English-Bisaya Grammar, in Twenty Eight Lessons

Of the Particle NACA .

NACA.

3.a This particle is divided into potential and causal. The potential naca, signifies to do in fact, what the root to which precedes points out, containing in itself the faculty of doing.

This is the reason why the English verbs to can, to be able, are not translated into Bisaya. In the active voice the present and past tenses are formed with the particle naca, and the future and imperative with maca. When speaking in passive voice, the present and past are formed with na, and the future and imperative by means of ma. Instead of naca and maca, are used nacag and macag respectively, when the signification of the root is often done.

These rules will be more easily understood by the following examples:

The wounded horse can already walk a little.	Ang cabayong guisamad-an nacalacao-lacao na.
The sick man is already able to get up.	Ang masaquiton nacatindug na.
I can not eat.	Dili acÓ macagcaon.
I have murmured against you very often.	NacaglibÁc acÓ canimo sa masubsub.
They will be not able to overtake him, for he is, I think, far distant.	Dili na sia cahÁ maapas, cay tua na sa halayo.
I can not sleep.	Dili acÓ macatolog.
When my Father died, my Mother was not able to weep.	Sa pagcamatay ni Tatay, ang acong InahÁn ualÁ macahilac.

2.a Besides the particle naca, the Bisaya dialect has some other words compensatory of the English verbs, to can, to be able, such as arang, gahÚm and himo employed sometimes alone, and some times in composition with naca.

Arang, signifies to possess power of doing any thing, but subordinated to another. Examples:

If I could afford, I would buy a fine horse.	Ug ma-arang pa acÓ, mu-palit acÓ unta ug usa ca ma-ayong cabayo.
If you please, give me some medicine.	Ug ma-arang sa imong bu-ut, tagai, acÓ ug tambal.
Can you afford to buy that horse?	¿Macapalit ca ba nianang cabayo?
I can afford it.	Arang co paliton.
How is the sick?	¿Comusta ang masaquit?
He is so so.	Arang-arang na sia.

GahÚm, signifies vigour, strength, courage, and it is employed in both material and moral acceptations, as:

I am an old man.	Tigulang na acÓ, or uala na acoy gahÚm.
Did you dare to rob your master?	¿Ngano nacagahÚm ca sa pagpangauat sa imong agalon?

Himo, signifies to possess the power of doing any thing, as:

Can you make it?	Macahimo ca ba niana?
I could make it, but I have not tools.	Macahimo acÓ unta, apan uala acoy hilimoan.
What is impossible with men, God can do.	Ang dili mahimo sa mga taoo, mahimo sa Dios.
Is it possible?	Mahimo ba?
It is possible.	Mahimo man.
The authority.	Cagamhanan.
Our Lord Jesus Christ left to his ministers the power of forgiving sins.	Ang mga ilis ni Jesucristo guitaga-an nia sa cagamhanan sa pagpa-saylo sa mga salÁ.

Exercise XIX.

Why do you associate with those people?—I associate with them because they are useful to me—If you continue to associate with them you will get into bad scrapes, for they have many enemies—Do you know a good place to swim in?—I know one—Where is it?—On the side of the river behind the wood, near the high road—When shall we go to swim?—This evening if you please—Will you wait for me before the city gate?—I shall wait for you there, but I beg you not to forget it—You know that I never forget my promises—Is this man angry with you?—I think he is angry with me, because I do not go to see him; but I do not like to go to his house, for when I go there, instead of receiving me with pleasure, he looks displeased—Why do you look so sad?—I have experienced great misfortunes—You must not afflict yourself so much, for you know that we must yield to necessity—But, bless me, why do you cry so?

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