Cuyunon Words

Cuyo is among the various municipalities of Palawan, the largest province of the Philippines. It is an island situated almost Northeast of Palawan’s only city, Puerto Princesa. An average of 17-hour ride in a ferry from the main city will reveal the wonders of Cuyo. It is a tiny island, yet jam-packed with rich culture and history. Aside from its famous lato seaweeds and bandi (cashew nuts mixed with caramelized sugar), it is also the place where the local dialect Cuyunon originated.

But we do not have to travel far and wide to hear such a beautiful dialect, for it is also widely spoken in other municipalities such as Roxas and Narra, and also in Puerto Princesa. Traces of this language is basically almost everywhere in the province. Perhaps because it is the most-spoken local dialect here.

Various efforts of preserving this vital part of our heritage as Palawenos are evident. From TV Patrol Palawan’s efforts in including the Cuyunon language in its segment Homework, where reporters walk around the city streets to ask citizens to demonstrate their fluency or on some occasions, lack thereof, of the language.

Nonetheless, here are ten handy Cuyunon adjectives for everyday use. Have fun and be discreet in using them!

1.) aliputagan= always walking or going to places instead of staying put. (lakwatsero)

2.) buway= slow in terms of movement. (mabagal; makupad)

3.) puriket= disorganized or messy. (magulo)

4.) madasig= fast; fast-paced; to move quickly. (mabilis)

5.) mabaskeg/ malisang= loud; to do something in a loud manner. (malakas; maingay)

6.) maite= small or minuscule. (maliit)

7.) matinlo= desirable; beautiful; pleasing to the senses. (maganda; mabuti)

8.) akarababaga= swelling; swollen. (namamaga)

9.) madalem= deep or profound. ( malalim)

10.) kailura= pitiful; in a sorry state. (kawawa)

Now you have an idea of how unique the Cuyunon language is. Whether you are a local Palaweno or a curious tourist, you’ll surely love this dialect. But you must be careful on speaking it, for its accent is a bit tricky to master if you’re not a local speaker. You might end up sounding ridiculous if you put too much stress on a certain syllable or failed to syllabicate properly.