maayong gabii
maayong gabii is the Bisaya way to say "good evening".
maayong gabii is used as a greeting when arriving or meeting someone in the evening.
Meaning: greeting said in the evening (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of maayo, meaning "good" and gabii, meaning "evening" or "night". The suffix "-ng" is attached to maayo to create the linker maayong, which connects the adjective to the noun gabii.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some areas of the Visayas, it is common to add the word Bai! at the end of the greeting when speaking with friends or peers.
When do people say it?
When greeting friends or peers, it is common to use Maayong Gab-i, Bai! You can also use the words dong or doy as friendly suffixes when saying good evening to friends, such as in Maayong Gab-i, Dong/Doy.
Did you know?
- If you are greeting someone very formally, such as an elder or a person of authority, it is customary to precede the phrase with the respectful term Maayong gabii, Nang or Maayong gabii, Noy.
- The word maayo can also mean 'skillful' or 'well' in other contexts, so Maayong gabii literally shares a root with saying someone is 'good' at a task.
- In Bisaya, gabii refers to both 'evening' and 'night', meaning it is used for both a greeting and a farewell before sleep.
Examples in context
- Maayong Gabi-i, unsa imong pangalan?Good evening, what is your name?
- Maayong gabii kaninyong tanan.Good evening to you all.
- Maayong gabii sa inyong pamilya.Good evening to your family.
Example conversation
Joy meets Jun at a local neighborhood gathering.
- JoyMaayong gabii, Jun.Good evening, Jun.
- JunMaayong gabii sab, Joy.Good evening too, Joy.
- JoyKumusta ang imong gabii?How is your evening?
- JunMaayo man, salamat.It is good, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good evening” translations and entries maayong gabii, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
