Hiligaynon Linkers

When an adjective modifies a noun, the linker nga links the two.

Example:

Itom nga ido
Black dog

Sometimes, if the linker is preceded by a word that ends in a vowel, glottal stop or the letter N, it becomes acceptable to contract it into -ng, as in Filipino. This is often used to make the words sound more poetic or to reduce the number of syllables. Sometimes the meaning may change as in maayo nga aga and maayong aga. The first meaning: (the) good morning; while the other is the greeting for 'good morning'.

The linker ka is used if a number modifies a noun.

Example:

Anum ka ido
six dogs

Copula

Copula- a word used to link subject and predicate

Hiligaynon lacks the marker of sentence inversion "ay" of Tagalog/Filipino or "hay" of Akeanon. Instead sentences in SV form (Filipino: Di karaniwang anyo) are written without any marker or copula.

Examples: "Si Inday ay maganda" (Tagalog)

"Si Inday matahum" (Hiligaynon) = "Inday is beautiful" (English)

There is no direct translation for the English copula "to be" in Hiligaynon. However, the prefixes mangin- and nangin- may be used to mean will be and became, respectively.

Example:

Manámî mangin manggaranon. "It is nice to become rich" ( English)

The Spanish copula "estar" (to be) has also become a part of the Hiligaynon lexicon. Its meaning and pronunciation have become corrupted. In Hiligaynon it is pronounced as "istar" and means "to live (in)/location"(Compare with the Hiligaynon word "puyo").

Example:

Nagaistar ako sa tabuc suba
"I live in tabuc suba" "tabuc suba" translates to "other side of the river" and is also a barangay in Jaro, Iloilo.

Children Ilonggo books

Ang Bukid Nga Nagpalangga Sang Pispis-

Ang Bukid Nga Nagpalangga Sang Pispis is a fully illustrated, colored children's picture book. The original story is "The Mountain That Loved A Bird", by Alice McLerran. Originally published in the United States with illustrations by Eric Carle, the story has been translated to Hiligaynon by Genevieve L. Asenjo and illustrated with new art by Beaulah Pedregosa Taguiwalo drawn from the landscapes of the Philippines.

The publisher is Mother Tongue Publishing Inc., a new publishing company based in Manila, Philippines formed in November 2006 by Mario and Beaulah Taguiwalo. Their mission is to publish books in as many languages and dialects as possible. They are inspired by the words of science fiction writer Ursula K. Le Guin: “Literature takes shape and life in the body, in the wombs of the mother tongue.” They also agree with neuro-scientist Elkhonon Goldberg who refers to mother tongues as “an extremely adaptive and powerful device for modeling not only what is, but also what will be, what could be, and what we want and do not want to be.”

Interrogative words

The interrogative words of Hiligaynon are as follows: diin, san-o, sin-o, nga-a, kamusta, ano, and pila

Example: Diin means where.
Diin ka na? "Where are you now?"

A derivation of diin, tagadiin, is used to inquire the birthplace or hometown of the listener. Example: Tagadiin ka? "Where are you from?"

San-o means when
Example: San-o inâ? "When is that?"

Sin-o means who
Example: Sin-o imo abyan? "Who is your friend?"

Nga-a means why
Example: Nga-a indi ka magkadto? "Why won't you go?"

Kamusta means how, as in "How are you?"
Example: Kamusta ang tindahan? "How is the store?"

Ano means what-----A derivative of ano, paano, means how, as in "How do I do that?"
Example: Ano ang imo ginabasa? "What are you reading?"
Paano ko makapulî? "How can I get home?"

A derivative of paano is paanoano an archaic phrase which can be compared with kamusta
Example: Paanoano ikaw? "How art thou?"

A derivative of pila, ikapila, asks the numerical order of the person, as in, "What place were you born in your family?"(first-born, second-born, etc.) This word is notoriously difficult to translate into English, as English has no equivalent. Pila means how much/how many
Example: Pila ang maupod sa imo? "How many are with you?"
Example: Ikapila ka sa inyo pamilya? "What place were you born into your family?"

A derivative of pila, tagpila, asks the monetary value of something, as in, "How much is this beef?"
Example: Tagpila ina nga karne? "How much is this beef?

The Lord's Prayer

Amay namon, nga yara ka sa mga langit
Pagdayawon ang imo ngalan
Umabot sa amon ang imo ginharian
Matuman ang imo buot
Diri sa duta subong sang sa langit
Hatagan mo kami nian sing kan-on namon
Sa matag-adlaw
Kag ipatawad mo ang mga sala namon
Subong nga ginapatawad namon ang nakasala sa amon
Kag dili mo kami nga ipagpadaug sa mga panulay
Gino-o luwason mo kami sa kalaut
Amen.

Greetings, Friends and Lovers

Good morning- Maayong aga.
Good noon- Maayong udto.
Good afternoon- Maayong hapon.
Good evening- Maayong gab-i.
How are you? Kumusta ka?/Kamusta ikaw?
I'm fine - Maayo man.
I am fine, how about you?- Maayo man, ikaw ya?
How old are you? Pila na ang edad nimo?/Ano ang edad mo?
I am 25 years old. Beinte singko anyos na (a)ko./ Duha ka pulo kag lima ka tuig na (a)ko.

I am John.- Ako si John./Si John ako.
What is your name? Ano imo ngalan?/ Ano ngalan (ni)mo?
I love you. Palangga ta ka./Ginahigugma ko ikaw.
Thank you very much. Salamat gid./ Madamo gid nga salamat.
Will you marry me? Himuon mo na pakasalan ako?
I love you. Ginahinigugma ko ikaw/ Palangga ko gid ikaw
love - Palangga

Quick Phrases

Yes.- Hu-o.
No.- Indî.
Thank you.- Salamat.
Sorry. - Pasensya/Pasaylo.
Help! - Bulig! / Tabang!
Delicious!- Namit!
Take care.- Halong.
Are you mad?- Akig ka?
I don't know.- Ambot.
That's wonderful!- Námì-námì man (i)nâ!