Food & Cooking in Bisaya
40 essential words with pronunciation & examples
Cebuano food vocabulary — cooking methods, iconic dishes, ingredients, and karinderya phrases.
Lami
Delicious
“Lami kaayo!”
“Very tasty!”
Tam-is
Sweet
“Tam-is ang biko.”
“The biko is sweet.”
Aslom
Sour
“Aslom kaayo.”
“Very sour.”
Parat
Salty
“Parat na — ayaw na'g asin.”
“It's already salty — no more salt.”
Pait
Bitter
“Pait ang ampalaya.”
“The bitter gourd is bitter.”
Halang
Spicy
“Halang kaayo!”
“Very spicy!”
Sinugba
Grilled
“Sinugbang isda.”
“Grilled fish.”
Pinirito
Fried
“Pinirito nga manok.”
“Fried chicken.”
Linaga
Boiled
“Linaga nga itlog.”
“Boiled egg.”
Kinilaw
Raw / vinegared
“Kinilaw nga isda.”
“Vinegared raw fish.”
Sinabawan
With broth
“Sinabawan nga utan.”
“Vegetable soup.”
Tinuwa
Clear-broth stew
“Tinuwa nga isda.”
“Fish in clear broth.”
Lechon
Whole roast pig
“Lechon ang sentro sa kombira.”
“Lechon is the center of the feast.”
Lechon kawali
Crispy fried pork belly
“Mokaon ko'g lechon kawali.”
“I'll have lechon kawali.”
Humba
Sweet-savory braised pork
“Lami ang humba ni Mama.”
“Mama's humba is delicious.”
Sutukil
Sugba+Tuwa+Kilaw seafood combo
“Sutukil sa Cebu.”
“Sutukil in Cebu.”
Bam-i
Cebuano stir-fried noodles
“Mag-order ko'g bam-i.”
“I'll order bam-i.”
Tinola
Ginger-and-chicken soup
“Tinola para sa init.”
“Tinola for warmth.”
Puso
Rice in coconut leaves
“Duha ka puso, palihog.”
“Two puso, please.”
Bugas
Uncooked rice
“Pila ka kilo ang bugas?”
“How many kilos of rice?”
Kan-on
Cooked rice
“Init pa ang kan-on.”
“The rice is still hot.”
Isda
Fish
“Lami ang isda.”
“The fish is tasty.”
Baboy
Pork
“Adobong baboy.”
“Pork adobo.”
Manok
Chicken
“Sinugbang manok.”
“Grilled chicken.”
Baka
Beef
“Karne sa baka.”
“Beef meat.”
Utan
Vegetable dish
“Utang malunggay.”
“Malunggay vegetable dish.”
Suka
Vinegar
“Pakitag suka.”
“Pass me vinegar.”
Toyo
Soy sauce
“Walay toyo.”
“No soy sauce.”
Sili
Chili pepper
“Walay sili, palihog.”
“No chili, please.”
Asin
Salt
“Kulang sa asin.”
“Lacking salt.”
Mantika
Cooking oil
“Mantika sa lana.”
“Coconut cooking oil.”
Tubig
Water
“Tubig, palihog.”
“Water, please.”
Kape
Coffee
“Kape sa buntag.”
“Coffee in the morning.”
Sikwate
Hot chocolate
“Sikwate ug puto maya.”
“Hot chocolate and sticky rice cake.”
Tuba
Coconut wine
“Tuba sa kalsada.”
“Coconut wine on the road.”
Biko
Sticky rice cake
“Biko para sa fiesta.”
“Biko for the fiesta.”
Bibingka
Rice flour cake
“Bibingka sa Pasko.”
“Bibingka at Christmas.”
Sud-an
Main dish (with rice)
“Unsa'y sud-an karon?”
“What's for the main dish?”
Busog
Full (after eating)
“Busog na ko.”
“I'm full.”
Gigutom
Hungry
“Gigutom ko.”
“I'm hungry.”