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Verb-tense Prefix Synonymsm

Wed, 10/21/2020 - 20:11 — Philip-Amado

Hello first time poster!

Though I have been using this website for many years. I would say one of the reasons I am conversationally fluent in Cebuano is in large part due to this website. But one of the things I still have difficulty with is the semantic overlap of various verb-tense prefixes:

To refer to the Future-Tense I have been using the prefixes: Mu-, Ma-, Mag-, & Mang-, virtually interchangly but i dont think this is the case.

Examples sentences to this would be:

  • "Mukaon ko'g isda" - I will eat fish
  • "Mamatay siya" - he/she will die
  • "Magbayad sila'g bill" -they will pay the bill
  • "Mangaon sila sa gawas" - they will eat outside

This can also be seen in Past-Tense as well with the prefixes: Ni-, Mi-, Na-, Nang.

Examples sentences for this would be:

  • "Niadto sila sa umahan" - they went to the farm
  • "Miabot si Jesus sa Herusalem" - Jesus arrived in Jerusalem

I was wondering are there differences in usage or meaning between these various prefixes or do they all synomymously  denote Future/Past-Tense respectively?

Is what prefix we use for a given verb determined by convention or  are there actual rules to how one employs these various prefixes?

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Sun, 10/25/2020 - 07:07 — JCH

About that...

Ayo! Maayo nga nakapost na ka diri.

It is actually better to use aspects instead of tenses. The aspects in Cebuano are:
Nasugdan (incepted; action initiated) and Pagasugdan (incepting; action un-initiated).

The Mu-, Ma-, Mag-, & Mang- prefixes are the pagasugdan and the Ni-, Mi-, Na-, Nang- prefixes are the nasugdan.

To help you understand it better, I'll give you some examples:
Pagasugdan Aspect:

  • "Mukaun na ku sa isda" - I'm going to eat the fish 
    (The action, kaun, has been given the pagasugdan aspect by adding the mu- prefix, making kaun not initiated. The speaker is going to eat the fish, but has not eaten it yet - the action is about to be initiated [because of the "na" particle])
  • "Magbuhat na ko sa gimbuhatun sa saringanan" - I'm going to do the school homework
    (The action, buhat, has been given the pagasugdan aspect by adding the mag- prefix, making buhat not initiated. The speaker is about to do his/her homework now - the action is about to be initiated [because of the "na" particle]) 
  • "Mainum [ka]na nga ilimnun" - That drink is drinkable
    (The action, inum, has been given the pagasugdan aspect by adding the ma- prefix, making inum not initiated. The speaker is telling us that the drink is drinkable - no action has been done!)

Nasugdan Aspect:

  • "Nikaun na ko sa isda" - I have already eaten the fish
    (The action, kaun, has been given the nasugdan aspect by adding the ni- prefix. The speaker has already eaten the fish - the action has already been initiated ["already been" because of the "na" particle])
  • "Gabuhat na ko sa gimbuhatun sa saringan" - I am already doing my school homework
    (The action, buhat, has been given the nasugdan aspect by adding the ga- prefix. The speaker is doing currently his/her homework now - the action is being initiated at this moment ["at this moment" because of the "na" particle])
  • "Nainum [ka]na nga ilimnun" - That drink has been drank
    (The action, inum, has been given the nasugdan aspect by adding the na- prefix. The speaker is saying that the drink has already been drank by someone else - the action has been initiated in the past.

*Note:
> the "na" particle indicates a sense of "now-ness" or "right now".
> Mi- and Na- prefixes are the same
> Nag- and Ga- prefixes are the same, as both came from the prefix Naga- before it was shortened

Hope this helps! Ayo-ayo sa imong pagtuon sa Sinugbuanon.