Sinugbuanon

Sinugbuanon, also spelled Sinugboanon, is the language of the Cebuano people in the Philippines. It is commonly known to speakers as Cebuano and is the most widely spoken native language in the Central Visayas and parts of Mindanao, with millions of speakers and a substantial diaspora.

Sinugbuanon belongs to the Bisayan branch of the Austronesian language family, within the Central Philippine group. It is part of the Visayan subgroup and is related to Waray, Hiligaynon, and other Cebuano varieties. The language has regional varieties, such as Cebuano proper, Boholano, and Mindanao Cebuano; these are largely mutually intelligible. It uses the Latin alphabet for everyday writing, and standardized orthographies have been developed for education and media.

In use, Cebuano is widely spoken at home, in schools, and in local media in areas where it is dominant. In national contexts, Filipino and English are often used as lingua francas. There is no single nationwide standard, but regional norms and media help keep written Cebuano coherent across communities.

Phonology features a relatively simple vowel system and consonant inventory, with a verb-centric grammar that marks voice and focus through affixes and particles. Sentence structure is frequently verb-first, though word order is flexible due to topic emphasis. Loanwords from Spanish, English, and other languages are common.

See also: Cebuano language, Visayan languages, Sinugbuanon.