Martial Arts

1. Guaha gym MMA giya Guåhan?

   Gua-ha gym MMA gi-ya Guå-han?

   Is there an MMA gym in Guam?

   Usage

   Guam is known for an unusually deep mixed martial arts scene for its size and has sent fighters to the UFC. Several gyms operate around Hagåtña and Tamuning and take visitors for a single session. Conversations run mainly in English, with Chamorro used for greetings and local colour

   Grammar Note

   Existence is expressed as "Guaha + noun". "Giya" is the locative preposition used before place and person names, while ordinary nouns take "gi". The letter "å" writes an open a distinct from plain "a"

2. Siña yu' humålom gi este na klåsi på'go?

   Si-ña yu' hu-må-lom gi es-te na klå-si på'-go?

   May I join this class today?

   Usage

   Asking about a drop-in. Guam gyms commonly take visitors for a single session at around US$25-35. As a United States territory, expect to sign a liability waiver first

   Grammar Note

   "Humålom" inserts the infix "-um-" into the root "hålom" (inside) to make a verb, a hallmark of Chamorro morphology. A demonstrative links to its noun with "na": "este na klåsi"

3. Siña hu atan ha' i ineyak?

   Si-ña hu a-tan ha' i i-ne-yak?

   May I just watch the training?

   Usage

   Asking to observe. Guam gyms are relaxed about spectators and will usually let you watch for free. Filming can be unwelcome if fighters are preparing for a bout, so always ask first

   Grammar Note

   Chamorro uses different subject pronouns for transitive and intransitive verbs: "hu" precedes a transitive verb, while "yu'" follows an intransitive one. "Ineyak" nominalises "eyak" (to imitate, to follow as a model) with the infix "-in-" and means "training, education" — a drill session itself would be "praktika".

4. Kuanto presiu para un klåsi?

   Kuån-to pre-siu pa-ra un klå-si?

   How much is one class?

   Usage

   Asking the price. Guam uses the US dollar; a drop-in runs US$25-35 and a monthly membership US$100-150. Gi rental for jiu-jitsu is usually charged separately, and some gyms offer short-stay packages for visitors

   Grammar Note

   Over three centuries of Spanish rule left Chamorro with heavy Spanish influence in numerals, weekdays, telling time and religious vocabulary. "Kuånto", "presiu" and "para" all come from Spanish. Price is presiu — "presu" means "prison / prisoner"

5. Nuebu yu' gi boksing.

   Nue-bu yu' gi bok-sing.

   I am new to boxing.

   Usage

   Flagging that you are a beginner. Many Guam gyms run separate beginner classes, and telling the coach outright lets them adjust the session. Swap "boksing" for "MMA" or "jiu-jitsu"

   Grammar Note

   Predicate adjectives need no copula: the order is simply "adjective + pronoun", as in "Nuebu yu'". Chamorro places the predicate at the front of the clause by default

6. Pot fabót, cha'-mu mumetgot dimasiáo.

   Pot fa-bot, cha'-mu mu-met-got di-ma-siåo.

   Please, do not go too hard.

   Usage

   For asking a partner to lower the intensity. Guam gyms carry a lot of competitive fighters and sparring can run hot. "Go light" in English is understood, but the important thing is to say something

   Grammar Note

   Prohibitions use "cha'-" with a person suffix: "cha'-mu" (you singular), "cha'-miyu" (you plural). "Pot fabot" is the politeness formula, from Spanish "por favor"

7. Chetnot i tommo-hu, ti siña hu påtek.

   Chet-not i tom-mo-hu, ti si-ña hu pa-tek.

   My knee is injured, so I cannot kick.

   Usage

   Declaring an injury. Guam gyms usually include a health section on the waiver, but a same-day problem can only be flagged verbally. Swap "tommo" (knee) for "apaga" (shoulder) or "tåtalo'" (back)

   Grammar Note

   Possession is marked by a suffix on the noun: "tommo" (knee) gives "tommo-hu" (my knee) and "tommo-mu" (your knee). Negation places "ti" before the predicate

8. Guaha guantes ni siña hu usa?

   Gua-ha guan-tes ni si-ña hu u-sa?

   Are there gloves I can use?

   Usage

   Checking on equipment. Guam gyms often lend gloves to a first-time visitor, but a mouthguard and wraps are effectively always your own for hygiene. A jiu-jitsu gi typically rents for US$5-10 a session

   Grammar Note

   "Ni" introduces a relative clause immediately after the noun it modifies. The transitive verb "usa" takes its subject from the preceding "hu", while the object "guantes" has been fronted as the head noun

9. Ki ora na matutuhon i klåsi?

   Ki o-ra na ma-tu-tu-hon i klå-si?

   What time does the class start?

   Usage

   Asking about the timetable. Guam gyms commonly run morning, midday and evening blocks, with schedules posted on their website or Instagram. During typhoon season from July to November a storm condition can close the gym at short notice, so check on the day

   Grammar Note

   Hours are counted with "ora", from Spanish. The prefix "ma-" derives a spontaneous or passive sense, turning "tutuhon" (to start something) into "matutuhon" (to begin)

10. Siña un fanå'gue yu' ni este?

    Si-ña un fa-nå'-gue yu' ni es-te?

    Could you teach me this?

    Usage

    Asking to be taught a move. "Si Yu'os Ma'åse'" is the Chamorro way of saying thank you afterwards. Guam gyms are full of military personnel and visitors and run in English, but locals appreciate hearing this

    Grammar Note

    Transitive subject pronouns precede the verb; the second-person singular is "un". Object pronouns follow the verb, so "fanå'gue yu'" means "teach me"

11. Guaha båñu guini?

    Gua-ha bå-ñu gui-ni?

    Is there a shower here?

    Usage

    Checking for showers. Guam gyms follow the American model and usually have showers and lockers. Jiu-jitsu culture takes skin infections seriously, so always wash straight after training. Towels are your own responsibility

    Grammar Note

    Everyday modern Chamorro mixes English freely, and words for facilities and technology are usually left in English. An older Spanish layer and a newer English layer sit on top of each other

12. Matungo' Guåhan pot i MMA.

    Ma-tu-ngo' Guå-han pot i MMA.

    Guam is known for MMA.

    Usage

    A good conversation opener. With a population of about 160,000, Guam has still produced several UFC fighters, and the island takes real pride in it. Records of a Chamorro traditional fighting art are fragmentary, and nothing survives as a continuously taught system — worth knowing before you ask

    Grammar Note

    The prefix "ma-" forms passives and spontaneous states, turning "tungo'" (to know) into "matungo'" (to be known). Note the predicate-first order with the subject following

13. Håtsa i kannai-mu, atan i atadok-ña i kontrariu-mu.

    Hat-sa i kan-nai-mu, a-tan i a-ta-dok-ña i kon-tra-riu-mu.

    Get your hands up, look at your opponent's eyes.

    Usage

    Said by the coach. One of the most frequent cues during pad work and sparring — reading the eyes rather than the hands tells you what is coming. The clipped imperative carries no harshness

    Grammar Note

    Commands front the bare verb with no subject. Possessive suffixes attach directly to the noun and inflect for person: "-hu" (my), "-mu" (your), "-ña" (his or her)

14. Påtek metgot, cha'-mu muma'ase'.

    Pa-tek met-got, cha'-mu mu-ma'-a-se'.

    Kick hard, do not take pity.

    Usage

    Said by the coach. The call from the pad holder when they want full commitment. Half-hearted contact is the more likely way to hurt yourself, so this doubles as permission to kick at full power

    Grammar Note

    The adjective "metgot" works adverbially when placed after the verb. "Ma'ase'" also appears in "Si Yu'os Ma'åse'" (thank you, literally "may God have mercy"), making it one of the language's key words

15. Deskånsa singko na minutos, ya un gimen hånom.

    Des-kån-sa sing-ko na mi-nu-tos, ya un gi-men hå-nom.

    Rest for five minutes and drink some water.

    Usage

    Said by the coach between rounds. Guam is hot and humid year-round and many gyms have no air conditioning, so water breaks come often. Tap water is drinkable, but most people bring their own bottle

    Grammar Note

    Everyday counting uses Spanish-derived numerals such as "singko" (five); the native numerals survive mainly in counting rhymes and ceremony. "Ya" links actions in sequence

16. Esta nahong på'go na ha'åni. Maolek cho'cho'-mu.

    Es-ta na-hong på'-go na ha'-å-ni. Mao-lek cho'-cho'-mu.

    That is enough for today. Your work was good.

    Usage

    Said by the coach to close the session. Guam gyms usually line up for a bow or go round the room with fist bumps at the end. Replying "Si Yu'os Ma'åse'" to the coach goes down well

    Grammar Note

    "Esta" is the adverb "already, now", matching Spanish "ya". "Cho'cho'" is a reduplicated form meaning work, and takes the possessive suffix "-mu" to give "your work"

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