Year: 2025

Learning “Don’t” in Chamorro, Part 1: Saying “Don’t Do That” with Mungnga’

On By Schyuler LujanIn Chamorro Lessons: Intermediate1 Comment

Have you ever wanted to tell someone not to do something in Chamorro, such as “Don’t do that” or “Don’t touch it”? One Chamorro word you can use is mungnga’ —it’s how you can say “no,” “not,” or “don’t” when you’re stopping someone from doing something.

In this post, we’ll start learning about some of the ways mungnga’ works in Chamorro sentences. You’ll see examples like “Don’t touch it”, “Don’t eat that” and “Don’t say the answer” so you can start using them right away. For parents, learning mungnga’ is especially useful. You can start using it with your children to give gentle guidance, set boundaries, and practice Chamorro in everyday situations.

By the end, you’ll be able to build your own “don’t do…” sentences with mungnga’. As always, this post includes example sentences, Chamorro audio narrations by Jay Che’le and English translations. Happy studying!

Continue reading “Learning “Don’t” in Chamorro, Part 1: Saying “Don’t Do That” with Mungnga’” →

Kåntan Chamoru: Unu Ha’ na Låta

On By Schyuler LujanIn Chamorro SongsLeave a comment

This lighthearted song tells the story of a work break gone wrong. The singer tells of a hot day, when he and his co-workers sit under the coconut tree to barbecue and crack open a few beers—but by the end, all the beer is gone, and so is his job! Our Saturday evening practice group transcribed this one back in early July. Now, with only one song left in our current “season,” Jay is already refreshing the list for the next round.

As always, this post includes the Chamorro lyrics and an English translation for Unu Ha’ na Låta by Daniel De Leon Guerrero. Happy listening!

Continue reading “Kåntan Chamoru: Unu Ha’ na Låta” →

A Story About the Wisdom of the Elders

On By Schyuler LujanIn Chamorro StoriesLeave a comment

After several weeks of reading through an interview from the Directory of Traditional Healers & Medicinal Plants in the CNMI, our practice group will be reading a story this week from a section of Istreyas Mariånas: Chamorro (accessible via the Inetnun Kutturan Natibun Marianas). The story underscores the importance of helping those who have helped you, even if it isn’t in your own best interest. The author’s narrative style is vivid and conveys clearly his childhood memory of overhearing a conversation between adults and his later reflections in adulthood when he realizes its lessons later in life. In this post we have the Chamorro text, an English translation, and a Chamorro audio narration by Jay Che’le. Happy reading!

Continue reading “A Story About the Wisdom of the Elders” →

Say It In Chamorro: 40 Phrases Parents Can Use With Their Kids

On By Schyuler LujanIn Phrase ListsLeave a comment

When our måli’ Monique enrolled her son in Hurao Academy on Guam, she asked us for some simple Chamorro phrases she could start using at home. She wanted everyday expressions she could say to her son—basic commands and reminders like “put on your shoes” or “it’s time to sleep”—so that Chamorro would become part of their daily routine.

That request inspired this post. We’ve gathered around 40 easy, practical Chamorro phrases that any parent can start using with their children right away. Whether your child is in a Chamorro immersion program, learning from family, or just starting to hear the language at home, these phrases are meant to make Chamorro feel natural in everyday life.

As always, this post includes Chamorro audio narrations by Jay Che’le and English translations for every phrase. Happy studying!

Continue reading “Say It In Chamorro: 40 Phrases Parents Can Use With Their Kids” →

Kåntan Chamoru: Nånan-måmi

On By Schyuler LujanIn Chamorro SongsLeave a comment

In early August, Jay and I traveled to O’ahu to celebrate my Aunty Lupe’s 90th birthday with family. My prima Torrey—Aunty Lupe’s granddaughter—wanted to honor her with a Chamorro song for this incredible milestone. She chose “Nånan-måmi,” a beloved tribute to Chamorro mothers and matriarchs. The day before the party we practiced together, and the next day we performed it as a sing-along.

Afterward, Aunty Lupe told us how special it was—no one had ever done anything like that for her before. Even my Aunty Faye, who used to teach Chamorro at UH Mānoa, hugged me and said how wonderful it was that we sang this song (she said it was even better than Happy Birthday!).

If you’re looking for a meaningful song to celebrate a mother or matriarch in your life, this is a wonderful choice. It’s well-known, beginner-friendly, and with a little pronunciation practice, even beginners can sing it beautifully. (My prima isn’t yet conversational in Chamorro, but she did an amazing job with the phrases and sounds!)

As always, you’ll find the Chamorro lyrics, language notes and an English translation for the song “Nånan-måmi”. Happy listening!

Continue reading “Kåntan Chamoru: Nånan-måmi” →