kadto / to
That Over There
Kadto (short form: to) is the Cebuano word for 'that over there.' It is used for objects physically distant from everyone in the conversation, or for 'that' specific time in the past.
How It Works
1. Spatial Distance
Use kadto when pointing to something at a distance. In spoken Cebuano, you will frequently hear the contracted form kato or the very short enclitic to.
- Kadto nga bukid (That mountain over there)
- Kato nga tawo (That person over there)
2. Temporal Distance (The Past)
Unlike English, Cebuano uses kadto to 'point' to time. If you are talking about a specific day, event, or person from the past as the subject of your sentence, kadto is the correct choice.
- Kadtong adlawa (That [specific] day in the past)
- Nindot kaayo to. (That was very beautiful.)
Note: If you want to say 'at that time' or 'during that day' (acting as a time marker rather than the subject), you use the form niadto.
3. The Short Form 'to'
The form to is an second-position word. This means it cannot start a sentence. It usually slides into the second position of a phrase, often following a verb or a short pronoun.
- Unsa man to? (What was that?)
- Gipalit nako to. (I bought that.)
4. Using the Ligature
When kadto (or kato) describes a noun, you must use the ligature. Because kadto ends in a vowel, it usually becomes kadtong.
- Kadtong balay (That house over there)
Examples (5)
- Kadto ang hotel nga atong giistaran.
That over there is the hotel where we stayed.
Word by Word: That the hotel that our stayed-at.
Here, 'kadto' is the subject of the sentence, pointing to a distant building.
- Kadtong bataa hilakan kaayo.
That child (over there) is a crybaby.
Word by Word: That-linker child crybaby very.
Notice the use of 'kadtong' (kadto + nga) to modify the noun 'bata'.
- Unsa man to?
What was that?
Word by Word: What (particle) that?
This uses the short enclitic form 'to'. It is very common in daily conversation when asking about a sound or a past event.
- Nindot kaayo to nga panahon.
That time was very beautiful.
Word by Word: Beautiful very that linker time.
In this sentence, 'to' (short for kadto) acts as the subject describing a specific time in the past.
- Gikaon na nila to.
They already ate that.
Word by Word: Eaten already by-them that.
The short form 'to' follows the pronoun 'nila' according to particle and pronoun order.
Common Mistakes
Using 'kana' for distant objects.
Different MeaningTan-awa kana nga bituon!Tan-awa kadto nga bituon!'Kana' points to something near the person you are talking to, and that sentence is fine for such a thing. A star (bituon) is far from both of you, so 'kadto' is the word to use.
Dropping the ligature 'nga' when modifying a noun.
kadto balaykadtong balayDemonstratives like 'kadto' require the ligature to connect to the noun they modify.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'kadto', you need to be familiar with how Cebuano handles basic sentence structure without a copula verb and how the 'ang' marker identifies the topic being pointed to. It is also helpful to have learned the closer demonstratives first to understand the spatial logic of the language.
Related Patterns
- kana / naThat Near You
The 'that' form used for objects near the listener.
Level 1 - niini / niana / niadtoDemonstrative Genitive Forms
The Genitive/Oblique versions of these demonstratives, used for 'of that' or 'at that time'.
Level 2 - dinhi / diha / didtoHere There and Over There
The locative forms ('here', 'there', 'over there') which indicate where something is located.
Level 1 - Second-Position Words
Explains why the short form 'to' moves to the second slot in a sentence.
Foundations - kadtong + ClauseThose Who / That Time When
Shows how 'kadto' is used to introduce relative clauses about the past.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice kadto / to in Bubblegum
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