unsang + Noun + -a

Which / What Kind

Level 2

Unsang [Noun]-a is the standard way to ask 'Which [Noun]?' or 'What [Noun]?' when you are looking for a specific answer from a set, especially regarding time and dates.

How It Works

To form this question, follow these steps:

1. Start with Unsang (a contraction of unsa + -ng).
2. Add the Noun you are asking about.
3. Attach the suffix -a or -ha to the end of that noun.

  • Use -a if the noun ends in a consonant (e.g., oras → orasa).
  • Use -ha if the noun ends in a vowel (e.g., klase → klaseha).
  • If the noun ends in -o, the vowel usually changes to -u- before adding -ha (e.g., libro → libruha).
  • If the noun ends in a glottal stop (written with a vowel character but phonetically acting as a consonant), it takes the -a suffix (e.g., bata → bataa). In casual writing, this is often hyphenated (e.g., bata-a) to visually represent the glottal catch.
  • Words ending in diphthongs like -w or -y act as consonants and take the -a suffix (e.g., adlaw → adlawa, balay → balaya).

Irregular Forms:
A few common words undergo irregular stem changes and may take a -hana or -ha suffix. For example, tawo (person) becomes tawhana, babaye (woman) becomes bayhana, and lalaki (man) becomes lakiha (though the uncontracted lalakiha is also correct and widely used). Becoming proficient in these common shifts will help you sound more natural.

Plural Nouns:
To ask 'Which [plural nouns]?', insert the plural marker mga before the noun. The suffix remains attached to the noun itself (e.g., Unsang mga libruha? - Which books?).

Why use the -a suffix?
In everyday colloquial Cebuano, dropping the suffix (e.g., Unsang oras?) is extremely common and perfectly acceptable. Adding the -a (Unsang orasa?) simply makes the phrase highly specific, emphasizing that you are asking for the exact point in time an event occurs.

Connection to Demonstratives:
The mechanics of Unsang orasa? (Which time?) are identical to demonstratives like Kining orasa (This time) or Kanang tawhana (That person). Both trigger this definite/specific noun suffix.

Connection to Commands:
As a helpful tip for memorizing this rule, the -a or -ha suffix used here is the exact same suffix used to form patient-focus commands (e.g., basa → basaha 'read it', palit → palita 'buy it').

Difference from Unsay:
Mechanically, unsay is a contraction of unsa + the focused marker ang ('What is the...'), whereas unsang is unsa + the linker nga ('Which...'). While unsay asks 'What is the [noun]?', unsang ... -a is used when identifying a specific member of a group. Note that Unsang orasa na? is the standard, grammatically correct way to ask 'What time is it now?'. You might hear Unsay oras?, but this is a more casual way to ask.

Other Interrogatives:
This suffix pattern also applies to other interrogatives like kinsa, asa, and hain when asking for specific identification (e.g., Kinsang bataa? - Which child?, Asang dapita? or Haing dapita? - Which place?).

Examples (4)

  1. Unsang orasa ka momata?

    What time do you wake up?

    Word by Word: What time-specific you will-wake-up?

    Here, 'oras' (hour/time) ends in a consonant, so '-a' is added. This is the most common way to ask about the time of an event.

  2. Unsang adlawa ang pista?

    What day is the fiesta?

    Word by Word: What day-specific the fiesta?

    'Adlaw' (day) ends in a consonant (w), so '-a' is attached to specify which day of the week or month.

  3. Unsang klaseha sa isda ang imong gipalit?

    What kind of fish did you buy?

    Word by Word: What kind-specific of fish the your bought?

    'Klase' (kind/class) ends in a vowel, so the suffix '-ha' is used instead of '-a'.

  4. Unsang bulana mo mobalik sa Sugbo?

    What month are you (plural) returning to Cebu?

    Word by Word: What month-specific you-all will-return to Cebu?

    Using '-a' with 'bulan' (month) narrows the question down to a specific month in the calendar.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'Unsay' instead of 'Unsang' before the suffixed noun.

    Unsay orasa ka moabot?
    Unsang orasa ka moabot?

    'Unsay' is a contraction of 'unsa ang' (what is the), while 'unsang' is 'unsa nga' (which). When asking 'which [noun]', you must use 'unsang'. Note that while 'Unsang orasa' is highly specific, simply asking 'Unsang oras' without the suffix is also perfectly acceptable and common in everyday conversation.

  • Forgetting the 'h' for vowel-ending nouns.

    Unsang klasea kini?
    Unsang klaseha kini?

    If a noun ends in a vowel like 'klase', you must use '-ha' to bridge the sound. 'Klasea' is harder to pronounce and incorrect.

How It Connects

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

unsang + Noun + -aLevel 2Which / What Kind

Learn This First

To understand 'unsang + noun + -a', you first need to know the basic question word 'unsa' and how the ligature '-ng' connects modifiers to nouns. Additionally, familiarity with how Cebuano uses the '-a' suffix to specify time or objects (as seen in 'karong adlawa') helps explain why it appears in this specific 'which' construction.

Words in This Pattern

unsa-a