Emergency

1. Ayuda yo'! Dångkolo na problema!

   A-yu-da yo! DANG-ko-lo na pro-ble-ma

   Help me! Big problem!

   Usage

   Shout for help in an emergency

   Grammar Note

   ayuda is from Spanish; in Guam dial 911 for emergencies

2. Ågang i polisía!

   A-gang i po-li-sia

   Call the police!

   Usage

   Urgently request someone to call the police

   Grammar Note

   "Ågang" means to call or summon. Note the accent distinguishes two words: polisía = police, while polisia without the accent = policy or regulation. Guam is a US territory — dial 911

3. Na'hånao yo' asta i espitåt.

   Na-HA-nao yo as-ta i es-pi-tat

   Please take me to the hospital.

   Usage

   Request transport to the hospital in a medical emergency

   Grammar Note

   espitåt from Spanish hospital; asta means "as far as" or "to"

4. Abak yu' gi chålan-hu.

   A-bak yu gi cha-lan-hu

   I am lost on my way.

   Usage

   Express being lost and ask for directions

   Grammar Note

   chålan means road or path; gi is the locative preposition

5. Ågang i ambulånsia!

   A-gang i am-bu-lan-sia

   Call an ambulance!

   Usage

   Urgently request an ambulance in a medical emergency

   Grammar Note

   "Ågang" means to call or summon. "Ambulånsia" is from Spanish "ambulancia"; call 911 in Guam for emergencies

6. Nå'i yo' hånom, pot fabót!

   Na-i yo ha-nom, pot fa-bot

   Please give me water!

   Usage

   Urgently request water in case of dehydration or heatstroke

   Grammar Note

   "Hånom" is the native word for water. Do not use "åguas": that is a different word, a fish (baby mullet), not water

7. Guaha ladrón! Ayuda yo'!

   Gua-ha la-dron! A-yu-da yo!

   There is a thief! Help me!

   Usage

   Call for help when you have been robbed or see a thief

   Grammar Note

   ladron from Spanish ladrón (thief); in Guam English words like "thief" and "help" are equally understood

8. Guaha allergy-hu!

   GWA-ha AL-ler-gy-hu

   I have an allergy!

   Usage

   Alert others to a food or medication allergy

   Grammar Note

   CHamoru has no word for allergy, so the English word is used with the possessive suffix -hu. English is understood in Guam and is safest with medical staff. "malalågu" is built on malågu (to run) and does not mean allergy

9. Sangåni yo' mångge i konsulåo.

   Sa-NGA-ni yo mang-ge i kon-su-lao

   Please tell me where the consulate is.

   Usage

   Ask for the location of your country's consulate in an emergency

   Grammar Note

   "Sangåni" means to inform or tell. "Konsulåo" is from Spanish consulado

10. Guaha peligru!

    Gua-ha pe-LI-gru

    There is danger!

    Usage

    Warn those around you of immediate danger

    Grammar Note

    "Peligru" means danger or dangerous, borrowed from Spanish peligro — used for urgent warnings

11. Guåfi

    Fire

    Usage

    Point at this word to report that there is a fire

12. Mumon linahyan

    Riot

    Usage

    Point at this word to report that a crowd has turned violent

13. Bomba

    Bomb

    Usage

    Point at this word to warn about an explosive device. There is also a separate noun "bomba" meaning a pump, so keep this card to emergencies

14. Guåfi! Falågu!

    GUA-fi! fa-LA-gu

    Fire! Run!

    Usage

    Shout this to warn of a fire and tell people to get out

    Grammar Note

    The CHamoru imperative is the bare verb. "falågu" is a verb meaning to run, go rapidly, flee or escape

15. Ladrón! Go'te gue'!

    la-DRON! GO-te gue

    Thief! Catch him!

    Usage

    Shout this while pointing at a thief to get bystanders to stop him

    Grammar Note

    "Ladrón" means robber or thief. The imperative is the bare verb. "go'te" means to hold, grab or seize, and "gue'" is the third-person singular weak pronoun (he/she/it), which has no gender

16. Mångge i polisía?

    MANG-ge i po-li-sia

    Where are the police?

    Usage

    Used to ask where the police are

    Grammar Note

    "polisía" names the police as an institution (there is no single word for the building, "police station"). "Mångge <noun phrase>?" asks "Where is ...?"

17. Malago' yo' settifiku ginen i polisía.

    ma-LA-go yo set-ti-FI-ku gi-nen i po-li-sia

    I need a police report

    Usage

    Used after a theft to ask the police for a written certificate, e.g. for an insurance claim. There is no noun for "theft", so the sentence does not name it; say or mime that part

    Grammar Note

    "Malago' yo' + noun" is the "I want ..." frame. "ginen" means "from". "settifiku" means "certificate, document". Note: instead of a polite imperative for "please issue/make", the card says "I need ..."

18. Kao guaha taotao ni' kuentos Håpones?

    Kao GWA-ha tao-tao ni kuen-tos ha-PO-nes

    Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?

    Usage

    Used at a counter or hospital to look for someone who speaks Japanese

    Grammar Note

    "Kao guaha ...?" is the frame for "Is there ...?". The relative marker "ni'" modifies the noun. "kuentos <language>" means "to speak <language>"

19. Lalangu este na taotao.

    la-LA-ngu es-te na tao-tao

    This person is unconscious

    Usage

    Used while pointing at a collapsed person to call for help

    Grammar Note

    CHamoru is predicate-initial (VSO), so a predicate adjective also precedes its subject. "lalangu" is an adjective meaning fainted, passed out, unconscious, and "taotao" means "person"

20. Måtmos i taotao!

    MAT-mos i tao-tao

    Someone is drowning

    Usage

    Shout this while pointing at someone in the water

    Grammar Note

    The predicate-initial order takes the "verb + i + subject" form. "måtmos" means "to be drowned" and "taotao" means "person"

21. Ma dommo' yo'.

    ma DOM-mo yo

    I was beaten

    Usage

    Used to report being assaulted

    Grammar Note

    The agentless "ma + verb" construction. The object "yo'" follows the verb. "dommo'" means to punch or strike with the fist

22. Ma chungat yo'.

    ma chu-ngat yo

    I was stabbed

    Usage

    Used to report having been stabbed with a blade

    Grammar Note

    The "ma + verb + yo'" construction. "chungat" means to cut, to open, to stab, to pierce with a sharp object — the meaning itself specifies a sharp object, so no separate word for the blade is needed

23. Hålom i ladrón gi kuåtton-hu.

    HA-lom i la-dron gi kuat-ton-hu

    A thief got into my room

    Usage

    Used to report that someone got into your room while you were away

    Grammar Note

    The order is "verb + i + subject + gi + place". "ladrón" means robber or thief, and "hålom" means to enter or get in. Note: there is no single word for burglary of an empty house, so the Japanese gloss says what the sentence actually says

24. Guiya i kriminåt.

    gui-ya i kri-mi-NAT

    That person is the culprit

    Usage

    Used while pointing out the offender to the police

    Grammar Note

    The emphatic pronoun heads the sentence. "guiya" is the emphatic third-person singular (he, she, it), which has no gender. "kriminåt" means criminal. Note: the word is the general noun "criminal" rather than a word for "the perpetrator of this particular crime", and is meant to be used while pointing.

25. Ma fa'baba yo'.

    ma fa-BA-ba yo

    I was deceived

    Usage

    Used to report having been cheated or scammed

    Grammar Note

    The "ma + verb + yo'" construction. "fa'baba" means to fool, to trick, to cheat

26. Ma såkki i katpeta-hu.

    ma SAK-ki i kat-PE-ta-hu

    My wallet was stolen

    Usage

    Used to report a stolen wallet to the police

    Grammar Note

    The agentless "ma + verb + i + object" construction. The possessive suffix "-hu" means "my". "såkki" means "to steal" and "katpeta" means billfold, wallet, purse

27. Hu dingu i kåtga-hu.

    hu DI-ngu i kat-ga-hu

    I left my bag behind

    Usage

    Used to say you left your bag somewhere

    Grammar Note

    "Hu + verb + object" is the "I ..." construction. The possessive "-hu" means "my". "dingu" means to leave behind or abandon

28. Ha totpe yo' i kareta.

    ha TOT-pe yo i ka-RE-ta

    I was hit by a car

    Usage

    Used to report having been hit by a car

    Grammar Note

    "ha + verb + object + subject" is the third-person agent construction. "totpe" means to bump against or collide with, and "kareta" means cart, car, vehicle on wheels

29. Alula pot fabót.

    a-LU-la pot fa-bot

    Please hurry

    Usage

    Used to ask someone to hurry

    Grammar Note

    "verb + pot fabót" is the polite request frame. "alula" means to hurry, to make haste

30. Maila' på'go!

    mai-la PA-go

    Please come right away

    Usage

    Used to ask someone to come immediately

    Grammar Note

    "Maila'!" means "Come!". "på'go" means "now, today"

31. Presisu este!

    pre-SI-su es-te

    It's an emergency

    Usage

    Used to say that the situation is urgent

    Grammar Note

    The predicate-initial "adjective + este" order. "presisu" means urgent, important, requiring immediate attention. Note: there is no noun for the state "emergency", so the adjective is used instead

32. Guaha aksidente gi chålan.

    Gua-ha ak-si-DEN-te gi CHA-lan

    There has been a traffic accident

    Usage

    Tell an emergency line or the people around you that a road accident has happened

    Grammar Note

    "Guaha aksidente" followed by "gi chålan" ("on the road"). "aksidente" means accident, and "chålan" means path, road, street. Spell it chålan (with the å)

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