dili na / dili pa

Not Anymore and Not Yet

Level 2

Dili na = Not anymore (a change of plan or state).
Dili pa = Not yet (a delay in a future or habitual action).

How It Works

To use these correctly, you must distinguish between future/habitual negation and past negation.

  • Dili na: Indicates that something was true or intended, but is no longer the case. It signals a cancellation. For example, 'I am not going anymore.'
  • Dili pa: Indicates that an action hasn't happened yet but is expected to, or a state hasn't been reached yet. For example, 'I won't eat yet.'

Word Order:
Cebuano follows a strict enclitic order. When using short pronouns like ko (I) or ka (you), the particle usually comes before the short pronoun (Dili na ko, Dili pa ko), as in the examples below.

Colloquial Contractions:
In fast, casual speech, these often shorten:

  • Dili na becomes din-a
  • Dili pa becomes dip-a

Examples (5)

  1. Dili na ko moadto sa party.

    I’m not going to the party anymore.

    Word by Word: Not anymore I will-go to-the party.

    Uses 'dili na' because it describes a change in a future intention (moadto).

  2. Dili pa siya maayo moluto.

    He/she is not yet good at cooking.

    Word by Word: Not yet he/she good to-cook.

    Uses 'dili pa' to describe a habitual state or skill that hasn't been achieved yet.

  3. Dili pa ko mokaon kay busog pa ko.

    I won't eat yet because I'm still full.

    Word by Word: Not yet I will-eat because full still I.

    Uses 'dili pa' to delay a future action (mokaon).

  4. Dili na siya akong higala.

    He/she is no longer my friend.

    Word by Word: Not anymore he/she my friend.

    Uses 'dili na' for a change in identity or relationship status.

  5. Din-a ko ganahan niana.

    I don't like that anymore.

    Word by Word: Not-anymore I like of-that.

    Demonstrates the colloquial contraction 'din-a' for 'dili na'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'dili pa' for past actions.

    Dili pa ko nikaon.
    Wala pa ko mokaon.

    Use wala pa for 'not yet' about something that should have happened already, and keep the verb in its mo- form. 'Dili pa' is only for what you will not do yet.

  • Using 'dili na' when you want to tell someone not to go.

    Different MeaningDili na moadto!
    Ayaw na og adto!

    'Dili na moadto!' is a good sentence, but it says someone is not going anymore. To tell someone 'Don't go anymore,' use the prohibitive ayaw.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

dili na / dili paLevel 2Not Anymore and Not Yet

Learn This First

To understand 'dili na' and 'dili pa', you first need to know the basic negation word 'dili'. You also need to understand how the aspectual particles 'na' and 'pa' function, as well as their placement in the sentence as second-position enclitics.

Words in This Pattern