Leksion Chamoru: Prefix mi-

The prefix mi- is added to nouns to say "full of" or "plenty of." Here are some examples:

• åcho' = rock
  Mi- + åcho' => Mi'acho' = Full of rocks, rocky.
  
• kulot = color
  Mi- + kulot => Mikulot = Full of color, colorful.
• unai = sand
  Mi- + unai => Mi'inai = Full of sand, sandy.

The primary stress of the new word falls on mi-, so for the above examples we get:

• Mi'acho' => ME'-a-choo'
• Mikulot => ME-koo-lut
• Mi'inai => ME'-ee-nigh

One thing to note is that mi- follows the rules of vowel harmony. That just means that, in general, the first vowel of the root word is "pulled back." I.e.: å to a, o to e, and u to i.

Pålåbran 01/15/2011: Ulu

Ulu (OO-loo): Head

Note: When using with a possessive suffix, it always changes to ilu, i.e., ilu-hu, ilu-mu, ... This occurs even when the focus marker "i" is not there.

Uses:
"Mådanche ilu-ña, ya på'go diso'." = "His head was hit, and now has a bump."
"Gof ataktak ilu-hu." = "I have a very stubborn head."
"Usa i matiyu ni dankolo ilu-ña." = "Use the big-headed hammer."

Leksion Chamoru: Prefix la-

The prefix la- is a comparative degree marker meaning slightly or a little bit more. It can be used with most nouns and adjectives/adverbs in Chamorro, however here are several which are more commonly known/used:

• Maolek = Good, well.
  La- + maolek => Lamaolek = Better (slightly).
• Meggai = Many, several.
  La- + meggai => Lameggai = Very many.
• Bunitu = Beautiful.
  La- + bunitu => Labunitu = More (slightly) beautiful, prettier.
• Chaddek = Fast.
  La- + chaddek => Lachaddek = Faster.
• Guse' = Quick, lively.
  La- + guse' => Laguse' = Quicker, livelier.

You can also use the word mås to mean "more," but some words, like chaddek, usually use the prefix la- rather than mås, i.e., it is more common to hear lachaddek rather than mås chaddek.

The prefix also takes the primary stress of new word, so for the above examples:

• Lamaolek => LA-mao-lick
• Lameggai => LA-meg-guy
• Labunitu => LA-boo-knee-too
• Lachaddek => LA-chad-deck
• Laguse' => LA-goo-see'

Note: Some use la- to almost mean "to make more..." rather than just "more." This is not "wrong" per se, but it is safer to use na'la- or na'mås.

Pålåbran 10/29/2010: Go'te

Go'te (GO'-tee): Hold, support, retain by force, grasp.

Uses:
"Go'te fan i balakbak-hu." = "Hold my bag, please."
"I lahi ha go'te i lepblo-ña i palao'an." = "The guy held the girl's books."
"Na'go'te i che'lu-mu ya un ayuda yo'." = "Make your brother hold it so you can help me."

Leksion Chamoru: Prefix ke-

The prefix ke- is used to mean "to try to" or "about to."

• Tungo' (to know) => Ketungo' (to try to know, about to know)
• Målångu (sick) => Kemålångu (to try to get sick, about to be sick)
• Chule' (to take) => Kechule' (to try to take, about to take)
• Såga (to stay) => Kesåga (to try to stay, about to stay)

It is relatively simply to use within a Chamorro sentence after you've affixed ke- to the word, you just use the new word according to if it's a "man-" or "-um-" verb. So, using the above examples:

• Ketungo' ("man-" verb) => Hu ketungo' i na'ån-ña. (I tried to know his/her name.)
• Kemålångu ("-um-" verb) => Kumemålångu i patgon. (The child was about to be (getting) sick.)
• Kechule' ("man-" verb) => Ha kechule' i bola ginen i ga'chong-ña. (He tried to take the ball from his friend.)
• Kesåga ("-um-" verb) => Kumesåga si Juan giya Yoña. (Juan was trying to stay/live in Yoña.)

One thing to keep in mind is that the prefix ke- shows up in several different forms, but they are are essentially the same: keke- (reduplication of ke-), mange- (man- + ke-), mangeke- (man- + keke-). For example:

• Ketungo' => Ha keketungo' ki ora måbaba i tenda. (He is trying to know (figure out) what time the store will be opened.)
• Kemålångu => Mangekemålångu i tres na lålåhi. (The three men were about to be (getting) sick.)

Sometimes the word "chagi" is used to mean "to try to," however, while similar it is essentially different than the prefix ke-. "Chagi" does indeed mean "to try," but it is in the sense of testing, attempting, or proving.

Pålåbran 08/23/2010: Måmåhlao

Måmåhlao (muh-MAH-lao): Ashamed; be ashamed; shamefaced; bashful; shy; emarrassed.

Note: This is also spelled/said as måmålao.

Uses:
"Måtåtå'chong i lahi sa' måmåhlao gue' bumaila." = "The guy is sitting down because he's ashamed to dance."
"Kånno' fan... munga måmåhlao." = "Please eat... don't be embarrassed."
"Gakgao na boi, ti måmåhlao manggåggao." = "The boy likes to ask for things, he's not bashful about begging (for stuff)."

Pålåbran 07/12/2010: Taiguenao

Taiguenao (tie-GWEH-now): That is the way (something is done); that is how; that is why; that is the reason--talking to and about addressee.

Note: This definition comes from Topping's dictionary, but an easier, more enlightening definition would be "like that," or "that way."

Uses:
"Munga taiguenao." = "Don't be like that (that way)."
"Håfa na un ippe' i niyok taiguenao?" = "Why did you split the coconut like that?"
"Ti taiguenao mama'tinas nu kåsiyas." = "You don't build a chicken coop that way."