silbihan
silbihán with stress marks
to serve [them]
From root: silbi
Conjugations
Past (Completed)
sinilbihan
si-nil-bi-HAN
served
Present (Incomplete)
sinisilbihan
si-ni-sil-bi-HAN
is being served
Future (Contemplated)
sisilbihan
si-sil-bi-HAN
will be served
Usage Note
Silbihan is the locative-benefactive object-focus -an form of silbi, used when the person being served is the grammatical focus. It covers service in a broad sense — waiting on guests, attending to elders, or rendering help — and reflects the Filipino cultural emphasis on hospitality and deference to seniors. It pairs with the actor-focus magsilbi.
Examples
" Sino ang sisilbihan natin? "
Natural Translation
Who will we serve?
Literal Translation
Who the will-serve we.
" Masarap silbihan ang mga panauhing may respeto. "
Natural Translation
It is a pleasure to serve guests who have respect.
Literal Translation
Delightful to-serve the plural guest with respect.
" Tuwing may handaan sa amin, kami ng mga pinsan ko ang nagsisilbi sa mga bisitang dumarating buong magdamag. "
Natural Translation
Whenever there's a feast at our place, my cousins and I are the ones who serve the guests who arrive all night long.
Literal Translation
Whenever there's feast at us, we and the cousins my the serve to the guests arriving whole all-night.
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silbi has 1 related form built from the same root.
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