Laundry

1. Mångge i labandiria?

   Mang-ge i la-ban-di-ri-a

   Where is the laundromat?

   Usage

   Asking for the location of a laundromat or laundry facility

   Grammar Note

   "labandiria" is from Spanish "lavandería". Found in hotels and residential areas throughout Guam

2. Nisisita yo' fa'gåsi i magagu-ku.

   Ni-si-si-ta yo fa-ga-si i ma-ga-gu-ku

   I need to wash my clothes

   Usage

   Expressing the need to do laundry while traveling

   Grammar Note

   "To wash" is fa'gåsi (e.g. "Hu fa'gåsi i magågu." = I washed the clothes). Clothing is magågu, which shifts stress under a possessive suffix (magagu-ku). "To need" is nisisita (borrowed from Spanish necesitar)

3. Kuanto na ora para u fama'gåsi?

   Kwan-to na o-ra pa-ra u fa-ma-ga-si

   How many hours does it take to wash?

   Usage

   Asking how long the laundry process will take

   Grammar Note

   Both "kuånto" (from Spanish "cuánto") and "ora" (from "hora") are Spanish loanwords. fama'gåsi reads as a future when preceded by "para bai" or "para u" (e.g. "Para u fama'gåsi."), which is the frame used here

4. Guaha detehente gi tenda-ña?

   Gwa-ha de-te-hen-te gi ten-da-nya

   Is there detergent at the store?

   Usage

   Asking if a store carries laundry detergent

   Grammar Note

   "detehente" from Spanish "detergente". "tenda" from Spanish "tienda" (store)

5. Måkpo' i labåda.

   Mak-po i la-ba-da

   The laundry is done

   Usage

   Announcing that the laundry cycle has finished

   Grammar Note

   måkpo' means "finished, ended" and is used in the frame "Måkpo' + i + noun" (e.g. "Måkpo' i nubenå-hu agupa'."). Laundry is labåda, "washed clothes or clothes to be washed" (e.g. "Esta manånglo' i labadå-hu.")

6. Hu na'hålom i magågu gi måkinan fanåla'.

   Hu na-ha-lom i ma-GA-gu gi ma-ki-nan fa-na-la

   I put the clothes in the dryer

   Usage

   Talking about using a clothes dryer after washing

   Grammar Note

   "na'hålom" is a transitive verb meaning "to put in" (causative of "hålom", to enter). "måkinan fanåla'" (machine + -n link + "to dry") expresses a dryer; there is no dedicated word for it, so this is a descriptive phrase

7. Nisisita prensa este na magågu.

   Ni-si-SI-ta pren-sa es-te na ma-GA-gu

   This clothing needs ironing

   Usage

   Noticing that an item of clothing needs to be ironed

   Grammar Note

   "prensa" is both a noun (flat iron) and a verb (to iron, to press). "Nisisita" means "needs"

8. Siña hu na'suha este na måncha.

   Si-nya hu na-su-ha es-te na man-cha

   I can remove this stain

   Usage

   Discussing how to deal with a stain on clothing

   Grammar Note

   "na'suha" is a transitive verb meaning "to remove / put aside" (causative of "suha", move away). "måncha" means a stain or spot. A transitive verb after "siña" takes "hu"

9. Kuanto båli-ña i labandiria?

   Kwan-to ba-li-nya i la-ban-di-ri-a

   How much does the laundromat charge?

   Usage

   Asking about the cost of a laundry service

   Grammar Note

   "båli" is a noun meaning value, cost or worth; "-ña" means "its". "Kuanto" is from Spanish "cuánto" (how much)

10. Hu á'kalaye' i magågu gi fanalå'an.

    Hu a-ka-la-ye i ma-GA-gu gi fa-na-la-an

    I hung the clothes on the line

    Usage

    Describing hanging laundry out to dry on a clothesline

    Grammar Note

    "á'kalaye'" means "to hang, to suspend". "fanalå'an" is a drying rack or clothesline. Guam's sunny weather often favors line-drying over machines

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