kuno
Reportedly
Use kuno when you are reporting something you heard from someone else. It translates to "they say," "reportedly," or "supposedly."
How It Works
The particle kuno is essential for daily conversation in Cebuano, especially when sharing news or gossip (chismis).
1. Function:
It acts as a buffer. By adding kuno, you are telling the listener, "I didn't see this myself; I'm just telling you what I heard." This can be neutral reporting or can imply a level of skepticism or irony, depending on your tone.
2. Placement (Enclitic Rules):
Like many Cebuano particles, kuno follows the second-position rule. It attaches to the first word of the sentence (the host), which is usually a verb, adjective, or negator.
- If there are short enclitic pronouns like ko, ka, or mo, or other particles like na or pa, kuno often follows them, though the order is not fixed. Note that it follows the short forms (ko, ka) rather than the full forms (ako, ikaw) unless the full form is the sentence host.
- Example: Niabot na kuno siya. (He has reportedly arrived already.)
3. Kuno in Commands:
In daily speech, kuno is frequently used to relay a request from a third party (e.g., "He said for you to come here") or to soften a direct command so it sounds less bossy. Using Ali kuno (Come here, please/reportedly) sounds much gentler than a plain Ali.
Examples (6)
- Mahinay kuno ang internet didto.
The internet there is reportedly slow.
Word by Word: Slow reportedly the internet there.
Here, kuno follows the adjective 'mahinay' to show the speaker is reporting what others have said about the internet speed.
- Wala kuno siya'y kwarta.
He reportedly has no money.
Word by Word: None reportedly he-has money.
Kuno follows the negator 'wala'. The speaker is relaying someone else's claim of being broke.
- Ali kuno kadiyot.
Come here for a moment (someone is asking for you).
Word by Word: Come reportedly just-a-moment.
In this command, kuno indicates that the speaker is relaying a request from someone else, or is softening the directive.
- Nindot kuno ang salida.
The movie is reportedly good.
Word by Word: Nice reportedly the movie.
Kuno follows the first word, the adjective 'nindot', to show that the speaker heard this from others.
- Moadto kuno siya sa Sugbo ugma.
He says he is going to Cebu tomorrow.
Word by Word: Will-go reportedly he to Cebu tomorrow.
Kuno follows the verb 'moadto'. It indicates the speaker is reporting the subject's plans.
- Dili kuno na tinuod.
They say that isn't true.
Word by Word: Not reportedly that true.
Kuno follows the negator 'dili' to report a denial or a rumor of falsehood.
Common Mistakes
Starting the sentence with 'kuno'.
Kuno niabot siya.Niabot kuno siya.'Kuno' is a particle that normally follows the first word of the clause: 'Niabot kuno siya'. At the end of a short sentence it is also heard (Niabot siya kuno).
Starting the sentence with the particle 'na'.
Na niabot kuno siya.Niabot na kuno siya.'Na' is a particle that follows the first word: 'Niabot na kuno siya'. In a cluster of particles, one-syllable ones like 'na' or 'pa' usually come before 'kuno'.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use 'kuno' correctly, you need to understand the 'second position' rule for Cebuano particles and how they interact with other enclitics. It is also helpful to understand the standard way of reporting speech (using 'miingon') to appreciate how 'kuno' functions as a marker for secondhand information.
- miingon ngaSaid That
Kuno is used for reported speech; understanding how to explicitly say 'someone said that' provides the functional context for this shortcut particle.
Level 3 - Particle Order
Since kuno is often used alongside other particles like 'na' or 'pa', understanding the relative order of enclitics is necessary for natural sentence construction.
Level 2
Related Patterns
- Second-Position Words
Kuno follows the strict second-position rules shared by all Cebuano particles.
Foundations - tingali / siguroMaybe
While kuno marks hearsay (someone else said it), tingali marks the speaker's own uncertainty (maybe).
Level 2 - matod pa niAs Said by
This is a more formal way to attribute a quote to a specific person, whereas kuno is often general hearsay.
Level 5 - diayNew Realization
Both are enclitic particles, but diay marks a new realization rather than hearsay.
Level 2 - baYes-No Question Particle
Kuno can be used with the question particle ba to ask if a rumor is true (e.g., 'Tinuod ba kuno?').
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice kuno in Bubblegum
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