TODAY'S CHAMORRO WORD : PUTE

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PUTE : pain, hurt, ache, sore

Pute! It hurts!

Kao pute?  Does it hurt?

Pute yo'.  I am hurt.

Puten tuyan.  Stomach ache.

Måno piti?  Where does it hurt?  Piti because the original is måno i piti?  Where is the pain?

Mamute.  Extensive pain of the whole body or a large part of the body.  From man + pute = mamute. Mamute todo i tataotao-ho.  My whole body is in pain.

Pinite.  Pain. 

Dångkulo i piniti-ña.  His/her pain is great.

Piniten nåna.  A mother's pain.

Na' pinite.  Pitiable.  One feels pain over something.

Na' pinite na kånta.  A painful song.

Na' pute.  To make hurt.

Ha na' pute i korason-ho.  He/she/it made my heart ache.

Pinitiye.  To feel pain for someone/something.

Pinitiye si nanå-mo.  Feel your mother's pain.

PUTE? OR PUTI?

There is a system of spelling (orthography) endorsed by the local government, and until they make alternative spelling a criminal act, we are free to use it or not in private publications.  I prefer to spell it the way it sounds, and one solitary word in Chamorro can be pronounced more than one way by Chamorros.  Just listen to the recordings, both audio and video, I have on this blog and hear the different ways different Chamorros pronounce the same word!  I grew up with an older generation (my grandma was born in 1899) that truly said pute, not puti.  If you pronounce it puti, then spell it puti.  Just don't spell it it pooty, because now that's an American way of spelling.

NAPUTI

The Chamorro last name Naputi comes from pute and means "to make hurt, painful, sore."

PITI

It is believed that the village of Piti was once called I Piti, The Pain. 

PUTI TAI NOBIO

Guam's official flower is the bougainvillea, also known as the Puti Tai Nobio, which means "it hurts to lack a boyfriend."  Though some women could say, "Good riddance."