A handful of question words gets you surprisingly far. Learn what each one is doing, then copy the short patterns people use for places, people, reasons, prices and plans.
what
Ask about things, actions or information.
Unsa ni?
What is this?
Unsa imong ngalan?
What is your name?
Unsa imong gibuhat?
What did you do?
One of the most useful Cebuano question words. You will hear it constantly in ordinary conversation.
Dictionary & audiowhere
Ask about places, locations and destinations.
Asa ka?
Where are you?
Asa ka padulong?
Where are you going?
Asa ang CR?
Where is the toilet?
Essential for travel, directions and everyday small talk.
Dictionary & audiowho
Ask about a person or identity.
Kinsa na?
Who is that?
Kinsa imong kauban?
Who are you with?
Kinsa ang nitawag?
Who called?
Use kinsa for people, rather than unsa.
Dictionary & audiowhen
Ask about time, dates and when something will happen.
Kanus-a ka moabot?
When will you arrive?
Kanus-a ta mokaon?
When will we eat?
Kanus-a ang meeting?
When is the meeting?
Useful for plans, schedules and travel.
Dictionary & audiowhy
Ask for a reason or explanation.
Ngano?
Why?
Ngano man?
Why? / How come?
Ngano wala ka niadto?
Why didn’t you go?
You will often hear ngano with particles such as man, which affect tone rather than changing the core question.
Dictionary & audiohow / in what way
Ask how something was done or how something happened.
Giunsa nimo?
How did you do it?
Giunsa pag-adto didto?
How do you get there?
Giunsa nimo pagkahibalo?
How did you know?
A practical form learners meet often when asking how something is done.
Dictionary & audiohow much / how many
Ask about price, amount, number or age.
Pila ni?
How much is this?
Pila tanan?
How much is everything?
Pila imong edad?
How old are you?
Extremely useful in markets, transport, shopping and everyday counting.
Dictionary & audiowhere (regional/formal use)
A location question word you may encounter in some speakers, regions and written contexts.
Diin ka gikan?
Where did you come from?
Speak Bisaya teaches modern everyday Metro Cebu / Cebu City speech as its default spoken target, where asa is usually the safer learner default.
Dictionary & audioReusable patterns
Once the question word feels familiar, many Cebuano questions are refreshingly short. Keep the whole phrase in your ear first; later you can swap in the person, place, time or thing you actually need.
Unsa + noun?
Unsa imong ngalan?
What is your name?
Asa + subject?
Asa ka?
Where are you?
Kinsa + phrase?
Kinsa imong kauban?
Who are you with?
Kanus-a + clause?
Kanus-a ka moabot?
When will you arrive?
Ngano + clause?
Ngano wala ka niadto?
Why didn’t you go?
Pila + noun?
Pila ang plete?
How much is the fare?
Particles such as man and ba shape tone and emphasis in everyday questions.
Particles guideSee how pronouns, markers and word order fit around the question word.
Sentence structureMove from individual question words into practical phrases used in real situations.
Useful phrasesUse these words to ask about places, plans, prices, family and whatever is happening around you. Even a short question can turn listening into a real exchange.
Free for websites
Bloggers, travel sites, Filipino community pages and language websites can embed a fresh Cebuano phrase that changes automatically every day. The supplied embed includes a natural “Powered by SpeakBisaya.app” attribution link.
Copy and paste
No account or API key required.
Mobile friendly
Responsive on phones, tablets and websites.
