Chamorro Program

Chamorro (Fino’ Chamoru) is the Indigenous language of the Mariana Islands, spoken in Guåhan (Guam), Rota, Tinian, and Saipan. Today, there are an estimated 30,000–47,000 speakers, with about 35,000 on Guam and 12,000 in the Northern Mariana Islands.

Chamorro is an Austronesian language, closely related to the languages of the Philippines and eastern Indonesia. Although the Mariana Islands are located in Micronesia, Chamorro is distinct from other Micronesian languages and shows unique linguistic features. Centuries of contact with Spain and the United States have also introduced many loanwords from Spanish and English into everyday speech.

The language is considered endangered, especially on Guam, where English has become dominant in education, government, and media. In the Northern Marianas, Chamorro remains more widely spoken, though younger generations are also shifting toward English. Efforts in schools, cultural programs, and the community continue to revitalize and preserve Chamorro for future generations.