Introductions in Siargaonon
8 words and phrases, recorded by a native speaker of Siargaonon (Surigaonon), the language of Siargao Island in the Philippines. Part of Greetings & Basics.
| Siargaonon | English | Notes on usage |
|---|---|---|
| Umay imo ngayan? | What is your name? | |
| Ngayan | Name | |
| Pila may imo edad? | How old are you? | |
| Haman kaw? | Where are you? | |
| Haman kaw singod? | Where are you going? | Haman = hae + man |
| Grabe mo man ka gwapa | You are so beautiful | |
| Taghigugma ta kaw | I love you | |
| Tawo | Person |
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.
Umay, Not Uman
Umay imo ngayan? asks your name, and the first word is worth slowing down on. This is uno may, contracted — the form that asks what something does, did, or can do. Its near-twin uno man, heard as uman, asks what something is.
One letter separates them and the answers they invite are different. It is the single most common place learners go wrong, and it appears right here in the first question you will ever ask someone.
Pila may imo edad? follows the same shape for how old you are, with imo carrying your.
Haman Is Two Words Wearing a Coat
Haman kaw? asks where you are, and Haman kaw singod? asks where you are going — the casual version you will hear constantly.
Haman is a contraction: hae for where, plus man. Siargaonon does this a great deal, squeezing two small words into one, and once you know to listen for it the language stops sounding fast and starts sounding efficient.
Saying Something Kind
Grabe mo man ka gwapa tells someone they are beautiful, and it stacks intensifiers to get there — this is not a flat statement but an emphatic one.
Taghigugma ta kaw is I love you. Note what it does not use: not mahal, which in Siargaonon means expensive and nothing else. The root here is higugma, and it is the word you want.
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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.