Photography

1. Siña hu litråtu hao?

   Si-na hu li-tra-tu hao

   Can I take your photo?

   Usage

   Asking permission before taking someone's photograph

   Grammar Note

   "litråtu" is both the noun "picture" and the verb "to photograph" (example: "Ha litråtu i gima'." = He took a picture of the house). Being transitive it takes the hu-type marker "hu", not the object pronoun "yu'"

2. Manggige' yo' para foto.

   Man-gi-ge yo pa-ra fo-to

   I am posing for a photo

   Usage

   Describing that you are posing for a photograph

   Grammar Note

   "foto" is from Spanish. Chamorro sentences often begin with the verb

3. Gof bunitu este na litråto!

   Gof bu-ni-tu es-te na li-trah-to

   This is a great photo!

   Usage

   Complimenting a photograph you are looking at

   Grammar Note

   "gof" is the adverb "very" and "bunitu" is the adjective "pretty, attractive, nice". The adjective comes first, followed by the thing described. "litråto" means a picture or photo

4. Hu na'hånao este na litråto gi as nana-hu.

   Hu na-HA-nao es-te na li-trah-to gi as na-na-hu

   I sent this photo to my mother

   Usage

   Telling someone you sent a photo to a family member

   Grammar Note

   "nana" means mother in Chamorro. "-hu" is the first-person possessive suffix. "as" marks human objects

5. Håfa i na'ån-ña este na lugåt?

   Hah-fa i na-an-nya es-te na lu-gat

   What is the name of this place?

   Usage

   Asking for the name of a location before photographing it

   Grammar Note

   "nå'an" means name in Chamorro. "-ña" is the third-person possessive suffix meaning "its/his/her"

6. Debi di kumahulo' i litråtu.

   De-bi di ku-mah-u-lo i li-tra-tu

   I need to upload the photo

   Usage

   Talking about uploading a photo to social media or a sharing service

   Grammar Note

   "debi di" from Spanish "debo de" (I must). "kumåhulo'" literally means "to bring up/raise"

7. Nangga ya ta tuma'lo litråto.

   Nang-ga ya ta tu-ma-lo li-trah-to

   Wait, let's take another photo

   Usage

   Suggesting to take another photo if the first one is not satisfactory

   Grammar Note

   "nangga" is the Chamorro imperative for "wait". "ta" prefix signals an inclusive "let's" construction

8. Ti siña ma litråtu gue'.

   Ti si-nya ma li-trah-tu gwe

   Photography of that person is not allowed

   Usage

   Indicating that photographing a certain person or location is forbidden

   Grammar Note

   "ti" is the negative marker and "siña" is "can". "ma-" marks an unspecified agent (passive) and "litråtu" is "to take a picture" (both noun and verb). Literally "that person cannot be photographed". There is no word for "forbidden" here, so "ti siña" is used

9. Malago' yo' litråtu gi tåsi.

   Ma-la-go yo li-tra-tu gi ta-si

   I want to take photos by the sea

   Usage

   Expressing a desire to take photos by Guam's beautiful coastline

   Grammar Note

   "tasi" is the Chamorro word for sea. Guam's waters, like Tumon Bay, are renowned for their beauty

10. Siña yu' hålom gi litråto?

    Si-nya yu ha-lom gi li-trah-to

    Let me join you in the photo

    Usage

    Asking to be included in a group photo

    Grammar Note

    "hålom" is an intransitive verb meaning "to enter / participate", so "yu'" is used after "siña". "gi" is a locative preposition. (The "hungok" of "manhungok" means "to hear", not "to join".)

Browse all TravelPhrases languages