Cebuano alphabet

1. CEBUANO ALPHABETCEBUANO ALPHABET
(Sinugbuanong Titikanan)(Sinugbuanong Titikanan)

2. 5 Vowels, 14 Consonants5 Vowels, 14 Consonants
a, e, i, o, ua, e, i, o, u
b, k, d, g, h, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, w, yb, k, d, g, h, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, w, y

3. 5 Vowels, 14 Consonants5 Vowels, 14 Consonants
a, e, i, o, ua, e, i, o, u
b, k, d, g, h, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, w, yb, k, d, g, h, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, w, y
(not in the Alphabet)(not in the Alphabet)
C, Ch, F, J, LL, Ñ, Ph, Q, RR, V, X, ZC, Ch, F, J, LL, Ñ, Ph, Q, RR, V, X, Z

4. C, Ch, F, J, LL, Ñ, Ph, Q, C, Ch, F, J, LL, Ñ, Ph, Q,
RR, V, X, ZRR, V, X, Z
CC before before AA, , OO, , UU becomes becomes KK

Carro (KARO)Carro (KARO)
Common (KOMON)Common (KOMON)
C C beforebefore E, I E, I becomesbecomes S S

Centro (SENTRO)Centro (SENTRO)

Civil (SIBIL)Civil (SIBIL)

5. C, Ch, F, J, LL, Ñ, Ph, Q, C, Ch, F, J, LL, Ñ, Ph, Q,
RR, V, X, ZRR, V, X, Z
CHCH becomes becomes TSTS

China (TSINA)China (TSINA)
Chicharon (TSITSARON)Chicharon (TSITSARON)
F F becomesbecomes P P

Filipinas (PILIPINAS)Filipinas (PILIPINAS)
J J becomesbecomes H H
July (HULYO)July (HULYO)
Japanese (HAPONES)Japanese (HAPONES)

6. C, Ch, F, J, LL, Ñ, Q, R, V, C, Ch, F, J, LL, Ñ, Q, R, V,
X, ZX, Z
LLLL becomes becomes LYLY

Sello (SELYO)Sello (SELYO)

Cuchillo (KUTSILYO)Cuchillo (KUTSILYO)
Ñ Ñ becomesbecomes NY NY

Señal (SINYAL)Señal (SINYAL)

Señor (SENYOR)Señor (SENYOR)
Q Q beforebefore UI UI becomesbecomes KI, KI,

Mannequin (MANIKIN)Mannequin (MANIKIN)

Maquina (MAKINA)Maquina (MAKINA)

Taquilla (TAKILYA)Taquilla (TAKILYA)

7. C, Ch, F, J, LL, Ñ, Q, RR, C, Ch, F, J, LL, Ñ, Q, RR,
V, X, ZV, X, Z
Q Q beforebefore UE UE becomesbecomes KE, KE,

Plaque (PLAKE)Plaque (PLAKE)
Tanque (TANGKE)Tanque (TANGKE)

Querida (KERIDA)Querida (KERIDA)
RR RR becomesbecomes R R

Carrera (KARERA)Carrera (KARERA)

Correo (KOREYO)Correo (KOREYO)
Arras (ARAS)Arras (ARAS)

8. C, Ch, F, J, LL, Ñ, Q, RR, C, Ch, F, J, LL, Ñ, Q, RR,
V, X, ZV, X, Z
V V becomesbecomes B B

Aviva (ABIBA)Aviva (ABIBA)

Favor (PABOR)Favor (PABOR)

Vino (BINO)Vino (BINO)
X X becomesbecomes KS KS

Exact (EKSAKTO)Exact (EKSAKTO)

Examine (EKSAMINASYON)Examine (EKSAMINASYON)
Z Z becomesbecomes S S

Cruzada (KRUSADA)Cruzada (KRUSADA)

Lapiz (LAPIS)Lapiz (LAPIS)

AZUL (Asul)AZUL (Asul)

9. The VOWELS (Patingog)The VOWELS (Patingog)
““A” (short “a”)A” (short “a”)

Short “a” Short “a” (as n abaga, baha, dalaga)(as n abaga, baha, dalaga)
Not long “a”Not long “a” (as in base, mate) (as in base, mate)

Use in adopted English wordUse in adopted English word (natural, (natural,
abnormal)abnormal)

10. The VOWELS (Patingog)The VOWELS (Patingog)
““E” E”

General Rule: “General Rule: “II” should be used in all native ” should be used in all native
words.words.
Use in adopted FOREIGN word with same Use in adopted FOREIGN word with same
spellingspelling
–AlegreAlegre
–BoteBote
–EntranteEntrante
–EsposaEsposa
–GabineteGabinete
–LibreLibre
–petsapetsa

11. The VOWELS (Patingog)The VOWELS (Patingog)
““E” E”

Use in FOREIGN words with different Use in FOREIGN words with different
consonant spellingconsonant spelling
–Coche (KOTSE)Coche (KOTSE)
–Fuerte (PUWERTE)Fuerte (PUWERTE)
–Fecha (PETSA)Fecha (PETSA)
–Camote (KAMOTE)Camote (KAMOTE)
–Leche (LETSE)Leche (LETSE)

12. The VOWELS (Patingog)The VOWELS (Patingog)
““E” E”

Exception: When a Spanish word has no same Exception: When a Spanish word has no same
sound equivalent English word or vice-versa, sound equivalent English word or vice-versa,
““ee” is changed to “” is changed to “II””
–Capella (KAPILYA)Capella (KAPILYA)
–Empacho (IMPATSO)Empacho (IMPATSO)
–Escultor (ISKULTOR)Escultor (ISKULTOR)
–Estacion (ISTASYON)Estacion (ISTASYON)
–Estilo (ESTILO)Estilo (ESTILO)

13. The VOWELS (Patingog)The VOWELS (Patingog)
““E” E”

Exception: When a foreign word is adopted as Exception: When a foreign word is adopted as
a native word, “a native word, “ee” is changed to “” is changed to “II””
–Ataque (ATAKI)Ataque (ATAKI)
–Espejo (ISPIHO)Espejo (ISPIHO)
–Mantel (MANTIL)Mantel (MANTIL)
–Tendera (TINDERA)Tendera (TINDERA)
–Caldero (KALDIRO)Caldero (KALDIRO)
–Ventana (BINTANA)Ventana (BINTANA)

14. The VOWELS (Patingog)The VOWELS (Patingog)
““E” E”

Exception: When a Spanish word with an “Exception: When a Spanish word with an “II” ”
has an equivalent English word but with an “has an equivalent English word but with an “ee”, ”,
the English word shall be adopted.the English word shall be adopted.
–Actriz = Actress = (AKTRES)Actriz = Actress = (AKTRES)

15. The VOWELS (Patingog)The VOWELS (Patingog)
““E” E”

Exception: When a a borrowed rootword ended Exception: When a a borrowed rootword ended
in “in “ee” and joined with a suffix, “” and joined with a suffix, “ee” is changed to ” is changed to
““II”.”.
–Bayle (BAYLIHAN)Bayle (BAYLIHAN)
–Kamote (KAMOTIHAN)Kamote (KAMOTIHAN)
–Higante (HIGANTING hayop)Higante (HIGANTING hayop)
–Peste (PESTING iroa)Peste (PESTING iroa)
–Bigote (BIGOTILYO)Bigote (BIGOTILYO)
–Kape (KAPIHAN)Kape (KAPIHAN)

16. The VOWELS (Patingog)The VOWELS (Patingog)
““I” I”

General Rule: “General Rule: “II” should be used in all native ” should be used in all native
words.words.
–BakiBaki Exception:Exception:
–ItiIti babayebabaye
–KitiwKitiw pangadyepangadye
–PiniliPinili butetebutete
–BahiBahi sikwatesikwate
–GahiGahi dayegdayeg
–ItikItik

17. The VOWELS (Patingog)The VOWELS (Patingog)
““I” I”

““II” to replace ” to replace UEUE, , UIUI, , UIEUIE..
–Guerra (GIYERA)Guerra (GIYERA)
–Guia (GIYA)Guia (GIYA)
–Guirrilla (GIRILYA)Guirrilla (GIRILYA)

18. The O and U RuleThe O and U Rule
Ang Ang UU ug ug OO (in root words) (in root words)
–Rule #1: Rule #1: “U” must be used in the first and “U” must be used in the first and
middle syllablesmiddle syllables
(Unang silaba)(Unang silaba) (Sulod nga silaba)(Sulod nga silaba)
–BughatBughat - hapuhap - hapuhap
–KusiKusi - pangutana - pangutana
–Tulo Tulo - habuhabo - habuhabo
–BulanBulan - matuod - matuod
–BuangBuang - taudtaod - taudtaod
–UmagadUmagad - hinuon - hinuon
–UganganUgangan - bituon - bituon

19. The O and U RuleThe O and U Rule
Ang Ang UU ug ug OO (in root words) (in root words)
–Rule #2: Rule #2: “O” must be used in the last “O” must be used in the last
syllablesyllable
(kataposang silaba)(kataposang silaba)
–pakopako
–lungsodlungsod
–taobtaob
–dakodako
–tulotulo
–matodmatod
–nasodnasod

20. The O and U RuleThe O and U Rule
Ang Ang UU ug ug OO (in repeated action words) (in repeated action words)
–Rule #6-a: Rule #6-a: “O” and “U” shall be retained“O” and “U” shall be retained
–lukso-luksolukso-lukso - inom-inom- inom-inom
–Hubo-hubo Hubo-hubo - buot-buot- buot-buot
–Dakop-dakopDakop-dakop - hubog-hubog- hubog-hubog
OO and and UU in repeated rootwords in repeated rootwords
–Rule #6-b: Rule #6-b: “O” if in last syllable; “U” if first “O” if in last syllable; “U” if first
and middle syllableand middle syllable
–TaudtaodTaudtaod - hunahuna- hunahuna
–BukubukoBukubuko - habuhabo- habuhabo
–BagulbagolBagulbagol - tuwaytuway- tuwaytuway

21. The O and U RuleThe O and U Rule
Ang Ang UU ug ug OO (in repeated proper noun) (in repeated proper noun)
–Rule #6-k: Rule #6-k: (same with rule 6-b)(same with rule 6-b)
–LapulapuLapulapu
–tubatuba tubatuba
–BagulbagolBagulbagol

22. The O and U RuleThe O and U Rule
UU and and OO is always retained when the is always retained when the
rootword is affixedrootword is affixed
Himoon (himo + on)Himoon (himo + on)

Handomanan (handom + anan)Handomanan (handom + anan)

Lungsoranon (Lungsod + anon)Lungsoranon (Lungsod + anon)
UU is retained in words when the first is retained in words when the first
syllable is repeatedsyllable is repeated

Magtutudlo (tudlo)Magtutudlo (tudlo)
Maghuhukom (hukom)Maghuhukom (hukom)
Magsusulat (sulat)Magsusulat (sulat)