Feelings vocabulary · 20 words

Bisaya Emotion Words: How to Talk About Feelings the Cebuano Way

Cebuanos are warm, but emotionally exact. We don't say I feel a bit off. We say gigutom ko, gikapoy ko, or nagguol ko — three different sentences for three different shades of not great. This post is your map of those shades.

Twenty emotion words across five layers — joy, sadness, anger, fear, and the big ones (embarrassment, love, jealousy). Each comes with the verb form, an example, and a note on when Cebuanos actually use it.

01 / 05

Joyful — Naming the Light

Cebuanos are emotionally exact. Happy isn't one word — it's four, each for a different shade. Use the right one and your speech feels real, not translated.

  • Malipayon

    mah-lee-PAH-yohn

    happy, joyful

    The blanket happy. Use freely. Malipayon ko karon. = I'm happy today.

  • Nalingaw

    nah-LEENG-ahw

    entertained, having fun

    Specifically enjoyed something — not happy in general. Nalingaw ko sa party.

  • Naghinamhinam

    nahg-hee-nahm-HEE-nahm

    excited, looking forward

    Naghinamhinam ko sa atong biyahe. = I'm excited for our trip.

  • Kontento

    kohn-TEHN-toh

    content, satisfied

    From Spanish contento. Quieter, deeper happiness.

02 / 05

Sad — From Mild to Crushing

Cebuano splits sadness into layers. A soft worry is nagguol; full grief is nasubo; missing someone is mingaw. Pick the right one or you'll under- or over-state.

  • Nagguol

    nahg-goo-OHL

    sad, worried (low-grade)

    A soft, lingering sadness — not crushing. Nagguol ko nga wala ka mireply.

  • Nasubo

    nah-SOO-boh

    sorrowful, deeply sad

    Heavier than nagguol. Funeral-grade sadness.

  • Mingaw

    MEENG-aw

    lonely, missing someone / quiet

    Mingaw kaayo ang balay nga wala ka. = The house is so lonely without you.

  • Naghigwaos

    nahg-heeg-WAH-ohs

    anxious, restless from sadness

    When sadness mixes with restless thinking.

A check-in

  1. Lola: Mura kag nagguol, anak.

    You look sad, child.

  2. Anna: Nasubo ko, Lola. Mingaw kaayo.

    I'm sorrowful, Lola. So lonely.

  3. Lola: Ari diri sa akoa. Ayaw kabalaka.

    Come here to me. Don't worry.

03 / 05

Angry — Real Anger vs Daily Irritation

Cebuanos distinguish between deep anger (nasuko) and the petty irritation of daily life (naglagot). Mix them up and the listener gets the wrong intensity.

  • Nasuko

    nah-SOO-koh

    angry

    Standard anger. Nasuko si Mama nako. = Mom got angry at me.

  • Naglagot

    nahg-LAH-goht

    irritated, fed up

    A notch below anger. Naglagot ko sa traffic. = Traffic is making me fed up.

  • Naghuna-huna

    nahg-HOO-nah-HOO-nah

    overthinking, brooding

    The cousin of anger and worry. Common in relationship talk.

04 / 05

Fear and Worry

Three precise words for three states: nahadlok (afraid of something), nabalaka (worried about someone), nakuyawan (startled).

  • Nahadlok

    nah-HAHD-lohk

    afraid, scared

    Of something specific. Nahadlok ko sa iro.

  • Nabalaka

    nah-bah-LAH-kah

    worried, concerned (about someone)

    Used out of love. Nabalaka ko nimo. = I'm worried about you.

  • Nakuyawan

    nah-koo-YAH-wahn

    startled, freaked out

    From a sudden event. Nakuyawan ko sa kalit nga tunog.

05 / 05

Embarrassed, In Love, and Jealous

Three big-feeling words. Naulaw — the most-used emotion word in Cebuano. Nahigugma — the one you can't take back. Nasuya vs nagselos — two distinct kinds of jealousy.

  • Naulaw (also: nauwaw)

    nah-OO-lahw

    embarrassed, shy, ashamed

    The single most-used emotion word in Cebuano. Often signals I don't want to impose.

  • Maulawon

    mah-OO-lah-wohn

    shy by nature

    Adjective form. Describes personality. Maulawon nga bata = a shy child.

  • Nahigugma

    nah-hee-GOOG-mah

    in love

    Romantic, deep. Don't deploy lightly.

  • Nasuya

    nah-SOO-yah

    envious (of success/things)

    Suya = envy. The I want what you have feeling.

  • Nagselos

    nahg-SEH-lohs

    romantically jealous

    Different from nasuya — selos is specifically romantic.

  • Natingala

    nah-tee-NGAH-lah

    surprised, puzzled

    Less shocked, more curious-puzzled.

Naming the feeling

  1. Friend: Naunsa man ka? Mura kag nagselos.

    What's wrong with you? You look jealous.

  2. You: Naulaw ko isulti, pero oo — nagselos ko.

    I'm embarrassed to say it, but yes — I'm jealous.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between nasuko and naglagot?

Nasuko is genuine anger. Naglagot is irritated, fed-up, exasperated — a notch below anger. You naglagot at traffic; you nasuko at betrayal.

Is naulaw or nauwaw correct?

Both are heard. Naulaw is the more standardized spelling used in dictionaries and formal writing. Nauwaw is a common spoken variant. Use naulaw in writing.

What's the difference between nasuya and nagselos?

Nasuya = envy, I want what you have (jobs, shoes, vacations). Nagselos = romantic jealousy, I'm threatened by another person. Different emotions, different words.

How do I say I love you using emotion words?

Nahigugma ko nimo (I'm in love with you) is the verb-form version. Gihigugma ko ikaw is the standard I love you.

Can I just say happy or sad in English in a Bisaya sentence?

Yes — code-switching is universal. Sad ko karon. is valid Bisaya. But learning the native word lets you express which kind of sad.

How do I ask someone how they're feeling?

Kumusta ang imong gibati? (How is what you're feeling?) or just Kumusta ka karon? (How are you now?). Cebuanos rarely interrogate; a soft check-in opens the door.

Why do so many emotion words start with na- or nag-?

Na- marks completed/realized states; nag- marks ongoing actions or states. They're aspect prefixes attached to emotion roots like suko, guol, lipay.

Speak feelings, not just phrases

You now have 20 ways to name what's happening inside. That's more emotional range than most beginners reach in a year.

100 sentences →Bisaya for couples →How to apologize →Word of the day →Practice quiz →

Padayon, higala. Bati'a — feel it, then say it.

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