TODAY'S CHAMORRO WORD : MÅTAI

MÅTAI : dead, to die

Måtai gue'.  S/he died.  S/he is dead.

Måtai må'ho yo'!  I am dying of thirst!

Måtai ñålang yo'!  I am dying of hunger.

Måtai ginefli'e' gue'.  S/he died of love.

Ai, ya bai hu måtai magof!  Oh, and I will die happily!

Todos hit para ta fan måtai un dia.  All of us will die one day.

Måtai kanai-ña.  His hand is paralyzed.

Måtai gotpe.  To die suddenly.

Måtai derepente.  To die suddenly.

Poddong måtai.  To drop dead.

Måtai siniente-ko.  My feelings are dead.

Kalan hao måtai!  You're acting as if you're already dead!

Mamatai.  Dying.  Capable of dying.

Ti mamatai i guinaiya-ko nu hågo.  My love for you is undying.

Kematai.  Dying; on the way to dying.

Tayuyute i mangekematai.  Pray for the dying.

Finatai.  Death.

Asta i finatai-ho.  Until my death.  Until I die.

AUSTRONESIAN CONNECTIONS

Our word for "die" and "death" clearly shows our Austronesian roots and connections with other peoples of Southeast Asia and the Pacific who come from the same ancient roots.

Here is the word "to die, dead" in five different Austronesian languages spanning a large territory :

CHAMORRO	MATAI
BASAY (Taiwan)	MATAI
FIJIAN	MATE
BAJO (Indonesia)	MATAI
ILOKANO	MATAY