When Jay and I taught our language reclamation workshop at PISACON in March, a young Chamorro said something that stuck with both of us: “It’s like I gotta study Chamorro like it’s O-Chem!” You could hear the exasperation in her voice as she shared what it feels like to learn Chamorro as an adult. Isn’t this something we’re just supposed to naturally “pick up”? And if we’re not picking it up effortlessly, are we doing something wrong?

In this post, I want to talk about why putting in the work to truly learn Chamorro—yes, with intentional study, repetition, notes, pattern drills, practice groups, awkward conversations, or flashcards—is not just valid, but essential for many of us. These tools aren’t shortcuts, and they don’t replace native speakers. But for those of us needing to learn in a very different language reality than the generations before us, they form a critical part of how we move forward to reclaim our language.