Full Conversation in Siargaonon
12 words and phrases, recorded by a native speaker of Siargaonon (Surigaonon), the language of Siargao Island in the Philippines. Part of Grammar & Mastery.
| Siargaonon | English | Notes on usage |
|---|---|---|
| Kumusta man si Mama? | How is mother doing? | Asking about a third person |
| Haman si mama? | Where is mother? | |
| Un-hon man nimo pagkatuyog? | How do you sleep? | Asking about manner/habit |
| Uman nag tuwaw man kaw? | Why are you crying? | |
| Uman na adlaw kuman? | What day is today? | |
| Grabe mo man ka gwapa | You are so beautiful | Compliment |
| Taghigugma ta kaw | I love you | Romantic expression |
| Mangita nan sine | Watch a movie | Activity suggestion |
| Manguyab | Courting | Romantic pursuit |
| Amping | Take care | Said when parting |
| Nads an na | See you later | Casual farewell |
| Salamat Karajaw | Thank you very much | Emphatic gratitude |
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.
Talking About Someone Else
Kumusta man si Mama? asks how mother is doing, and it is the shape you use for any third person. The si before the name is doing grammatical work — it marks that a specific named person follows.
Haman si mama? asks where she is, using the same marker. Once you notice si, you will hear it before every name in the language.
Asking About Habits
Un-hon man nimo pagkatuyog? asks how you sleep — not a request for technique but a question about how you usually do it. The pag- on the front of pagkatuyog turns the act of sleeping into the thing being asked about.
Uman nag tuwaw man kaw? asks why you are crying, with nag- marking it as happening right now rather than in general.
Uman na adlaw kuman? asks what day it is — uman because it asks what the day is, not what it does.
Affection, and the Word to Avoid
Taghigugma ta kaw is I love you. The root is higugma, and this is where a Tagalog speaker must be careful: mahal in Siargaonon means expensive, and only expensive.
Grabe mo man ka gwapa tells someone they are beautiful, and it stacks emphasis to get there rather than stating it flatly. Manguyab is courting — a word for the whole activity, not a single act.
Ending a Conversation Well
Amping is take care, said when parting, and it carries real warmth — closer to look after yourself than to goodbye. Nads an na is the casual see you later.
Salamat Karajaw is thank you very much, with karajaw doing the intensifying. If someone has gone out of their way for you, the plain salamat undersells it.
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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.