English → Bisaya · Expressions

“What a waste” in Bisaya: sayang

The Bisaya (Cebuano) word for “what a waste” is sayang, pronounced SA-yang. It's used as a interjection in everyday Cebuano conversation across the Visayas and Mindanao, where over 22 million people speak Bisaya as their native language.

Bisaya translation

sayang

SA-yang

English meaning
what a waste / what a pity / too bad
Part of speech
interjection

How to pronounce sayang

Say it as SA-yang. 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

  • Sayang, wala ka niadto sa pista.

    “What a pity, you weren't at the fiesta.”

Related Bisaya words

Nasubo

sorrowful / deeply sad

nah-SOO-boh

Ambot

I don't know / no idea

AHM-boht

Frequently asked questions

How do you say "what a waste" in Bisaya?
The Bisaya (Cebuano) word for "what a waste" is sayang, pronounced SA-yang.
How do you pronounce "sayang"?
Pronounce it as SA-yang. Capitalized syllables indicate stress.
What does "sayang" mean in English?
"sayang" means "what a waste / what a pity / too bad" in English. It functions as a interjection in everyday Cebuano conversation.
How do you use "sayang" in a sentence?
Example: "Sayang, wala ka niadto sa pista." — What a pity, you weren't at the fiesta.
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

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

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