Category: Chamorro Vocabulary

Talking About the Weather in Chamorro

The weather is a subject that everyone talks about as it is a sore spot when it’s bad and the highlight of someone’s day when it’s not. This article will hopefully provide enough useful terms so you can talk about the weather in Chamorro.

Bonitu na ha’åni, no?
Beautiful day, isn’t it?

Atan ha’ este na uchan!
Just look at this rain!

Chamorro Weather Vocabulary

To help you learn how to talk about the weather, you’ll have to learn the different words used to describe the weather.

Chamorro Weather Nouns

  • weather: i tiempo or i klema
  • sun: atdao
  • clouds: mapagåhes
  • rain: uchan
  • thunder: hulu
  • lightning: låmlåm
  • fog: afao
  • wind: månglo’
  • storm/typhoon: pakyo
  • rainbow: isa
  • degrees: grådu
  • condition: kondision
  • season: tiempo

NOTE: You may have noticed that there are two words for weather: tiempo and klema. They mean the same thing. This can get confusing since you may have already learned and used tiempo in the contexts of talking about time in general, or to refer to a specific period of time, as in a season.

Chamorro Weather Adjectives

  • sunny: somnak
  • cloudy: nupblådu
  • windy: månglo’, guaifon
  • rainy: uchan
  • bad weather: chata’an
  • hot: maipe
  • cold: manengheng

A lot of times in Chamorro, a noun can also be used as an adjective. It’s understood that something is “being” that noun. This can be seen in the words uchan yan månglo’, which are the words for “rain” and “wind”, respectively, but can also be understood as “rainy” and “windy”.

Chamorro Words for Extreme Weather Conditions

  • storming: papakyo
  • earthquake: linao
  • rough waters: nåpu

Asking about the Weather

If you need to ask about the weather, you can use the following.

How’s the weather?
Tumaimamanu i tiempo?

What’s the weather like?
Håfa i klema?

Talking about Seasons

Because the Marianas is in the tropics, there are really only two seasons:

  • tiempon somnak – dry season (lit. “sunny season”)
  • tiempon uchan – rainy season (lit. “rainy season”)

Featured Image Photo by Brett Sayles from Pexels

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Chamorro Days of the Week

Seven little words that you’ll use all the time when speaking Chamorro: i ha’åni siha gi simåna (the days of the week). Estegue’ siha! Here they are!

How to say the days of the week in Chamorro

CHAMORROENGLISHPRONUNCIATION
LunesMondayloo-niss
MåttesTuesdaymaht-tiss
MetkolesWednesdaymeht-koo-liss
HuebesThursdayhoo-eh-biss
BetnesFridaybeht-niss
SåbaluSaturdaysuh-bah-loo
DamenggoSundaydah-mehng-goo

Other Useful Words and Phrases

ENGLISHCHAMORUPRONUNCIATION
daydiha (dia)dee-hah (dyah)
dayha’ånihah-uh-nee
todaypå’gopah’-goo
yesterdaynigapnee-gap
tomorrowagupa’ah-goo-pah’
the day before yesterdaynigapñanee-gap-nyah
the day after tomorrowagupa’ñaah-goo-pah’-nyah
the next dayi sigiente diaee see-gyen-tee dee-ah
weeksimånasee-mah-nah
last weekma’pos na simånamuh-poos nah see-mah-nah
week before lastma’posña na simånamuh-pohs-nyah nah see-mah-nah

More Useful Expressions of Time

Hafa i dia på’go?
What day is today?

Maseha ngai’an malago’-mu
Whenever you want

Trabiha
Not yet

Ti apman
It won’t be long. (Soon)

Ha’åni or Dia

In Chamorro, we sometimes have two words for the same thing. This is true for the word for day, which can be spoken as ha’åni or dia. The former is rooted in indigenous Chamorro and the latter borrowed from Spanish. There is no strict rule as to when you should use either, but there is a predilection among native speakers toward using ha’åni more when describing the day and dia for when talking about the day in the calendar sense. As a learner of Chamorro, take note when listening to conversations in Chamorro; try to note the context in which each word is used.

The Origin of the Days of the Week

The Chamorro names for the days of the week come from the Spanish days of the week, which get their names from planets and gods.

CHAMORUSPANISHMEANING
LunesLunesDay of the Moon
MåttesMartesDay of Mars
MetkolesMiercolesDay of Mercury
HuebesJuevesDay of Jupiter
BetnesViernesDay of Venus
SåbaluSabadoFrom Hebrew word shabbat, the day of rest
DamenggoDomingoDay of God, or Day of the Lord

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Chamorro Months of the Year

When we want to talk about important events like birthdays and holidays we have to learn some very important words in CHamoru: the names of the months of the year. What’s great is that you have 12 opportunities out of the year to practice your Chamorro! So nihi! Let’s go and do this.

Here are the names of i mes siha gi sakkan (the months in the year).

CHAMORROENGLISHPRONUNCIATION
IneruJanuaryee-neh-roo
FibreruFebruaryfee-breh-roo
MåtsoMarchmaht-soo
AbritAprilah-britt
MåyuMaymah-dzoo
HuñoJunehoo-nyoo
HulioJulyhoo-lyoh
AgostoAugustah-gohs-too
SeptembreSeptembersep-tehm-bree
OktubreOctoberohk-too-bree
NobembreNovembernoh-behm-bree
DisembreDecemberdee-sehm-bree

Talking About Dates in Chamorro

Saying i fecha, or “the date”, in Chamorro is almost the same as in English except for a few details. Chamorro days are often preceded by the word dia (or diha), meaning “day”. Traditionally, the day came before the month, but now it is common to say it the English way as well. In both languages, the year always comes after the month and day, regardless of the order.

You can use the following patterns to help you write the date:

dia + number + gi + month + year

or

month + dia + number + year

Here are some examples:

CHAMORUENGLISH
Dia 3 gi OktubreOctober 3
Oktubre dia 3October 3
Dia 3 gi Oktubre 2014October 3, 2014

How To Say Your Birthday

When you want to tell someone when your kumpleaños or ha’ånen mafañagu-mu (both mean birthday) is, you can say it in a few ways:

Mafañågu yu’ gi Hulio dia 14.I was born on July 14.
I kumpleaños-hu i dia 14 gi Hulio.My birthday is July 14.
I ha’ånen mafañagu-hu i dia 14 gi Hulio.My birthday is July 14.

Ancient CHamoru Calendar

Before the Spanish arrived, the ancient Chamorros used a 13-month calendar based on the lunar cycle.

ENGLISHCHAMORU
JanuaryTumaiguini
FebruaryMaimo’
MarchUmatalaf
AprilLumuhu
MayMakmamao
JuneMananaf
JulySemu
AugustTenhos
SeptemberLumamlam
OctoberFanggualo’
NovemberSumongsong
DecemberUmayanggan
Umagahaf
Source: Guampedia.com
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Animal Names in Chamorro

This section covers the names and vocabulary used for gå’ga’, or animals, in Chamorro. 

ChamorroEnglish
ababangbutterfly
abehabee
agilaeagle
afula’ / fanihen tåsistingray, manta ray
apåcha’grasshopper
asulifreshwater eel
ayuyucoconut crab
babuipig
baka cow (female bovine)
bayenawhale
binådudeer
bulikudonkey
chå’karat, mouse
chibagoat
dengdengsnail
dulalasdragonfly
elefanteelephant
fanihifruit bat
gåmsonoctopus
ga’lågudog
guali’ekgecko
guaka cattle
gåyurooster
guihanfish
hagganturtle
halu’ushark
hiraffagiraffe
kabåyuhorse
kaimanalligator
karabaocarabao, water buffalo
katu
cat
kulepbla snake
kunehurabbit
lålo’housefly
liónlion
lobu
wolf
loruparrot
machengmonkey
mahonganglobster
månnokchicken (fowl)
nosnossquid
ñåtaksaltwater eel
ngånga’duck
ñåmumosquito
palumabird
påbuturkey
puniderahen
puyitoschick (baby chicken)
obehassheep
osubeer
otdotant
sanye’ye’spider
saligaocentipede
sasatawasp
tigiritiger
torubull
tuninosdolphin
uhangshrimp
ulo’earthworm
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Clothing and Accessories

The general word for “clothes” in Chamorro is magågu. In this post, we’ll learn the various Chamorro terms for articles of clothing. At the end, we’ll include a brief lesson on how to say “wear”, so you can start using these words.

chinina
collared shirt

franela
t-shirt

katsunes
pants

katsunes kådada’
short pants

katsunes anakko’
long pants

bestidu
dress

lupes
skirt

tråhi
uniform, outfit

saku
suit, jacket
katsonsiyu
men’s underwear

pante’
panties

kamisola
underslip

brasia
bra

meyas
socks

dogga
footwear

sapåtos
shoes

chankletas
sandals

yore’
flip-flops

Clothing Accessories

Here are some words for adotnon magågu, or clothing adornments or decorations, to komplimento i trahi-mu, or complement your outfit.

kotbåtatie
alåhasjewelry
kadenachain, necklace
adotnon agå’ga’necklace, neckwear
alitosearrings
aniyuring
putserasbracelet
guåntesgloves
sinturonbelt
anti’ohoseyeglasses
tuhonghat
painicomb
painetadecorative head comb
reloswatch
påñuhandkerchief

Words to Describe Your Clothing

Here is a list of words that will come in handy when you want to describe your clothing. These include parts of your clothing, its condition, and the material its made out of.

kueyucollar
botsapocket
båtunesbuttons
makaleluwrinkled
åtgidoncotton
lånawool
kueruleather
sedasilk

How to say “wear” in Chamorro

In Chamorro, if we want to say “wear” an article of clothing, we use the word “usa”, which can also be used as a general word meaning “use”.

Bai hu usa bestidu agupa’.
I will wear a dress tomorrow.

Ti ya-hu manusa tuhong.
I don’t like wearing hats.

Another way to express “wear” in Chamorro is by using the affix in with an article of clothing. Study the following examples.

Håfa na ti minagågagu hao?
Why aren’t you dressed?

Ti ya-hu tinihong.
I don’t like wearing hats.

Ti sininturon yu’, sa’ ti siña hu sodda’ i sinturon-hu.
I didn’t wear a belt, because I couldn’t find my belt.

Lachaddek sinapatos! Siempre atrasao hit.
Put your shoes on quickly! We’re going to be late.

Other Chamorro verbs related to clothing

mudato change one’s clothes, to get dressed
mamudato have changed one’s clothes
chagito try on
dopblato fold
prensato iron
pula’to take off
fa’gåsi magåguto wash clothes


Just a graphic of general articles of clothing made for @finochamoru on Instagram.

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