Actions & Movement in Siargaonon
9 words and phrases, recorded by a native speaker of Siargaonon (Surigaonon), the language of Siargao Island in the Philippines. Part of Conversations & The Wider World.
| Siargaonon | English | Notes on usage |
|---|---|---|
| Duyod | To approach | |
| Dayag | Climb | |
| Mangita nan sine | Watch a movie | |
| Adto nako | I will leave now | Also: Ari nako |
| Pag dali | Hurry | |
| Huyat | Wait | |
| Bilang | Count | |
| Tabangi anay ako | Help me | |
| Jadto sija sa iskuylahan | He is there at school |
Hearing it spoken
Written Siargaonon can only take you so far — the sounds are what give a speaker away. Two rules matter more than any other: the letter J is always hard, as in the English "jump" (never softened to a "y"), and many words that use an L in neighbouring languages use a Y here — ulo becomes uyo, balay becomes bayay. The pronunciation guide covers both in detail.
Every phrase on this page can be heard aloud, drilled with flashcards and quizzes, and scheduled for review in the free app.
Roots Without Their Prefixes
Several words above are listed bare: Duyod to approach, Dayag to climb, Huyat to wait, Bilang to count. These are roots, and a root on its own does not carry time.
Timing arrives when a prefix does. Put mu- on the front and the action is still to come; nag- and it is underway; na- and it has happened. The grammar page lays the full set out, and it is worth reading once you have a handful of roots like these to attach them to.
Asking Someone to Wait, Politely
Tabangi anay ako is help me — and the middle word is doing the social work. Anay softens a request into something closer to just a moment, could you. Without it the sentence is an instruction.
Pag dali is hurry, built with pag- on the front. It is direct, so keep it for the moments that deserve it.
Leaving, Two Ways
Adto nako means I will leave now. The alternative form is Ari nako, and both are used. Neither is more correct than the other.
Jadto sija sa iskuylahan — he is there at school — shows the ordinary shape of a Siargaonon sentence: the position word first, then who, then where. English would start with he. Getting used to that reversal is most of what makes sentences start sounding natural.
Open the app — it's free →Keep exploring
Is a word missing, or is something here wrong? This record is incomplete by definition — a living language is bigger than any one speaker. Tell us and it will be reviewed and added.