Language Learning

1. Hu estudia i fino' CHamoru.

   Hu es-tu-di-a i fi-no cha-mo-ru

   I am learning Chamorro

   Usage

   Telling someone you are currently studying Chamorro

   Grammar Note

   "estudia" is a transitive verb meaning "to study" (from Spanish estudiar); "fino'" means "language", so "fino' CHamoru" is the Chamorro language. Chamorro is heavily influenced by Spanish and English

2. Håfa i fundamento-ña este?

   Hah-fa i fun-da-men-to-nya es-te

   What does this mean?

   Usage

   Asking for the meaning of a Chamorro word or expression

   Grammar Note

   "fundamento" means "meaning" in Chamorro. The suffix "-ña" indicates possession or relation

3. Siña un ripiti, pot fabót?

   Si-nya un ri-pi-ti pot fa-bot

   Can you repeat that, please?

   Usage

   Asking someone to repeat something you did not understand

   Grammar Note

   "ripiti" from Spanish "repetir". "pot fabot" from Spanish "por favor" (please)

4. Korihi yu' yanggen lálachi yu', pot fabót.

   Ko-ri-hi yu yang-gen LA-la-chi yu, pot fa-bot

   Please correct me if I make a mistake

   Usage

   Asking a native speaker to correct your language mistakes

   Grammar Note

   korihi is "to correct", followed by the object pronoun yu' (me). lálachi is the reduplicated verb "to be making a mistake" (e.g. "Lálachi i che'cho-ña…"). yanggen is the conditional conjunction "if / when"

5. Håfa na klasen CHamoru un atende?

   Hah-fa na kla-sen cha-mo-ru un a-ten-de

   What kind of Chamorro class did you attend?

   Usage

   Asking someone about their experience in Chamorro language classes

   Grammar Note

   Chamorro is taught in Guam's public schools. Language preservation is a major cultural priority

6. Nå'an-ña håfa este gi CHamoru?

   Nah-an-nya hah-fa es-te gi cha-mo-ru

   What is this called in Chamorro?

   Usage

   Asking what something is called in the Chamorro language

   Grammar Note

   "nå'an" means name. "-ña" is third-person possessive. "gi" is a locative/instrumental preposition

7. Hu gofli'e' kumuentos CHamoru.

   Hu gof-li-e ku-mu-en-tos cha-mo-ru

   I love speaking Chamorro

   Usage

   Expressing enthusiasm for speaking the Chamorro language

   Grammar Note

   "gofli'e'" means "to love/like" in Chamorro. "kumuentos" derives from Spanish "cuentos"

8. Dikike' ha' i tiningo'-ku gi CHamoru.

   Di-ki-ke ha i ti-ni-ngo-ku gi cha-mo-ru

   My knowledge of Chamorro is still small

   Usage

   Humbly acknowledging that your Chamorro skills are still at a basic level

   Grammar Note

   "dikike'" means "small" in Chamorro. "tiningo'" means "knowledge" — the nominalized form of "tungo'"

9. Kao siña hao kumuentos dispåsiu gi fino' CHamoru?

   Kao si-nya hao ku-mu-en-tos dis-pa-siu gi fi-no cha-mo-ru

   Can you speak Chamorro slowly?

   Usage

   Asking a Chamorro speaker to slow down for better comprehension

   Grammar Note

   Kao marks a yes/no question. After siña the verb stays in its plain form; an intransitive verb takes the -um- infix and the absolutive hao (e.g. "Kao siña hao humugåndo tamyao?"). "Slowly" is dispåsiu (from Spanish despacio) and follows the verb ("Klåru kumuentos yan dispåsiu."). "In CHamoru" is gi fino' CHamoru

10. Magof yo' na hu tungo' CHamoru.

    Ma-gof yo na hu tu-ngo cha-mo-ru

    I am happy that I know Chamorro

    Usage

    Expressing joy and pride in having learned the Chamorro language

    Grammar Note

    "tungo'" means "to know" in Chamorro. "magof" is the adjective for happy or glad

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