minutos
The English word "minutes" is translated into Bisaya as minutos.
minutos refers to units of time equal to sixty seconds. For example, you can say lima ka minuto to mean "five minutes". When counting minutes, you can use numbers like baynte for twenty or kwarenta for forty.
Which one should you use?
The standard form is minutos, but the informal variation minyuto is also used.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Cebuano dialect, the phrase Kapin sa Tulo ka Minuto is used to mean "more than three minutes".
Did you know?
- While minutos refers to time, Bisaya speakers often use the word kadiyot to express a 'short minute' or 'just a moment' when they don't mean an actual sixty-second interval.
- In the Philippines, the word minutos is part of a widespread practice called 'code-switching' where speakers jump between Bisaya, Tagalog and English in a single sentence.
- Because of the Spanish influence on minutos, Bisaya speakers may use a different set of numbers for time than they use for counting physical objects.
Examples in context
- Ang kanta nagdugay mga 5 minyuto.The song lasted for about 5 minutes.
- Duha ka minutos lang ang kulang.Only two minutes are missing.
- Pila ka minutos ang hulaton nato?How many minutes should we wait?
- Sige, tag-lima ka minutos ang matag dula.Okay, five minutes per game.
Example conversation
Ana and Juan are waiting for a bus.
- AnaPila ka minutos na ang hulaton nato, Juan?How many minutes have we been waiting, Juan?
- JuanMga napulo ka minutos na siguro.Probably about ten minutes already.
- AnaHapit na tingali ang bus.The bus is probably coming soon.
- JuanHinaot nga dili na dugay.I hope it's not much longer.
