Chamoru
Chamorro
Austronesian (Western Malayo-Polynesian)
Chamorro (Finu' Chamoru) is the indigenous language of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands (a U.S. territory and a U.S. commonwealth respectively), with ~50K speakers. Co-official with English in both Guam and the CNMI. Centuries of Spanish rule (1565–1898) left an enormous Spanish vocabulary layer (estimates of ~50%+ Spanish-derived) and the noun phrase has been thoroughly restructured around Spanish patterns (definite/indefinite articles, the personal "a"). Verb-initial Philippine-type morphosyntax, focus/voice system. Closely related to other Western Malayo-Polynesian languages of the Philippines and Indonesia.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Chamorro
Water
hånom
/haːnom/
Fire
guafi
/ɡʷafi/
Sun
atdao
/atdao/
Moon
pulan
/pulan/
Mother
nana
/nana/
Father
tata
/tata/
Eat
kånno'
/kaːnnoʔ/
Drink
gimen
/ɡimen/
Love
guaiya
/ɡʷajja/
Heart
korason
/koɾason/
Tree
trongkon
/tɾoŋkon/
House
guma'
/ɡumaʔ/
Dog
ga'lågu
/ɡaʔlaːɡu/
Cat
katu
/katu/
Hand
kånnai
/kaːnnai/
Eye
matå
/mataː/
Hello
håfa adai
/haːfa adai/
Thank you
si yu'os ma'åse'
/si juʔos maʔaːseʔ/
One
unu
/unu/
Good
maolek
/maolek/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Austronesian (Western Malayo-Polynesian) languages
| Meaning | Chamorro | Bikol Central | Gilbertese | Hiligaynon | North Moluccan Malay | Waray | Ambon Malay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | hånom /haːnom/ | tubig /tubiɡ/ | ran /ɾan/ | tubig /tubiɡ/ | aer /aer/ | tubig /tubiɡ/ | aer /aer/ |
| Fire | guafi /ɡʷafi/ | kalayo /kalajo/ | ai /ai/ | kalayo /kalajɔ/ | api /api/ | kalayo /kalajɔ/ | api /api/ |
| Sun | atdao /atdao/ | aldaw /aldaw/ | tai /tai/ | adlaw /ʔadlaw/ | matahari /matahari/ | adlaw /ʔadlaw/ | mata hari /mata hari/ |
| Moon | pulan /pulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | namwakaina /namʷakaina/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ |
| Mother | nana /nana/ | nanay /nanaj/ | tinau /tinau/ | nanay /nanaj/ | mama /mama/ | nanay /nanaj/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | tata /tata/ | tatay /tataj/ | tamau /tamau/ | tatay /tataj/ | papa /papa/ | tatay /tataj/ | papa /papa/ |
| Eat | kånno' /kaːnnoʔ/ | kakanon /kakanon/ | amwarake /amʷaɾake/ | kaon /kaʔɔn/ | makang /makaŋ/ | kaon /kaʔon/ | makang /makaŋ/ |
| Drink | gimen /ɡimen/ | inumon /inumon/ | nima /nima/ | inom /ʔinɔm/ | minong /minoŋ/ | inom /ʔinɔm/ | minong /minoŋ/ |
| Love | guaiya /ɡʷajja/ | pagkamoot /paɡkamoʔot/ | tangira /taŋiɾa/ | gugma /ɡuɡma/ | cinta /tʃinta/ | gugma /ɡuɡma/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ |
| Heart | korason /koɾason/ | puso /puso/ | nano /nano/ | tagipusoon /taɡipusɔʔɔn/ | hati /hati/ | kasingkasing /kasiŋkasiŋ/ | hati /hati/ |
| Tree | trongkon /tɾoŋkon/ | kahoy /kahoj/ | kai /kai/ | kahoy /kahɔj/ | pohong /pohoŋ/ | kahoy /kahɔj/ | pohon /pohon/ |
| House | guma' /ɡumaʔ/ | harong /haɾoŋ/ | auti /auti/ | balay /balaj/ | ruma /ruma/ | balay /balaj/ | ruma /ruma/ |
| Dog | ga'lågu /ɡaʔlaːɡu/ | ayam /ajam/ | kamea /kamea/ | ido /ʔidɔ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | ayam /ˈʔajam/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ |
| Cat | katu /katu/ | ikos /ikos/ | katu /katu/ | kuting /kutiŋ/ | ikung /ikuŋ/ | misay /misaj/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ |
| Hand | kånnai /kaːnnai/ | kamot /kamot/ | bai /bai/ | kamot /kamɔt/ | tangang /taŋaŋ/ | kamot /kamɔt/ | tangang /taŋaŋ/ |
| Eye | matå /mataː/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hello | håfa adai /haːfa adai/ | kumusta /kumusta/ | mauri /mauɾi/ | kamusta /kamusta/ | cerang /tʃeraŋ/ | kumusta /kumusta/ | hela /hela/ |
| Thank you | si yu'os ma'åse' /si juʔos maʔaːseʔ/ | dios mabalos /dios mabalos/ | ko rabwa /ko ɾabʷa/ | salamat /salamat/ | tarima kase /tarima kase/ | salamat /salamat/ | tarima kase /tarima kase/ |
| One | unu /unu/ | saro /saɾo/ | teuana /teuana/ | isa /ʔisa/ | satu /satu/ | usa /ʔusa/ | satu /satu/ |
| Good | maolek /maolek/ | marhay /maɾhaj/ | raoiroi /ɾaoiɾoi/ | maayo /maʔajɔ/ | bae /bae/ | maupay /maʔupaj/ | bagus /baɡus/ |
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