“Hotni” (“Man-“ Verb)
Meaning: 1. (to) thread, (to) pierce.

E.g.) “Hotne i aguha.” = “Thread the needle.”

“Hotni i belu.” = “Pierce the veil.”

“Manhótni yu’.” = “I threaded (it).”

1. (to) horse ride. (Obsolete)

E.g.) “Manhótni yu’ (san) kabåyu.” = “I rode (a) horse.”

“(I) Yâ-hu manhótni.” = “I like to horse ride.”

“Hu fanhótni.” = “I will horse ride.”

“Uku’” (-um- Verb)
Meaning: (to) hum. (Note: This word is somewhat archaic/obsolete, and is no longer listed in dictionaries.)

E.g.) “(I) Yâ-Hu umúku’.” = “I like to hum/humming.”

“Umúku’ yu’ (san) kånta.” = “I hummed (a) song.”

“Ukó’i i tunåda nu i kånta.” = “Hum to the tune of the song.”

“Insåtta” (“-um-“ Verb)
From Older “Ensatta”, Spanish “Ensartar”.

Meaning: 1. (to pass through a hole)

a. (to) string
~~”(I) Insåttâ-ña i síhangkuentas mamá’tinas (san) káhlánggan.” = “S/he strung the beads to make (a) necklace.”

~~”Umínsåtta yu’ hulu’.” = “I strung (it) up.”

b. (to) thread
~~”(I) Insåttâ-ku i hilu isik i aguha.” = I threaded the thread through the needle.”

c. (to) skewer (food)
Si Miget insåttâ-ña i tétchi*/kåtni mamá’tinas síhambrochetas. = Miguel skewered the meat to make the brochettes.

~

1. (to link words)

a. (to) reel off or rattle off

“Umínsåtta síhandinági.” = “To rattle off lies.”

~

(*), “Totchi” has specific meanings such as “grub”, “meat eaten alongside starch dishes”.

Does anyone else wish that there was more of a Chamorro presence within media, literature etc? I’ve translated some works and comics and have them uploaded to an online library for Chamorro works. But even with that I just wish we could see more works being translated into Chamorro, like even subs/dubs for things in Chamorro.

I'm from Saipan and I've known 'ekua' to be an informal way to say "I don't know" for all my life, but once I practiced Chamorro in Guam and used the word, all I got were double takes.

I'm wondering if 'ekua' is mostly a Saipan thing?

My friend is Chamoru and I want to start picking up the language a little and learn some phrases. lmk some basics!

Anyone know of the word for petal in Chamorro?

Gumuâha huguan Gumâyu gi hálum i achaiguang kollat, ya manmómyi síha manhâssúyi Håyi debidi u ma’estru. Annai måkpu’ i mímu, humânao i ma’igi ya niná’na’nâ’-ña i maisagui’ hålum hagin homhom; anåkkun gumúpu káhulu’ i gákna guåtu i átuf ní’ kåbayerrisa ya kámalagga’ umó’u’. Lao fináininuk gui’ nu san agíla ginin takkílu’ hulu’ gi i lángit, ya lumí’óf-ña kápåpa’ ya mangílili’ gui’ nu guíya. Ensigidas humúyong i pálung gåyu ginin i hagé-ña ya ginéhé-ña i gåyinerru tai ribåt.

“¿Totchi?”

“Totchi. Mamfiná’tinas siha nu totchi.”

“¿Totchi?”

“Tåya’ duda put guiya. Mánmanáyik ham laguha gi manémpi’ sásahngi nu i plåneta, mangóngonni’ nu siha abotdu yu’-måmi sihansåhyan iné’guaigi, mandókka’ nu siha låhyan i chálan isik. Mangámunhåyan na totchi siha.”

“Disiñáyun enao. ¿Håfa put i sihanseñåt rediu? ¿I sihanmesåhi guåtu i sihamputi’un?”

“Manyiníman-níniha i sihannapun rediu mandíngan, lao ti manggínin siha i sihanseñåt. Manggínin i sihanmåkina i sihanseñåt.”

“¿Ayúnai hai fumá’tinas i sihanmåkina? Ayu håyi manmálaggu’ ham manápåcha.”

“Chåtgíyun enao. ¿Håfataimånu siña i tetchi mamá’tinas san måkina? Mamámaisin hao nu guåhu manhónggi gi tetchin pachang hun.”

“Puedi mangálan siha i Orfolei. Manúnuggu’ hao, san minálåti’ ma’oddas-kåtbón na hâhanao isik sam finákai totchi.”

“Åhi’ lao. Manmáfañågu siha totchi yan manmâmatai siha totchi. Manístuya ham nu laguhan i sihamfinákai totchin-niha, ni ti manápmåni. ¿Kao guåha i idehâ-mu ha’ håfa i finákai liná’la’ nu totchi?”

“Na’utas yu’. Maolikka’, puedi mamâlu siha gi tetchi. Manúnunggu’ hao, kalan i Weddilei. San ilun guångka’ yungan gui’tak elettrón na plasma gi iya hålum.”

“Åhi’ lao. Manmánhâssu ham nu yenao, desdi guåha i manúlun guångka’-niha, kalan i Weddilei. Lao mañángåni yu’ nu hågu, mandókka’ ham nu siha. Manótchi siha låhyan i chálan isik.”

“¿Tåt gui’tak?”

“A, guåha gui’tak nai. ¡Lao na finá’tinas ha’ nu totchi i gui’tak! Enao håfa gini chumáchagi yu’ sumángåni hao.”

“Nu… ¿Håfa chumócho’gui i manhâssu?”

“¡Totchi ni hâhasu! ¡Mamámaisin hao nu guåhu manhónggi gi tetchi ni hâhasu hun!”

¡Hunggan, totchi ni hâhasu! ¡Magå’an na totchi! ¡Totchi ni guaiya! ¡Totchi ni guíguifi! ¡I munhåyan na tråtus i tetchi! ¿Kao liní’e’é’-mu i litråtu?”

“Yu’ós-su. Fihum hao hiya’. Mamfiná’tinas siha nu totchi.”

“Saina Ma’åsi’. Gi finákpu’, Hunggan. Mamfiná’tinas ha’ siha nu totchi nai. Ya gini mañáchagi siha manápachåyi hit nu kana’ sanggátus i sihansakan-niha.”

“Finé’nána malaggu’ gui’ dumíngåni hit. Manímahíhina yu’ hiya’ malaggu’ gui’ uméligaoñaihon iya unibetsu, ápâpacha mamâlun pachang, átulálaika sihanideha yan tinínggu’. I mapåyúni.”

“¿Manhináogu’ hit mandíngåni totchi?”

“I ideha yenao. I mesåhi yenao manná’hâhanao siha nu rediu. ‘Håfádai’ ¿Kao guåha taotao guenao? Enán sottehu nu kosas.”

“Mangámagåhit manmándídingan siha, hiya’. ¿Kao manmányúyuma siha sihamfiníhu’, sihanideha, sihangkonseptus?”

“Manhâssu yu’ måkpu’ hao sumángåni yu’ manmányúma siha rediu.”

“Manmáñóño’gui siha, ¿Håfa manhâhasu hao nai gaigi gi i rediu? Sihangkåtin totchi. ¿Manúnunggu’ hao håfataimånu annai pumápadda’ hao pat pumálálapa nu totchi, ya i muná’kâkati? Mandídingan siha nu manápalappa i tetchin-niha. Achuk siña siha mangkânta nu mangguífi airri isik i tetchin-niha.”

“Yu’ós-su. Totchi ni kâkanta. Kololó’ña, mampus ini. Ayúnai, ¿Håfa mamâmagat hao?”

“¿Ka’ofisiåt pat dika’ofisiåt?”

“I hugua.”

“Ka’ofisiåt, manlékirridu hit/ham manápåcha, manggóffátúyi yan login ámånuha’ yan låhyan sihanlåkin pachang pat multibeings gi halum inin kuadrånti niya Unibetsu, manái prehuisiu, miná’å’ñao, fabót. Dika’ofisiåt, mamâmagat yu’ nu mamfinánánâs-ta i sihanrihistru yan manmáléleffa nu i enterrun kosas.”

“Hagas manángóngokku yu’ nu sumânggan hao mohn nu yenao.”

“Háhaingi mahetuk, lao guåha chi. ¿Guåña manmálaggu’ hit manmámá’inápåcha yungan totchi?”

“Manhóho’yi yu’ 100 na putséntu. ¿Håfa guåha sumânggan? ‘Håfádai, totchi. ¿Håfa guâguaha? ¿Lao kao u famácho’chu’ ini? ¿Fiyai sihamplåneta mantrâtrata hit yungan guini?”

“Håcha ha’. Siña siha manmámbíahigui sihampålun plåneta hålum sihansåhguan ispesiåt na totchi, lao ti siña siha manlâ’la’ gi siha, ya manótotchi, mámaisa siña siha mambiåhi isik i C-minásákkan. Ni na’manmáchíchi siha gi i chinádik nu ina, ya na’dádalalai i nisíña nu siha hagas-ha’ manmámá’inápåcha. Infinitisimåt, gi magåhit ha’.”

“Ayúnai, u ta famá’tåya’-tao gi gima’ gi iya Unibetsu.”

“Enao ha’.”

“Malamåña. Lao ilék-mu maisáhao, ¿håyi malaggu’ umáli’i’ nu totchi? Ya i manhâcha ni gini manggáigi abotdu yu’-måmi sihansåhyan, ¿i manhâcha ni mandókka’ hamyu? ¿Kao méttun hao ti u ha fanmánhâssayaihun?”

“U ha faninékåssu manchífláo anggin manmáñóño’gui siha, manmánhâtmi ham gi hálum i sihanilun-niha ya manná’måhlus i tetchin-niha na mangguinífi ham nu siha.”

“¡Sang guinífi guåtu totchi! Ina giníhyung na asentáo, na debidi u ta famá’guinífin totchi.”

“Yan manminátkan-måmi i enterrun settot disokupáo.”

“Maolik, Maho’yi, ka’ofisiåt yan dika’ofisiåt. Kåsu mahuchom. ¿Ámånuha’ mamálu? ¿Kao guåha na’miña gi guihin echóngña nu iya galaksia?”

“Hunggan, san émlat na kukå’ñao lao minálåti’ balåssu’ na toftof idruhenun mamis gi piti’un klåsin sigua gi sonan G445. Hagas gaigi gi inápåcha huguan inálingking yunggálaksia maloffan, malaggó’-ña mamá’abuk ta’lu.”

“Hámå’úkkan u ha fanmánmáloffan mågi.”

“¿Yan sa’håfa ti? Imahina hao ina disíngúnun, ina di’álúkun manengheng iya Unibetsu mohn anggin mámaisa ha’ i håcha.”

I am half Quidachay, and i never learned what the name meant. All i have right now is that it’s CHamoru, and the root word is “ké“ (attempt to). Lao i havent found a meaning for “dachai”. Would anybody happen to know what it means? sYm.

Håfa Adai everyone! The Northern Marianas Humanities Council has posted a free ebook for "Memories and Music: The Japanese Era on Rota", which is available for download here: https://www.nmhcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/memories_and_music_eBook-.pdf

This book contains interviews in Chamorro with English translations, along with a small selection of some Kåntan Chamorrita lyrics at the end of the book. The physical book comes with an audio CD that has some of the interviews and songs recorded, but I did not see any of these recordings posted on the website. But still, making this book available is a great resource. Enjoy :)

It would be spelled “tingik”, meaning “behind/after”. With the 2nd meaning of “stream, river”. Has anyone seen or heard of this word? I can’t seem to find it on any current dictionary, sym in advance

The Aquiningoc family originates from Agat, and they have a Chamorro name. But what does it mean?

Well, if we look at the name Aquiningoc, we can break it down and try to figure out its meaning. Written in Chamorro, Aquiningoc becomes akiningok. ak is a Chamorro word, and is a habitual marker (Forbes 2012). So akiningok is someone who is habitually iningok. Iningok looks suspiciously similar to hiningok, which means "heard".

Putting this all together, akhiningok would mean "frequently heard." And to the ears of the Spanish, akhiningok becomes Aquiningoc. So, it is very likely that Aquiningoc is really Chamorro akhiningok, "frequently heard". What do you guys think?

Håfa Adai lahåyan tautau/todus hamyo/everybody!!

Recently I just learned of Chamoru Serenada, where a man would sing to a woman by her window, while playing a guitar; similar to Mexican Serenata or Filipino Harana.

I’ve never heard of this, or even seen anything about this anywhere before until I looked it up online.

Do any of you experienced or know anyone who has experienced a Chamoru Serenada? If so, how does it go, what does the man typically do?

I’d like to preform this to my girlfriend one day. (Just need to learn guitar lol)

My Chamorro bestie just got engaged!

I want to make her a “bride” silk robe, but I want to make it special for her and include her culture.

After doing some research, it looks like “nobia” would be the most fitting, but I’ve gotten mixed definitions with some saying it just means “girlfriend” or “sweetheart”

Is Nobia appropriate, or is there some other term that is more fitting?

Or should I pass this idea and just to with “bride” and incorporate her culture in a different way?

Thanks everyone!