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."

Pålåbran 06/12/2010: Fatå'chong

Fatå'chong (fa-TAH'-chung): Sit down.

Note: Fatå'chong is used either as a future tense or as the command, otherwise matå'chong is used.

Uses:
"Matåtå'chong yo' gi siyå-hu." = "I was sitting in my chair."
"Fatå'chong fan gi fi'on nånå-mu." = "Please sit down by your mother."
"Para u fatå'chong gi hilo' guåfak." = "She's going to sit on the mat."

Pålåbran 05/20/2010: Atan

Atan (AH-tan): Look at, glance, perceive.

Uses:
"Ti hu atan i chalan annai mañugon yo' ya aksidente yo'." = "I didn't look at the road when I was driving, and got into an accident."
"Atan fan kuåntu båli-ña." = "Please, see (perceive) how much it costs."
"Atan ha' på'go i bidå-mu!" = "Look at what you've done now!"