bantay" in a sentence?
Example: "Bantayan ang bata samtang magluto ako." — Watch the child while I cook.
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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