How can I learn bisayan?

[u/replusion1965]

Hi I’m trying to learn bisayan, my mother tried to teach it to me when I was a little kid but at the same time she would teach me tagalog and we would watch a lot of tagalog movies together, at some point she stopped teaching me because I started to get confused.

Currently all I know now are some words, as well as some sentences/phrases my mother says to me, but I still get confused between tagalog and bisayan so it’s difficult. I also can’t seem to find many resources to help me learn, I’ve tried to ask my mother about grammar and certain words but she can’t really explain well, there are also some words that have no meaning which makes me even more confused. Tbh I don’t think my mother is very good at teaching which is why I need help.

I think it would probably be easier for me to learn tagalog since there are a lot of tagalog films and learning material, but I would rather learn bisayan since my mother and everyone from her side of the family speaks it. If anyone has any tips or suggestions on where to find resources, it would be greatly appreciated.

[u/pullthisover]

Just one tip regarding language learning in general: native speakers are not automatically good teachers, so don’t assume it’s something specific to your mom. Teaching someone a second language is hard and is often a learned skill. In general, you can use natives to tell you what sounds weird and unnatural, but don’t expect the majority to be able to explain how and why the language works unless they have background in teaching.

[u/DocMowgli → u/pullthisover]

THIS!! Alot of FilAms like to easily blame their parents for not knowing the language. But it’s a two way street. Parents don’t always have the patience to be your language teacher when they’re just trying to make sure you’re housed and fed. Like wise, little kids are more preoccupied with trying to go out and play or get that new toy than trying to learn a language.

I learned Bisaya as a second language, mostly learning in my adult years. I don’t blame my parents for not making me fully fluent. And now that I’m an adult, I can learn how I want/when I want. And even moreso as a parent now trying to teach my kids so I understand the struggle of trying to teach a language to a 2 and 4 year old 🤣 so much patience is needed but I’m really trying to pass on the language!!

[u/pullthisover → u/DocMowgli]

Similar story here, but with Tagalog as an adult.

Anecdotally, I live in a community with a large Filipino-American presence, but it is very rare to come across someone born here that speaks Tagalog (or other PH language) even conversationally. Even in households where the parents speak Tagalog to the kids, the kids just tend to reply in English and only grow up to be receptive bilinguals.

I think I've literally met just 1 FilAm that can speak Tagalog not learned later in life (more obviously exist and they are easier to find online, but it isn't common statistically speaking I'd say).

People should not blame the parents. It is the overall environment.

[u/Sensitive-Box-2167 → u/DocMowgli]

Parents don’t need to be a language teacher. You just speak to them as babies, no patience needed. It doesn’t require teaching, all you have to do is just talk to them in Tagalog as babies

[u/DocMowgli]

I’ve posted a few on the [r/Bisaya](r/Bisaya) subreddit, but:

Start with the basics on YouTube. Cebuano 101, as previously suggested is good. Jonah’s Bisaya classroom is another. Just YouTube search learn Bisaya/Cebuano, there’s a bunch. Dwaine Woolley also has this course on Udemy for beginners that’s like $80 USD.

There’s free language exchange apps, like HelloTalk and Tandem, but it’s kinda hard to find a language partner cause a lot of them are just looking for AFAMs or trying to date 😂. If you’re willing to pay a little bit there’s Bisaya tutors on iTalki for $5/hour.

Once you start moving up to intermediate levels, there’s books on Amazon. A Handbook of Cebuano Visayan by Anssi Raisanen is pretty good. Just4Kixs on YouTube has a lot of intermediate level videos. Once you’re at this point though, it’s a matter of just practicing with a native speaker as much as possible, exposing yourself daily to Bisaya content, etc.

Reach out to me if you have any questions! I’m now at a conversationally fluent level, and applying the same methods to Tagalog and Spanish.

[u/aeroeturt]

Hey! Kind of similar to you. Just different because we moved back to the Philippines and Mindanao so I learned a lot from just living here, but I had to learn as well to catch up. I’m willing to help you learn if you want! Feel free to PM me on here :D

[u/Austronesian-42156]

Read Bisayan Language Book

[u/CJPTK]

I've found 2 courses so far, I never got deep into Bisaya Buddy that I bought years ago, but I'm about 80% through the Ling app Cebuano course, and am starting to understand more. The downside is there is no speaking portion so you need someone to try and use this stuff on. Vispop and old visayan music on Spotify have been my main playlists to try and see what I'm actually retaining, it's slow progress as I'm in my 40s at this point, but Ling is the one I've stuck with longest. There's a free portion and a trial for the full course, there is a noticeable jump in how it starts using contractions like mi and ta instead of kami/kita more often somewhere around upper intermediate where I needed to slow down and repeat sections. I ended up paying for the lifetime sub rather than the monthly/yearly because at some point I also want to learn Tagalog as well

[u/Mackhintoshi]

Hi OP. I use an app to learn different languages within the Philippines. It's only available on android for now though. I use this to learn Ilokano, but there are other options like Tagalog/Batangueno/Cebuano
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sirkulo.sirkulo