Cebuano uses two number systems at once: native Cebuano numbers (usa, duha, tulo — one, two, three) for counting things, and ‘Spanish’ numbers (uno, dos, tres) for money and prices. So you count objects one way and hear prices the other way — a vendor who has six mangoes will say unom for the mangoes and otsenta for the peso price.
Both full sets are below, with a simple English respelling for every phrase. Learn the ‘Spanish’ set first if your trip is short: that is the one you need at the market, in the jeepney and at every counter.
Counting Things: Cebuano Numbers 1–10
| Cebuano | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| usa · duha · tulo · upat · lima | oo-SAH · doo-HAH · too-LOH · oo-PAHT · lee-MAH | 1–5 in Cebuano — for counting things |
| unom · pito · walo · siyam · napulo | oo-NOHM · pee-TOH · wah-LOH · see-YAHM · nah-POO-loh | 6–10 in Cebuano |
Good to know: These native numbers are for counting pieces — duha ka buok mansanas, two apples. For prices, Cebuano switches to the ‘Spanish’ set below.
Prices & Money: The ‘Spanish’ Numbers
| Cebuano | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| uno · dos · tres · kwatro · singko · says · syete · otso · nwebe · dyes | OO-noh · dohs · trehs · KWAH-troh · SING-koh · sice · SYEH-teh · OHT-soh · NWEH-beh · dyess | 1–10 in ‘Spanish’ — for money and prices |
| onse · dose · trese · katorse · kinse · disesays · disesyete · diseotso · disenwebe | OHN-seh · DOH-seh · TREH-seh · kah-TOHR-seh · KEEN-seh · dee-seh-SICE · dee-seh-SYEH-teh · dee-seh-OHT-soh · dee-seh-NWEH-beh | 11–19 (prices) |
| bente · bente-uno · bente-dos | BEHN-teh · behn-teh-OO-noh · behn-teh-DOHS | 20 / 21 / 22 … |
| trenta · kwarenta · singkwenta | TREHN-tah · kwah-REHN-tah · sing-KWEHN-tah | 30 / 40 / 50 |
| sesenta · setenta · otsenta · nobenta | seh-SEHN-tah · seh-TEHN-tah · oht-SEHN-tah · noh-BEHN-tah | 60 / 70 / 80 / 90 |
| syen (usa ka gatos) · mil (usa ka libo) | syehn (oo-SAH kah gah-TOHS) · meel (oo-SAH kah LEE-bo) | 100 / 1,000 |
Good to know: Prices run on the ‘Spanish’ numbers — a vendor will say otsenta ang kilo, 80 a kilo, or kinse pesos ra, just 15 pesos.
Good to know: Two more phrases do most of the work at a stall. For the total, listen for tanan, all together — Syento-setenta tanan., 170 all together. And before you hand over a big note, ask Naa kay sukli sa singko syentos? — do you have change for 500?
Quantities
| Cebuano | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| pila | pee-LAH | how much / how many |
| ka buok | kah BOO-ok | piece(s) (counting word) |
| tunga | too-NGAH | half |
| daghan | dahg-HAHN | a lot / many |
| gamay | gah-MY | a little / few |
| ra / lang | rah / lahng | only / just |
Ordering & Buying
| Cebuano | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Usa pa, palihug. | oo-SAH pah, pah-LEE-hoog | One more, please. |
| Duha ka buok, palihug. | doo-HAH kah BOO-ok, pah-LEE-hoog | Two, please. |
Good to know: pa means ‘still / more’ and na means ‘already’ — so Usa pa! is ‘One more!’. And ra or lang softens almost any request: Usa lang, just one.
