Question
Sinulog-ManPotatoes, eggplants, cabbage, carrots…
In the Philippines, you can easily get affordable vegetables at markets and grocery stores. What do you call vegetables in Bisaya (Cebuano)?
Answer You Will Get
StephAlright! In this post, let’s take a look at 24 popular vegetables vocabulary in Bisaya.
Remember the names of them and try to buy at markets and grocery stores. You will be able to cook for yourself with Filipino vegetables in the Philippines!
24 Popular Vegetables Vocabulary
Let’s look at what each vegetable is called in Bisaya with the picture. All are common vegetables in the Philippines.
You can also check out the table below to see the Bisaya (Cebuano) vocabulary words for vegetables.
| Bisaya | English |
|---|---|
| utanon (utan) | vegetable |
| patatas | potato |
| talong | eggplant |
| repolyo | cabbage |
| karot | carrot |
| bombay puti | onion (white onion) |
| bombay | red onion |
| kamatis | tomato |
| pipino | cucumber |
| sibuyas dahon | spring onion |
| luya | ginger |
| ahos | garlic |
| kalabasa | pumpkin |
| okra | okra |
| tawgi | bean sprouts |
| atsal | bell pepper |
| mais | corn |
| lettuce | lettuce |
| rabanos | radish |
| petsay | Chinese cabbage |
| parsley | parsley |
| brokoli | broccoli |
| malunggay | moringa |
| ampalaya | bitter melon |
| kamote | sweet potato |
TakashiOh! Is Okra also called “Okra” in Japanese. In Bisaya too?
StephThat’s right! Okra is a popular vegetable in the Philippines. You might think that okra is a Japanese vegetable, but actually, they say the origin of okra is Africa.
TakashiReally! I didn’t know that at all! By the way, I am not familiar with some of the vegetables in the table. Especially Moringa. What is that?
StephMoringa is more like a leaf than a vegetable, but it’s often used in soups. It’s a nutritious superfood.
TakashiYeah! I often see the leaves floating in a soup. Moringa powder is available as a supplement at drug stores. It contains dozens of nutrients.
Bisaya Phrases When Buying Vegetables at Grocery Stores and Markets
Here are useful Bisaya phrases when you buy vegetables at grocery stores and markets. Let’s check them out and tell a seller to the number of vegetables you want to buy.
You: Usa ka patatas ug duha ka karot. (Can I get a potato and two carrots?)
Seller: Unsa pa? (What else?)
You: Maora. (That’s all.)
usa=1
duha=2
ka=quantifier
unsa = what
pa=still, yet
maora=That’s all.
If you want to know how to say numbers in Bisaya, please kindly see this post.
To Close
TakashiI have a question. How do you ask for the price of vegetables in Bisaya? For example, how can I say when I want to ask the price of okura?
StephYou can say “Tag pila ang okura? (How much is an okura?)“.
TakashiAlright! I’ll go to a market and try to buy some vegetables!
Exercise
Here are Bisaya vocabulary cards in this post. Try it!
