English → Bisaya · Verbs

“To pray” in Bisaya: ampo

The Bisaya (Cebuano) word for “to pray” is ampo, pronounced AM-po. It's used as a verb in everyday Cebuano conversation across the Visayas and Mindanao, where over 22 million people speak Bisaya as their native language.

Bisaya translation

ampo

AM-po

English meaning
to pray / a prayer
Part of speech
verb

How to pronounce ampo

Say it as AM-po. Capitalized syllables in the pronunciation guide indicate stress — the part of the word you emphasize when speaking. Bisaya stress is meaningful: putting it on the wrong syllable can change the meaning of a word, so it's worth practicing out loud.

Example sentences

  • Mag-ampo kita sa wala pa mokaon.

    “Let's pray before we eat.”

Cultural context

Praying before meals is standard in most Cebuano Catholic households.

Related Bisaya words

Salamat

Thank you

sah-LAH-maht

Puhon

Hopefully / by God's will

POO-hohn

Frequently asked questions

How do you say "to pray" in Bisaya?
The Bisaya (Cebuano) word for "to pray" is ampo, pronounced AM-po.
How do you pronounce "ampo"?
Pronounce it as AM-po. Capitalized syllables indicate stress.
What does "ampo" mean in English?
"ampo" means "to pray / a prayer" in English. It functions as a verb in everyday Cebuano conversation.
How do you use "ampo" in a sentence?
Example: "Mag-ampo kita sa wala pa mokaon." — Let's pray before we eat.
Is Bisaya the same as Cebuano?
Yes — Bisaya and Cebuano are two names for the same language. Cebuano is the more formal linguistic name, while Bisaya is the everyday name used by speakers themselves. Both refer to the language spoken by 22+ million Filipinos. Read more in our Bisaya vs Binisaya guide.

Continue learning Bisaya

More than just translations.

Browse the full Bisaya dictionary, compare words across all five Visayan languages, or jump into our beginner's guide.

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