Palåbran 05/29/09: Yanggen

Yanggen (DZANG-gen): (adverb, conjunction) If, when (usually used to connect clauses or phrases).

Note: This is a conditional marker used when the outcome has not occurred. "If" something might happen, and "when" something might happen use the same word. When the outcome has already taken place, we use the word "annai."

Uses:

"Ga'chungi yo' para i gipot, yanggen malago' hao." = "Accompany me to the party, if you want."
"Yanggen guåha sålåpe'-hu, bai hu fambåkåsion." = "When I have money, I will go on vacation."
"Yanggen muñangu hao agupa', munga maleffa ni sunblock." = "When/If you go swim, don't forget the sunblock."

Palåbran 05/28/09: Pangon

Pangon (PA-ngon): (verb) To wake (someone) up, rouse (someone)--from sleep, awaken.

Uses:

"Pangon fan i che'lu-mu." = "Wake your brother up please."
"Munga bumurukento sa' un pangon i neni." = "Don't be noisy because you'll wake up the baby."
"Ha pangon yo' i tilifon gi chatanmak." = "The phone woke me up in the early morning."

Palåbran 05/27/09: Ekungok

Ekungok (EH-coo-nguk): (verb) Listen to, harken, give heed, yield to advice.

Uses:

"Hu ekungok i estoria gi rediu." = "I listened to the story on the raido."
"Ti ya-ña umekungok si Juan." = "John doesn't like to listen."
"Munga umekungok i chinatfinu'e-ña." = "Don't listen to his bad mouthing."

Palåbran 05/26/09: Dulok

Dulok (DO-look): (verb) Bore, stab, puncture, perforate, penetrate.

Uses:

"Ha dulok yo' i enfetmera." = "The nurse gave me a shot."
"Mådulok i papet ni låpes." = "The paper was punctured by the pencil."
"Adahi na un dulok i sinahguan yanggen un baba i paketi ni se'se'." = "Careful that you don't stab the contents when you open the package with the knife."

Palåbran 05/25/09: Måtuhok

Måtuhok (mah-TOO-hook): (adjective) Sleepy, drowsy, half asleep, falling asleep.

Uses:

"Måtutuhok yo' gi chalan." = "I was falling asleep on the road."
"Ti ya-ña mumaigo'ñaihon solu måtuhok gue'." = "She doesn't like to nap unless she's sleepy."
"Kao måtuhok hao gi egga'an?" = "Are you drowsy in the morning?"

Leksion Chamoru: Betbon "man" siha ("Man" verbs)

Chamorro verbs are distinguished by whether or not they must take on an object. I call these verbs either "um" verbs or "man" verbs. Here we will look at the "man" verbs.

"Man" verbs are the verbs that have direct object associated with them. Here are some examples of "man" verbs:

• Taitai = to read (something)
  
• Hongge = to believe (something)
  
• Espiha = to search for (something)
• Sugon = to drive
  
• Fa'tinas = to make (something)

These verbs always have an understood direct object, even though they sometimes appear without an explicitly stated object. Meaning, one can "read," but it understood that the person is "reading something."

This is where the grammar gets a little tricky. Chamorro constructs sentences differently depending on whether the direct object is definite or indefinite.
Note: In general, the root verb (alone or "conjugated") connotes a completed or past action, and the progressive actions is obtained by duplicating the penultimate (2nd to last) syllable.

1. Definite Construction:
   This construction is identical to the construction of an English sentence. You take a hu-type pronoun, follow it by the verb, then follow the verb by the object (with appropriate article if applicable). Here are some examples:
   
   • Hu taitai i lepblu. = I read the book.
   • Ha hongge yo'. = She believed me.
   • Ma espipiha i tenda. = They're looking for the store.
   • Un susugon i kareta. = You are driving the car.
   • In fa'tinas i na'-måmi. = We (exclusive) made our (exclusive) food.
     
     
2. Indefinite (Generalized) Construction:
   It is almost a misnomer to call this form "indefinite." While it is used when the direct object carries an indefinite article, it is also used when the object is generalized. I.e., it is used when is in a general form ("some" books vs. "the" or "a" book), or when there is no object necessarily associated.
   To do this in the singular case we take the root verb and add the indefinite object marker prefix man- to the front, then follow it with an appropriate yo'-type pronoun, then the direct object (without an article).
   For the plural case, we take the singular form (with the man- attached) and add the pluarl subject marking prefix man- to it, then follow the verb by the appropriate yo'-type pronoun, then the object (without article).
   Here are some examples to help bring it together:
   
   • Mananaitai yo' lepblu. = I am reading a book.
   • Manmanhongge hit gi as Yu'us. = We (inclusive) believe in God.
   • Manespiha gue' tenda. = He looked for a store.
   • Mañugon gue'. = He drove (assumedly a car).
     
   • Manmama'titinas siha na'Chamoru. = They are making Chamorro food.

I hope I didn't confuse the subject too much, let me know if I could make improvements to this. :-)

Palåbran 05/22/09: Chålan

Chålan (CHAH-lan): (noun) Road, highway, street, path.

Uses:

"Adahi i chalån-mu na un abak." = "Watch your path so you don't get lost."
"Ti ya-hu mamokkat gi eyu na chålan sa fache'." = "I don't like walking on that road because it's muddy."
"Gof bårånka enao na chålan." = "That road is very bumpy."