Sinangan Guinaiya

For my Marianas Variety article this week I'll be writing up some "love" related phrases in the Chamorro language, in honor of both Chamorro month next month, Valentine's Day coming up and in general the fact that we should celebrate and use this language which is part of Guam's unique heritage. Last year, one of my most popular columns was something similar, where I came up with more than a dozen interesting and special ways to say "I Love You" in the Chamorro language. I thought I would post that below, but also I wanted to solicit from people any phrases, pick up lines, song lyrics, poetic turns of phrase, anything that you would want translated into Chamorro to tell someone special on Valentine's Day on Tuesday. If you have something in mind, please email me at mlbasquiat@hotmail.com and I'll try to include it in my column this week and I'll also email it back to you.


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"Love in Chamorro"
Michael Lujan Bevacqua
The Marianas Variety
2/1/11

I got a lot of interest in my column last week where I provided some essential and some less than essential phrases in the Chamorro language to be used for speaking to your children. After getting several requests I decided to write another one for this week.

One of the things I am most frequently asked to help people with through my blog No Rest for the Awake – Minagahet Chamorro is to translate “love” phrases into Chamorro. Over the years I’ve helped people say simple things such as “I love you” to things as complicated as wedding vows like: “the night has broken, the dawn has now come, no longer are we two, at last we are one.” I went so far as to eventually create a page on my blog which features 23 different ways of saying “I Love You” in Chamorro.

In recognition of the fact that Valentine’s Day is just a few weeks away and that some of you may want to say something special to someone special gi fino’ Chamoru, below are some phrases which might or might not help you out.

Håyi na’ån-mu? Hafa iyo-mu “sign?”  Kao ya-mu bumaila?
What’s your name? What is your sign? Do you like to dance?

Gof ya-hu este na kanta. Kao ya-mu este na kanta? Estague i mas ya-hu na kanta!
I really like this song. Do you like this song? This is my favorite song!

Bunitaña hao kinu Si Angelina Jolie. Bunitoña hao kinu Si Brad Pitt.
You are more beautiful than Angelina Jolie. You are more beautiful than Brad Pitt.

Hu guaiya hao mas ki “Dancing with the Stars.” Lao hu guaiya “Glee” mas ki Hagu.
I love you more than “Dancing the with the Stars.” But I love “Glee” more than you.

Mangge i pappå-mu? Pine’lo-ku na gaipappa i anghet siha
Where are your wings? I thought that angels have wings.

Gof guaguan i flores gi i tendan, pues hu itengi hao ni’ este na kalachucha gi tatten i gima’.
The flowers at the store are very expensive, so I picked this plumeria for you from behind the house.

Somank hao gi un noplådu na ha’åni. Un na’gofha’ån todu!
You are sunshine on a cloudy day. You make everything like it’s a sunny day!

Gaige un gupot gi katsunes-hu, ya makombibida hao.
There is a party in my pants and you are invited!

Achokka’ dos hit, unu ha’ i korason-ta.
Even though we are two, we share one heart.

Munaofragu yu’ gi i matå-mu
I have been shipwrecked in your eyes.

Kao siña un na’i yu’ i numero-mu? Kao este i magahet na numero-mu? Kao este i numeron Pizza Hut giya Barrigada?
Can you give me your number? Is this your real number? Is this the number for Pizza Hut in Barrigada?

An guaha guinaiya, guaha lina’la’ lokkue’.
If there is love, there is life.

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