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!"

Pålåbran 05/09/2010: Nihi

Nihi (NEE-hee): Let's (do something)--used with future verb and 1st person plural pronouns.

Note: Nihi can be used as a stand alone sentence as a shorter way to say, "Let's go."

Uses:
"Nihi ta hånao para i tenda." = "Let's (2 people) go to the store."
"Nihi ta famboka." = "Let's (3 or more people) eat."
"Nihi ta egga' i mubi." = "Let's (2 people) watch the movie."

Leksion Chamoru: Prefix ha-

The prefix ha- is used to mean "usually" or "often." Here are some examples to help clarify that a bit:

• Målångu = Sick.
  Ha- + målångu => Hamålångu = Sickly, often is sick.
• Måleffa = Forgot.
  Ha- + måleffa => Hamåleffa = Forgetful, usually forgets.
• Fåtta = Lacking, missing, absent.
  Ha- + fåtta => Hafåtta = Usually lacking, usually missing, often absent.

There are also several other ways to connote similar ideas in Chamorro, such as "sesso (continuously, often)," "fihu (often)," "todu i tiempo (always, all the time)," etc.

One thing to note about "ha-" is that it forces the primary stress to fall on the first syllable. Using the above examples, we get:

• Hamålångu => HA-ma-luh-ngoo
• Hamåleffa => HA-ma-lef-fa
• Hafåtta => HA-fut-ta
  

Pålåbran 04/23/2010: Mångge

Mångge (MUNG-gi): Where (question), where is it.

Note: Mangge is a contraction of "månu nai gaige." However, the contraction of "where are they" or "månu nai manggaige" is "manmångge."

Uses:
"Mångge si Juan?" = "Where is Juan?"
"Kao un tungo' mångge i yabi-hu?" = "Do you know where my key is?"
"Manmångge i mañe'lu-mu?" = "Where are your siblings?"