Chamorro phrasebook

Table of Contents

Pronunciation guide / Vowels / Consonants / Common diphthongs / Phrase list / Basics / Problems / Numbers / Time / Clock time / Duration / Days / Months / Writing time and date / Colors / Transportation / Bus and train / Directions / Taxi / Lodging / Money / Eating / Chamorro phrasebook nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs. / Shopping / Driving / Authority

Chamorro, or Chamoru, is the native language of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Although the English language and Japanese language are commonplace on both Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands, people still use the Chamorro language. Chamorro is also used in mainland United States by immigrants and some of their descendants.

The numbers of Chamorro speakers have declined in recent years, and the younger generations are less likely to know the language. The influence of English, Spanish, and Japanese have caused the language to become endangered. Various representatives from Guam have unsuccessfully lobbied the United States to take action to promote the language.

A large number of Chamorro words have Spanish etymological roots (e.g. tenda "shop/store" from Spanish tienda), which may lead some to mistakenly conclude that the language is a Spanish Creole: However, Chamorro very much uses its loan words in a Micronesian way (eg: bumobola "playing ball" from bola "ball, play ball" with infix -um- and reduplication of root). However, Chamorro can also be considered a mixed language (Hispano-Austronesian) or a language that resulted of a contact and creolization process in the Mariana Islands. Modern Chamorro grammar has many elements of Spanish origin: articles, numbers, prepositions...

There are approximately 50,000 to 75,000 speakers of Chamorro throughout the Marianas archipelago. It is still common among Chamorro households in the Northern Marianas, but fluency has greatly decreased among Guamanian Chamorros during the years of American rule in favor of (a largely pidginized) American English.

Pronunciation guide

Vowels

Consonants

Common diphthongs

Phrase list

Basics

Hello.: Håfa adai! (Hah-fuh-day)
How are you?: Håfa tatatmanu hao? (Hah-fuh-tah-taht-mah-noo-How?)
What is your name?: Hayi na'an-mu? (Hah-zi-na-ahn-moo?)
My name is John.: Si Juan Yu. (See-Hwan-zu.)
Thank you.: Si Yu'us ma'ase. (See-zu-us-Mah-ah-see)
You're welcome.: Buen probechu. (Bwen-proh-beh-chu)
Goodbye.: Adiós. (Ah-dee-yos)
Good morning.: Buenas días. (Bwenas-Dee-as)
Good evening.: Buenas tatdes. (Bwenas-tah-des)
Good night.: Buenas noches. (Bwenas-no-ches)
Good night (see you tomorrow): Asta agupa'. (eh-stah-ah-goo-pah)

Problems

Note that the letter Y is pronounced more like 'dz' as it is in some dialects of Castilian Spanish, and that Ch is usually pronounced like 'ts' rather than 'tsh'. Note also that A and Å are not always distinguished in written Chamorro, often being written simply as 'A'; nor are N and Ñ always distinguished. Thus the Guamanian place name spelled Yona is pronounced 'dzo-nya', not 'yo-na' as might be expected.

Numbers

Current common Chamoru uses only number words of Spanish origin: unu, dos, tres, kuatro, sinko, sais, siette, ocho, nuebi, dies, onse, dose, trese, katotse, kinse, disesisáis...; beinte (benti), trenta, kuarenta, sinkuenta...: sien, dos sientos, tres sientos... kinientos...; mit, dos mit, tres mit...

The Old Chamoru used different number words based on categories: "Basic numbers" (for date, time, etc), "living things", "inanimate things", and "long objects".

1 - uno
2 - dos
3 - tres
4 - kuattro
5 - singko
6 - sais
7 - siette
8 - ocho
9 - nuebi
10 - dies
11 - onse
12 - dosse
13 - tresse
14 - katotse
15 - kinse
16 - disisais
17 - disisiette
18 - disiocho
19 - disinuebi
20 - bente
30 - trenta
40 - kuarenta
50 - singkuenta
60 - sisenta
70 - sitenta
80 - ochenta
90 - nubenta
100 - siento
500 - kinentos
1000 - mit
1,000,000 - miyon

Time

Clock time

Duration

Days

Months

Writing time and date

Colors

Transportation

Bus and train

Directions

Taxi

Lodging

Money

Eating

MEATS

guihan - fish
uhang - shrimp
pånglao - crab
ayuyu (pronounced ah-zoo-zoo) - coconut crab
asuli - eel
påhgang - clam
tapon - baby clam
do'gas - sea shell
mahongang - lobster
kunehu - rabbit
chåda' - egg
påbu - turkey
kåtne - beef
månnok - chicken
katnen babui - pork
fritådan babui - pork chitterling
fritådan guaka - beef chitterling
fritådan månnok - chicken chitterling
chachalon - pork rind

STARCHES

kamuti - sweet potatoes
mendeoka - tapioca
suni - taro
lemmai - breadfruit
nika - sweet yam
batåtas - potatoes
hineksa' - rice (cooked)
pån - bread
titiyas mai'es - corn tortilla
titiyas arina - four tortilla
pugas - uncooked rice

OTHER INGREDIENTS

donne' - pepper
donne' pika - hot pepper
plimenta - black pepper
mantika - lard
friholes - beans
asiga - salt
asukat - sugar
mantekiya - butter
yam - jam, jelly
miet - honey
mantekiyan kakaguates - peanut butter
kesu - cheese

FRUITS

laguana - soursop
åtes - sweetsop or sugar apple
chandia - watermelon
melon - melon
bilembines - star apple
lalanghita - tangerine
kåhet - orange
aga' - banana
ubas - grape
papåya - papaya
åbas - guava
mångga - mango
chotda - green bananas
ibba' - sour grapes
anonas - custard apple
piña - pineapple
aga' - banana
granåda - pomegranate
kikamas - sweet turnip
makupa - mountain apple
tupu - sugar cane
alageta - avocado
mansåna - apple
månha - young coconut
niyok - coconut
kåhet må'gas - grapefruit

VEGETABLES

tumåtes - tomato
nappa' - chinese cabbage
ilotes - corn on the cob
mai'es - corn

BEVERAGES

hånom - water
leche - milk
kafe - coffee
binu - wine

SNACKS & DESSERTS

chukulåti - chocolate
kande - candy
krakas - crackers
inafliton batåtas - potato chips
kakaguates - peanuts
empanåda - spiced corn turnover
kek chamorro - Chamorro cake
brohas - sponge cake
apigige' - grilled young coconut w/starch
kalamai - corn pudding
påstet - baked turnover
buchibuchi - fried turnover
buñelos aga' - banana doughnut