Learning “Don’t” in Chamorro, Part 2: Referencing Yourself With Mungnga’ – “Don’t Ask Me”

In part 2 of this mini-series on saying “don’t” in Chamorro, we’ll learn how to tell someone not to do something to you—for example, “Don’t talk to me”, “Don’t touch me” or “Don’t ask me.” We’ll still be using mungnga’ in this post, but with a slightly different speech pattern. And if you missed it, check out Part 1 of this blog series for a brief introduction on using 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 2: Referencing Yourself With Mungnga’ – “Don’t Ask Me””

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

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’”

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

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”