Editing Chavacano (section)

==Grammar==

===Simple sentence structure (verb–subject–object word order)===

Chavacano is a language with the [[verb–subject–object]] sentence order. This is because it follows the Hiligaynon or Tagalog grammatical structures. However, the [[subject–verb–object]] order does exist in Chavacano but only for emphasis purposes (see below). New generations have been slowly and vigorously using the S-V-O pattern mainly because of the influence of the English language. These recent practices have been most prevalent and evident in the mass media particularly among Chavacano newswriters who translate news leads from English or Tagalog to Chavacano where the "who" is emphasized more than the "what". Because the mass media represent "legitimacy", it is understood by Chavacano speakers (particularly Zamboangueños) that the S-V-O sentence structure used by Chavacano journalists is standardized.

====Declarative affirmative sentences in the simple present, past, and future tenses====

Chavacano generally follows the simple verb–subject–object or verb–object–subject sentence structure typical of Hiligaynon or Tagalog in declarative affirmative sentences:

:'''Ta comprá''' (verb) '''el maga/mana negociante''' (subject) '''con el tierra''' (object).
:'''Ta comprá''' (verb) '''tierra''' (object) '''el maga/mana negociante''' (subject).
::Hiligaynon: Nagabakal (verb) ang mga manogbaligya (subject) sang duta (object).
::Hiligaynon: Nagabakal (verb) sang duta (object) ang mga manogbaligya (subject).
::Tagalog: Bumibili (verb) ang mga negosyante (subject) ng lupa (object).
::Tagalog: Bumibili (verb) ng lupa (object) ang mga negosyante (subject).
:::(‘The businessmen are buying land.’)

The subject always appears after the verb, and in cases where pronominal subjects (such as personal pronouns) are used in sentences, they will never occur before the verb:

:'''Ya andá yo na iglesia enantes'''.
::(‘I went to church a while ago.’)

====Declarative negative sentences in the simple present, past, and future tenses====

When the predicate of the sentence is negated, Chavacano uses the words '''hindê''' (from Tagalog ’hindi’ or Hiligaynon 'indi' which means ’no’; the Cebuano uses 'dili', which shows its remoteness from Chavacano as compared to Hiligaynon) to negate the verb in the present tense, '''no hay''' (which literally means ’none’) to negate the verb that was supposed to happen in the past, and '''hindê''' or '''nunca''' (which means ’no’ or ’never’) to negate the verb that will not or will never happen in the future respectively. This manner of negating the predicate always happens in the verb–subject–object or verb–object–subject sentence structure:

Present Tense

:'''Hindê ta comprá''' (verb) '''el maga/mana negociante''' (subject) '''con el tierra''' (object).
:'''Hindê ta comprá''' (verb) '''tierra''' (object) '''el maga/mana negociante''' (subject).
::(Eng: The businessmen are not buying land. Span: Los hombres de negocios no están comprando tierras)

Past Tense

:'''No hay comprá''' (verb) '''el maga/mana negociante''' (subject) '''con el tierra''' (object).
:'''No hay comprá''' (verb) '''tierra''' (object) '''el maga/mana negociante''' (subject).
::(Eng: The businessmen did not buy land. Span: Los hombres de negocios no compraron tierras)

Future Tense

:'''Ay hindê comprá''' (verb) '''el maga/mana negociante''' (subject) '''con el tierra''' (object).
:'''Ay hindê comprá''' (verb) '''tierra''' (object) '''el maga/mana negociante''' (subject).
::(Eng: The businessmen will not buy land. Span: Los hombres de negocios no comprarán tierras)
:'''Nunca ay/Ay nunca comprá''' (verb) '''el maga/mana negociante''' (subject) '''con el tierra''' (object).
:'''Nunca ay/Ay nunca comprá''' (verb) '''tierra''' (object) '''el maga/mana negociante''' (subject).
::(Eng: The businessmen will never buy land. Span: Los hombres de negocios nunca comprarán tierras)

The negator '''hindê''' can appear before the subject in a subject–verb–object structure to negate the subject rather than the predicate in the present, past, and future tenses:

Present Tense

:'''Hindê el maga/mana negociante''' (subject) '''ta comprá''' (verb) '''con el tierra''' (object) '''sino el maga/mana empleados'''.
::(Eng: It is not the businessmen who are buying land but the employees. Span: No son los hombres de negocios los que están comprando tierras, sino los empleados)

Past Tense

:'''Hindê el maga/mana negociante''' (subject) '''ya comprá''' (verb) '''con el tierra''' (object) '''sino el maga/mana empleados'''.
::(Eng: It was not the businessmen who bought the land but the employees. Span: No fueron los hombres de negocio los que compraron tierras, sino los empleados)

Future Tense

:'''Hindê el maga/mana negociante''' (subject) '''ay comprá''' (verb) '''con el tierra''' (object) '''sino el maga/mana empleados'''.
:'''Ay hindê comprá''' (verb) '''el maga/mana negociante(s)''' (subject) '''con el tierra''' (object) '''sino el maga/mana empleados'''.
::(Eng: It will not be the businessmen who will buy land but the employees. Span: No serán los hombres de negocios los que compren tierras, sino los empleados)

The negator '''nunca''' can appear before the subject in a subject–verb–object structure to strongly negate (or denote impossibility) the subject rather than the predicate in the future tense:

Future Tense

:'''Nunca el maga/mana negociante''' (subject) '''ay comprá''' (verb) '''con el tierra''' (object) '''sino el maga/mana empleados'''.
:'''Nunca ay comprá''' (verb) '''el mana/maga negociante''' (subject) '''con el tierra''' (object) '''sino el maga/mana empleados'''.
::(Eng: It will never be the businessmen who will buy land but the employees. Span: Nunca serán los hombres de negocios los que compren tierras, sino los empleados)

The negator '''no hay''' and '''nunca''' can also appear before the subject to negate the predicate in a subject–verb–object structure in the past and future tenses respectively. Using '''nunca''' before the subject to negate the predicate in a subject–verb–object structure denotes strong negation or impossibility for the subject to perform the action in the future:

Past Tense

:'''No hay el maga/mana negociante''' (subject) '''comprá''' (verb) '''con el tierra''' (object).
::(Eng: The businessmen did not buy land. Span: Los hombres de negocios no compraron tierras)

Future Tense

:'''Nunca el maga/mana negociante''' (subject) '''ay comprá''' (verb) '''con el tierra''' (object).
::(Eng: The businessmen will never buy land. Span: Los hombres de negocios nunca comprarán tierras)

===Nouns and articles===

The Chavacano definite article '''el''' precedes a singular noun or a plural marker (for a plural noun). The indefinite article '''un''' stays constant for gender as 'una' has almost completely disappeared in Chavacano, except for some phrases like "una vez". It also stays constant for number as for singular nouns. In Chavacano, it is quite common for '''el''' and '''un''' to appear together before a singular noun, the former to denote certainty and the latter to denote number:

:'''el cajón''' (’the box’) – '''el maga/mana cajón(es)''' (’the boxes’)
:'''un soltero''' (’a bachelor’) – '''un soltera''' (’a spinster’)
:'''el un soltero''' (’the bachelor’) – '''el un soltera''' (’the spinster’)

Nouns in Chavacano are not always preceded by articles. Without an article, a noun is a generic reference:

:'''Hindê yo ta llorá lagrimas sino sangre'''.
::(’I do not cry tears but blood’.)
:'''Ta cargá yo palo'''.
::(’I am carrying wood’).

Proper names of persons are preceded by the definite article '''si''' or the phrase '''un tal''' functioning as an indefinite article would:

:'''Un bonita candidata si Maria.'''.
::(’Maria is a beautiful candidate’.)
:'''un tal Juancho'''
::(’a certain Juancho’)

====Singular nouns====

Unlike in Spanish, Chavacano [[nouns]] derived from Spanish do not follow gender rules in general. In Zamboangueño, the [[article (grammar)|article]] 'el' basically precedes every singular noun. However, this rule is not rigid (especially in Zamboangueño) because the formal vocabulary mode wherein Spanish words predominate almost always is the preferred mode especially in writing. The Spanish article 'la' for feminine singular nouns does exist in Chavacano, though it occurs rarely and mostly in the formal medium of writing, such as poems and lyrics. When accompanying a Spanish feminine noun, the 'la' as the article is more tolerated than acceptable.  Among the few exceptions where the 'la' occurs is as a formal prefix when addressing the Blessed Virgin Mary, perhaps more as an emphasis of her importance in Christian devotion. But the real article is still the 'el', which makes this use of a "double article" quite unique. Thus it is common to hear the Blessed Virgin addressed in Chavacano as 'el La Virgen Maria' (the "L" of the 'la' capitalized to signify its permanent position within the noun compound). In general, though, when in doubt, the article 'el' is always safe to use. Compare:

{| class="wikitable"
!English singular noun
!Chavacano singular noun (general and common)
!Chavacano singular noun (accepted or uncommon)
|-
|the virgin
|el virgen
|la virgen (accepted)
|-
|the peace
|el paz
|la paz (accepted)
|-
|the sea
|el mar
|la mar (accepted)
|-
|the cat
|el gato
|el gato (la gata is uncommon)
|-
|the sun
|el sol
|el sol
|-
|the moon
|el luna
|el luna (la luna is uncommon)
|-
|the view
|el vista
|la vista (accepted)
|-
|the tragedy
|el tragedia
|el tragedia (la tragedia is uncommon)
|-
|the doctor
|el doctor
|el doctora (la doctora is uncommon)
|}

And just like Spanish, Chavacano nouns can have gender but only when referring to persons. However, they are always masculine in the sense (Spanish context) that they are generally preceded by the article 'el'. Places and things are almost always masculine. The -o is dropped in masculine nouns and -a is added to make the noun feminine:

{| class="wikitable"
!English singular noun
!Chavacano singular noun (masculine)
!Chavacano singular noun (feminine)
|-
|the teacher
|el maestro
|el maestra
|-
|the witch
|el burujo
|el buruja
|-
|the engineer
|el engeniero
|el engeniera
|-
|the tailor/seamstress
|el sastrero
|el sastrera
|-
|the baby
|el niño
|el niña
|-
|the priest/nun
|el padre/sacerdote
|el madre/monja
|-
|the grandson/granddaughter
|el nieto
|el nieta
|-
|the professor
|el profesor
|el profesora
|-
|the councilor
|el consejal
|el consejala
|}

Not all nouns referring to persons can become feminine nouns. In Chavacano, some names of persons are masculine (because of the preceding article 'el' in Spanish context) but do not end in -o.

:Examples: '''el alcalde''', '''el capitan''', '''el negociante''', '''el ayudante''', '''el chufer'''

All names of animals are always masculine—in Spanish context—preceded by the article 'el'.

:Examples: '''el gato''' (gata is uncommon), '''el puerco''' (puerca is uncommon), '''el perro''' (perra is uncommon)

Names of places and things can be either masculine or feminine, but they are considered masculine in the Spanish context because the article 'el' always precedes the noun:

:'''el cocina''', '''el pantalón''', '''el comida''', '''el camino''', '''el trapo''', '''el ventana''', '''el mar'''

====Plural nouns====

In Chavacano, plural nouns (whether masculine or feminine in Spanish context) are preceded by the retained singular masculine Spanish article 'el'. The Spanish articles 'los' and 'las' have almost disappeared. They have been replaced by the modifier (a plural marker) 'maga/mana' which precedes the singular form of the noun. Maga comes from the native Hiligaynon 'maga' or the Tagalog 'mga'. The formation of the Chavacano plural form of the noun (el + maga/mana + singular noun form) applies whether in common, familiar or formal mode. It may be thought of as roughly equivalent to saying in English, "the many (noun)" instead of "the (noun)s", and in fact "the many (noun)s" is used more in [[Philippine English]] than elsewhere.

There are some Chavacano speakers (especially older Caviteño or Zamboangueño speakers) who would tend to say 'mana' for 'maga'. 'Mana' is accepted and quite common, especially among older speakers, but when in doubt, the modifier 'maga' to pluralize nouns is safer to use.

{| class="wikitable"
!English plural noun
!Chavacano plural noun (masculine)
!Chavacano plural noun (feminine)
|-
|the teachers
|el maga/mana maestro(s)
|el maga/mana maestra(s)
|-
|the witches
|el maga/mana burujo(s)
|el maga/mana buruja(s)
|-
|the engineers
|el maga/mana engeniero(s)
|el maga/mana engeniera(s)
|-
|the tailors/seamstresses
|el maga/mana sastrero(s)
|el maga/mana sastrera(s)
|-
|the babies
|el maga/mana niño(s)
|el maga/mana niña(s)
|-
|the priests/nuns
|el maga/mana padre(s)
|el maga/mana madre(s)
|-
|the grandsons/granddaughters
|el maga/mana nieto(s)
|el maga/mana nieta(s)
|-
|the professors
|el maga/mana professor(es)
|el maga/mana profesora(s)
|-
|the councilors
|el maga/mana consejal(es)
|el maga/mana consejala(s)
|}

Again, this rule is not rigid (especially in the Zamboangueño formal mode). The articles 'los' or 'las' do exist sometimes before nouns that are pluralized in the Spanish manner, and their use is quite accepted:

:'''los caballeros''', '''los dias''', '''las noches''', '''los chavacanos''', '''los santos''', '''las mañanas''', '''las almujadas''', '''las mesas''', '''las plumas''', '''las cosas'''

When in doubt, it is always safe to use 'el' and 'maga or mana' to pluralize singular nouns:

:'''el maga/mana caballero(s)''', '''el maga/mana día(s)''', '''el maga/mana noche(s)''', '''el maga/mana chavacano(s)''', '''el maga/mana santo(s)''', '''el maga/mana día(s) que viene''' (this is a phrase; 'el maga/mana mañana' is uncommon), '''el maga/mana almujada(s)''', '''el maga/mana mesa(s)''', '''el maga/mana pluma(s)'''

In Chavacano, it is common for some nouns to become doubled when pluralized (called ''[[Reduplication]]'', a characteristic of the Malayo-Polynesian family of languages):

:'''el maga cosa-cosa''' (el maga cosa/s is common), '''el maga casa casa''' (el maga casa is common), '''el maga gente gente''' (el maga gente is common), '''el maga juego juego''' (el maga juego is common)

But note that in some cases, this "reduplication" signifies a difference in meaning.  For example,  'el maga bata' means 'the children' but 'el maga bata-bata' means one's followers or subordinates, as is a gang or mob.

In general, the suffixes -s, -as, -os to pluralize nouns in Spanish have also almost disappeared in Chavacano. However, the formation of plural nouns with suffixes ending in -s, -as, and -os are accepted. Basically, the singular form of the noun is retained, and it becomes plural because of the preceding modifier/plural marker 'maga' or 'mana':

:'''el maga/mana caballeros''' (accepted)
:'''el maga/mana caballero''' (correct)
:'''el maga/mana días''' (accepted)
:'''el maga/mana día''' (correct)

Adding the suffix -es to some nouns is quite common and accepted. Nouns ending in -cion can also be pluralized by adding the suffix -es:

:'''el maga meses''', '''el maga mujeres''', '''el maga mayores''', '''el maga tentaciones''', '''el maga contestaciones''', '''el maga naciones''', '''el maga organizaciones'''

However, it is safer to use the general rule (when in doubt) of retaining the singular form of the noun preceded by the modifier/plural marker 'maga' or 'mana':

:'''el maga mes''', '''el maga mujer''', '''el maga mayor''', '''el maga tentación''', '''el maga contestación''', '''el maga nación''', '''el maga organización'''

===Pronouns===

Chavacano pronouns are based on Spanish and native sources; many of the pronouns are not used in either but may be derived in part.

In contrast to the other varieties of Chavacano, the variety spoken in Zamboanga uses more pronouns derived from a native Philippine language (I.e. Hiligaynon) in addition to Spanish. In Zamboangueño, there are three different levels of usage for certain pronouns depending on the level of familiarity between the speaker and the addressee, the status of both in family and society, or the mood of the speaker and addressee at the particular moment: ''common'', ''familiar'', and ''formal''. The common forms are, particularly in the second and third person plural, derived from Cebuano while most familiar and formal forms are from Spanish. The ''common forms'' are used to address a person below or of equal social or family status or to someone is who is acquainted. The common forms are used to regard no formality or courtesy in conversation. Its use can also mean rudeness, impoliteness or offensiveness. The ''familiar forms'' are used to address someone of equal social or family status. It indicates courteousness, and is commonly used in public conversations, the broadcast media, and in education. The ''formal forms'' are used to address someone older and/or higher in social or family status. It is the form used in writing.

Additionally, Zamboangueño is the only variety of Chavacano which distinguishes between the [[inclusive and exclusive we|inclusive we]] (''kita'') – including the person spoken to (the addressee) – and the [[inclusive and exclusive we|exclusive we]] (''kame'') – excluding the person spoken to (the addressee) – in the first person plural except in the formal form where ''nosotros'' is used for both.

====Personal (nominative/subjective case) pronouns====

Below is a table comparing the personal pronouns in three varieties of Chavacano.

{| class="wikitable"
!&nbsp;
!Zamboangueño
!Caviteño
!Bahra
!Castellano Abakay (de Davao)
|-
|'''1st person singular'''
|yo
| colspan="2" align="center" | yo
|yo (Chino, Japón)
ako (Chino)
|-
|'''2nd person singular'''
|[e]vo[s] (common)/(informal)<br>tú (familiar)<br>usted (formal)
|vo/bo<br>tu<br>usté
|vo/bo<br>usté
|usted
vos
|-
|'''3rd person singular'''
|él<br>ele
| colspan="2" align="center" | eli
|él
|-
|'''1st person plural'''
|kamé (exclusive/common/familiar)<br>kitá (inclusive/common/familiar)<br>nosotros (formal)
|nisos
|mijotro<br>mihotro<br>motro
|nosotros (Chino, Japón)
|-
|'''2nd person plural'''
|kamó (common)<br> vosotros (familiar)<br> ustedes (formal)
|vusos<br>busos
|buhotro<br>bujotro<br>ustedi<br>tedi
|ustedes
vosotros
|-
|'''3rd person plural'''
|silá (common/familiar)<br>ellos (formal)
|ilos
|lojotro<br>lohotro<br>lotro
|ellos
|}

====Possessive pronouns (Zamboangueño Chavacano, Castellano Abakay)====

The usage modes also exist in the possessive pronouns especially in Zamboangueño. ''Amon'', ''aton'', ''ila'' and ''inyo'' are obviously of [[Hiligaynon language|Hiligaynon]] but not [[Cebuano language|Cebuano]] origins, and when used as pronouns, they are of either the common or familiar mode. The inclusive and exclusive characteristics peculiar to Zamboangueño appear again in the 1st person plural. Below is a table of the possessive pronouns in the Chavacano de Zamboanga:

{| class="wikitable"
!&nbsp;
!Zamboangueño
!Castellano Abakay (de Davao)
|-
|'''1st person singular'''
|mi<br>mío<br>de mi<br>de mío<br>di mio/di mío
|mi
mío
|-
|'''2nd person singular'''
|de vos (''common'')<br>de tu (''familiar'')<br>tuyo (''familiar'')<br>de tuyo/di tuyo (''familiar'')<br>de usted (''formal'')
|de tu
|-
|'''3rd person singular'''
|su<br>suyo<br>de su<br>de suyo/di suyo
|ese (Chino, Japón)
de iya (Chino)
|-
|'''1st person plural'''
|de amón/diamon (''common/familiar'') (exclusive)<br>de atón/diaton (''common/familiar'') (inclusive)<br>nuestro (''formal'')<br>de/di nuestro (''formal'')
|nuestro
|-
|'''2nd person plural'''
|de iño/di inyo (''common'')<br>de vosotros (''familiar'')<br>de ustedes (''formal'')
|vos
|-
|'''3rd person plural'''
|de ila (''common/familiar'')<br>de ellos/di ellos (''formal'')
|de ellos
|}

===Verbs===

In Zamboangueño, Chavacano verbs are mostly Spanish in origin. In contrast with the other varieties, there is rarely a Zamboangueño verb that is based on or has its origin from other Philippine languages. Hence, verbs contribute much of the Spanish vocabulary in Chavacano de Zamboanga.

Generally, the simple form of the Zamboangueño verb is based upon the infinitive of the Spanish verb, minus the final /r/. For example, ''continuar'', ''hablar'', ''poner'', ''recibir'', and ''llevar'' become ''continuá'', ''hablá'', ''poné'', ''recibí'', and ''llevá'' with the accent called "acento agudo" on the final syllable.

There are some rare exceptions. Some verbs are not derived from infinitives but from words that are technically Spanish phrases or from other Spanish verbs. For example, ''dar'' (give) does not become 'da' but ''dale'' (give) (literally in Spanish, to "give it" [verb phrase]). In this case, ''dale'' has nothing to do with the Spanish infinitive ''dar''. The Chavacano ''brinca'' (to hop) is from Spanish ''brincar'' which means the same thing.

====Verb tenses – simple tenses====

Chavacano of Zamboangueño uses the words ''ya'' (from Spanish ''ya'' [already]), ''ta'' (from Spanish ''está'' [is]), and ''ay'' plus the simple form of the verb to convey the basic tenses of [[past tense|past]], [[present tense|present]], and [[future tense|future]] respectively:

{| class="wikitable"
!English infinitive
!Spanish infinitive
!Zamboangueño infinitive
!Past tense
!Present tense
!Future tense
|-
|to sing
|cantar
|cantá
|ya cantá
|ta cantá
|ay cantá
|-
|to drink
|beber
|bebé
|ya bebé
|ta bebé
|ay bebé
|-
|to sleep
|dormir
|dormí
|ya dormí
|ta dormí
|ay dormí
|-
|to ask (of something)
|pedir
|pedí
|ya pedí
|ta pedí
|ay pedí
|}

Caviteño uses the words ''ya'', ''ta'', and ''di'' plus the simple form of the verb to convey the basic tenses of [[past tense|past]], [[present tense|present]], and [[future tense|future]] respectively:

{| class="wikitable"
!English infinitive
!Spanish infinitive
!Caviteño infinitive
!Past tense
!Present tense
!Future tense
|-
|to sing
|cantar
|cantá
|ya cantá
|ta cantá
|di cantá
|-
|to drink
|beber
|bebé
|ya bebé
|ta bebé
|di bebé
|-
|to sleep
|dormir
|dormí
|ya dormí
|ta dormí
|di dormí
|-
|to ask (of something)
|pedir
|pedí
|ya pedí
|ta pedí
|di pedí
|}

While Bahra uses the words ''a'', ''ta'', and ''di'' plus the simple form of the verb to convey the basic tenses of [[past tense|past]], [[present tense|present]], and [[future tense|future]] respectively:

{| class="wikitable"
!English infinitive
!Spanish infinitive
!Bahra ininitive
!Past tense
!Present tense
!Future tense
|-
|to sing
|cantar
|cantá
|a cantá
|ta cantá
|di cantá
|-
|to drink
|beber
|bebé
|a bebé
|ta bebé
|di bebé
|-
|to sleep
|dormir
|dormí
|a dormí
|ta dormí
|di dormí
|-
|to ask (of something)
|pedir
|pedí
|a pedí
|ta pedí
|di pedí
|}
Unlike in the Zamboangueño, Caviteño, and Bahra, Castellano Abakay (Davaoeño) doesn't have the ''ya'' and ''ta'' prefix. The infinitives and their conjugations are somehow retained, and there are some that have simplified conjugations:
{| class="wikitable"
!English infinitive
!Spanish infinitive
!Castellano Abakay infinitive
!Past tense
!Present tense
!Future tense
|-
|to sing
|cantar
|cantar
|cantó
|canta
|cantá
|-
|to drink
|beber
|beber
|bibío
|bebe
|bebé
|-
|to sleep
|dormir
|dormir
|durmió
|duerme
|dormí
|-
|to ask (of something)
|pedir
|pedir
|pidió
|pide
|pedí
|}

=====Perfect constructions=====

In Zamboangueño, there are three ways to express that the verb is in the [[present perfect]]. First, ''ya'' can appear both before and after the main verb to express that in the present perspective, the action has already been completed somewhere in the past with the accent falling on the final ''ya''. Second, ''ta'' and ''ya'' can appear before and after the verb respectively to express that the action was expected to happen in the past (but did not happen), is still expected to happen in the present, and actually the expectation has been met (the verb occurs in the present). And third, a verb between ''ta'' and ''pa'' means an action started in the past and still continues in the present:

{| class="wikitable"
!Zamboangueño past perfect
!Zamboangueño present perfect
!Zamboangueño future perfect
|-
|ya cantá ya.
|ta cantá pa. / ta canta ya.
|ay cantá ya.
|-
|ya bebé ya.
|ta bebé pa. / ta bebe ya.
|ay bebé ya.
|-
|ya dormí ya.
|ta dormí pa. / ta dormi ya.
|ay dormí ya.
|-
|ya pedí ya.
|ya pedí pa. / ya pedí ya.
|ay pedí ya.
|}

The [[past perfect]] exists in Zamboangueño. The words ''antes'' (before) and ''despues'' (after) can be used between two sentences in the simple past form to show which verb came first. The words ''antes'' (before) and ''despues'' (after) can also be used between a sentence in the present perfect using ''ya'' + verb + ''ya'' and another sentence in the simple past tense:

{| class="wikitable"
!Past perfect (Zamboangueño)
!Past perfect (English)
|-
|Ya mirá kame el película antes de ya comprá con el maga chichirías.
|We had watched the movie before we bought the snacks.
|}

{| class="wikitable"
!Past perfect (Zamboangueño)
!Past perfect (English)
|-
|Ya mirá ya kame el película después ya comprá kame con el maga chichirías.
|We had watched the movie and then we bought the snacks.
|}

Zamboangueño Chavacano uses a verb between "hay" and "ya" to denote the [[future perfect]] and [[past perfect]] respectively:

{| class="wikitable"
!Future perfect (Zamboangueño)
!Future perfect (English)
|-
|Hay mirá ya kame el película si hay llegá vosotros.
|We will have watched the movie when you arrive.
|}

Zamboangueño Chavacano also uses a verb between "ta" and "ya" to denote the [[present perfect]]:

{| class="wikitable"
!Present perfect (Zamboangueño)
!Present perfect (English)
|-
|Ta mirá ya kame con el película mientras ta esperá con vosotros.
|We are already watching the movie while waiting for you.
|}

====Passive and active voice====

To form the Zamboangueño Chavacano active voice, Zamboangueños follow the pattern:

'''El maga soldao ya mata con el criminal'''
The soldiers killed the criminal.

As illustrated above, active (causative) voice is formed by placing the doer ''el maga soldao'' before the verb phrase ''ya mata'' and then the object ''el criminal'' as indicated by the particle ''con''

Traditionally, Zamboangueño does not have a passive construction of its own.<ref>Chabacano de Zamboanga Handbook</ref>