Zamboangueño

Chavacano By: Franklin H. Maletsky: Zamboangueño - Chavacano

Chavacano - Chabacano: The original online Chavacano - English Dictionary.
El diccionario en línea original de Chavacano. Desde 1997
Email conmigo maga frase de chavacano: franklin_maletsky@yahoo.com. Gracias. Man ayudahan kita.
Chavacano 0 Chabacano? El verdad Chavacano. Pero, no hay se problema con el Zamboangueño, kay ta usa man con el dos.

Chavacano LifeStyles - Estilo de Chavacano

Translate English to chavacano or chabacano, simply click on the letter that the English word starts with below.

El Chavacano vien vivo aqui na Zamboanga. Man ayudahan kita para engrandese el lenguaje de chavacano, el lenguaje del Zamboangueño.

Click on any letter to find the chavacano or english word you are seaching. Click on the word to see the corresponding translation. We have also included sentences in chabacano(chavacano) with english translations. Puede ustedes omenta palabras de chavacano o ase entra habladas del maga palabras chabacano.

• Ninguno puede habla que ele el tiene autoridad o poder na lenguaje del chavacano. Todo kita necesita colabora para continua vivi el lenguaje de aton.
• Si ustedes quiere hace diccionario para publica y distribui, puede ustedes usa este mio diccionario. Menciona lang este lugar y mi nombre como un referencia.

This picture was taken in Zamboanga City. The carabao is pulling the pajagat or sleigh. The man manages the carabao with the pamitik that he is holding. The big basket on the pajagat is the Canastro. That's where the cargo goes. The yoke on the back of the neck of the carabao is called the ayugo. El hombre ta aguanta con el pamitik, conectao na naris del carabao. Dos pitik para manda bira na lao derecha con el carabao. Y un halada para manda por escerda. El carabao ta hala con el pajagat. El canastro ensima del pajagat. El dalaydayan del pajagat conectao na ayugo na tangkugu del carabao. El pandiit amo aquel na pescuezo del carabao. Aguantao quel na ayugo.]]

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Chavacano is the language of the Zamboangueños. Some refer to the language of the Zamboangueños as chabacano, which the Zamboangueños do not mind, as some of them refer to chavacano as chabacano. However, it is commonly accepted that if you are officially referring to the language of the Zamboangueños, then you might as well call it chavacano. Many zamboangueños pronounce the letters "V" as "B" , the "F" as "P" and the "Z" as "S". However they may say "chabacano" but they will write it as "chavacano", they'd say "prio" but they will write it down as "frio" or say "crus" but correctly write it down as "cruz".

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• This comes out of the mouth of a Chavacano person: "Yo si Rodolpo Palcatan Crus. De samboanga yo y chabacano mi lenguaje."
• If he writes it down, it will look like this: "Yo si Rodolfo Falcatan Cruz. De Zamboanga yo y chavacano mi lenguaje."

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In this site you will find Chavacano words with translations and how they are used in sentences. The chavacano words are translated into english and spanish. Simple chavacano sentences are used as examples.

This site is open to all. We invite the Chavacano people around the world to participate in this open interactive Chavacano site. If you remember any chavacano words that are not in this on-line interactive chavacano dictionary, go ahead and enter those chavacano words here.

Man ayudahan kita para el lenguaje chavacano di aton ay hinde mori.

Comentos de Chavacano
Chavacano: Sangit English: Snag Ya man sangit el camiseta na tunuk de cania The shirt got snagged by the thorn of the bamboo.
Fiesta en el Mes de Julio Julio 16 - Ayala ; Julio 31 - Tetuan

An example of a sentence translation from English to Chavacano

• Ta prepara ya bo para el dia de Valentino?
  • Are you preparing for Valentine's day?

Updated: February 5, 2024

Why it is Officially Chavacano and not Chabacano

In Zamboanga City, the old-timers (specially those who write in chavacano) will be offended if you tell them that their language is chabacano instead of chavacano. To the new generation the words chabacano and chavacano are interchangeable. With that said, it's time to put things into perspective. In the spanish language, the word chabacano is not referred to as a language. The word chabacano or chabacana is defined as: Coarse, unpolished, ill-finished. And in Mexico, chabacano is a kind of Apricot (fruit). I have this fruit growing in my backyard. The word Chabacana is an insipid kind of plum. The people of Zambaonga, being a proud bunch of people, who just helped the spaniards build the fort (June 23, 1635) and in the process developed the dialect, wanted to "own" this unique new language and hence baptized it as CHAVACANO. The word chabacano was derogatory. The people of Zamboanga were proud of their new language, the language of Chavacano. There is no mystery to this. The Zamboangueños simply wanted to own their own language. The word CHAVACANO is only as old as the chavacano language itself. The word Chavacano is not a spanish word. The people of Zamboanga "coined" the word. In the Philippines there were a handful of dialects that were developed in the areas where the spaniards had employed several indegenous people from different areas with different dialects. These workers had to communicate using the spanish language as the common denominator. These "new" dialects were referred to by the spaniards as CHABACANO, meaning "un-refined, coarse, or unpolished" form of spanish. Some call it "bastard" Spanish. The communities of Ternate - Ternateños, Ermita - Ermitaños, and Cavite City - Caviteños: did not "coin" their new found dialects. The dialects were called by the spaniards as the "Chabacano" of the spanish language and hence these communities proceeded to call their new dialects as "Chabacano". No mystery there either. The people of Zamboanga were unique. They coined the word "Chavacano" and they spread this new language to the new places they settled in later. Places, like Cotabato, Davao, and Basilan. The people in these areas referred to their language as CHAVACANO. The chavacano word identified the speaker as "originating" from Zamboanga. The government website of zamboanga city(zamboanga.gov.ph) incorrectly refers to chavacano as chabacano. Well, the mayor who authorized the website(2004) was not a zamboangueño. I Frank Maletsky born, raised and educated in Zamboanga City speaks chavacano fluently. I created this FREE online chavacano wiki dictionary to enable any chavacano zamboangueño to contribute their knowledge of the chavacano language. Nobody can claim that they are the authority in the Chavacano language. We all need to collaborate to allow the language to survive, grow and evolve. The government website of Zamboanga City INCORRECTLY refers to the Zamboangueño language as Chabacano Celso Lobregat who was elected congressman of zamboanga city in 1998 started to refer to the language of Chavacano in writing as chabacano contradicting his mother (Maria Clara Lorenzo Lobregat) who was mayor of Zamboanga City back then. He heard some of the people of zamboanga pronounce the letter "V" as "B" and thought that the word "chavacano" was spelled "chabacano". Celso (born, raised and educated outside zamboanga city) is not a zamboangueño even though his mother was. When Celso became mayor (2004) he pushed for the change from chavacano to chabacano. To this date the government website of zamboanga city incorrectly refers to chavacano as chabacano. As of 2015 the City of Zamboanga is still under the political influence of Celso Lobregat, so the change from chabacano to chavacano will not likely happen. However, we at zamboanga.com and with other true zamboangueños will continue to push for the change so that the government website will start to refer to our beloved language as chavacano instead of chabacano.

An example of a sentence translation from English to Chavacano

• Bonito mira con el aplaya.
  • The beach (seashore) is beautiful to look at.

Chavacano History

Read about the history of the Chavacano Language: READ ON

June 23, 1635 should be symbolically known as “Dia del Chavacano de Zamboanga.” Why you might ask? This was the day that a permanent foothold was laid on Zamboanga by the Spanish government with the construction of the San José Fort, and the subsequent evolution and proliferation of a unique dialect/language based on ancient Creole Spanish that is called Chavacano de Zamboanga. This is our history, this is our culture.

Zamboanga is the largest Spanish-Creole speaking region in Asia (Thus, Chavacano de Zamboanga is the de facto largest Spanish-Creole language in Asia!)

Let us begin the account by saying that as a result of continued Moro Pirate attacks on the Spanish controlled Visayas and Luzon Islands, a lingering plan to take possession of the strategic Mindanao peninsula and its town of Jambangan in the center of Moroland would be finally commenced at the urging of Bishop Fray Pedro of "Santissimo Nombre de Jesus" (Cebu) to the interim Governor-General of the Philippines, Don Juan Cerezo de Salamanca. >>>>Read More

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You may post a Zamboangueño Chavacano Article Here
CLICK HERE TO POST AN ARTICLE

Examples of chavacano words in a sentence - Ejemplos de chavacano palabras na un frase o oracion.

• Borrachon
  • Bien alboroto gayot el borrachon.
    • The drunk is very loud.
  • No puede man rason(razon) con el borrachon.
    • You can't reason with a drunk.
  • Si man istoria el borrachon, hinde ta acaba.
    • If the drunk tells a story, it does not end.
  • Ta acorda yo el maga cuento del maga borrachon alla na tubaan.
    • I remember the stories of the drunkards at the local tubaan (tavern for tuba).

Maga borrachon bien tomao gayot. The drunkards are really drunk.

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• Estudiante
  • Llega el mes de Junio, el maga estudiante ta prepara ya para anda na escuela.
    • In the month of June, the students are preparing to go to school.

Maga estudiante ta anda na escuela. The students are going to school.

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• lavandera
  • El lavandera ta lava ropa na rio.
    • The laundry woman washes clothes in the river.
  • El lavandera ta usa con el pakang para queda limpio el ropa.
    • The laudry woman uses the paddle to get the clothes clean.

El lavandera ta lava ropa. The laundry woman is washing clothes.

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• Nombre
  • Cosa de tuyo nombre?
    • What is your name?
• Soquia
  • Soquia conese hombre pamparon.
    • Sock (hit) that pompous man.
• Ventaja
  • Tiene vez el amo, ta toma ventaja.
    • Sometimes the master takes advantage.

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• 

  Cania ma tunuk

• 

  Flores y hojas del akapulco. El hojas ta puede usa como medicina.

• 

  Hojas y Frutas de Bankoro

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Welcome to Chavacano Speak!

We will introduce you to our unique Chavacano de Zamboanga language in a more usual environment where it is generally used - in our daily conversation.

The Chavacano speech will be presented in a normal, daily talking encounter.  This will be your survival guide to conversing with the locals in a familiar voice.  If at any time you wish to submit a special request, please do so below, and we will include it in our future content.  We thank you in advance for your participation.  Let us begin.

ACQUAINTANCE
Chavacano:	Greet:	English:
Buenas!		Hello!; Hi!
Buenas dias!		Good day!; Good Morning!
Buenas Tardes!		Good Afternoon!
Buenas Noches!		Good Evening!; Good Night!
Bienvenidos!		Welcome!
Quetal?		Howdy!
Como esta usted?		How do you do?
Quetal man uste?		How are you?
	Reply:
Muy bien, gracias!		Very well, thank you!
or: Buenamente man, gracias!
Bueno man, a Dios gracias!		Quite well, thank God!
Y uste, quetal man?		And how are you?; And you, how goes it?
Igualmente bien, gracias!; Tambien!		Equally well, thanks!; Same!
Bueno-bueno, man!		Oh, so-so!
Okey man yo!; Okey lang!		I am okay!
	Note:
(familiar, no regard to formality- singular) Quetal man evo(s)?		How are you?
(familiar, no regard to formality- plural) Quetal man kamo?		How are you, guys?
(familiar and courteous - singular) Quetal man tu?		How are you?
(familiar and courteous - plural) Quetal man vosotros?		How are you, folks?
(formal, and with respect, as with elders- singular) Quetal man uste?		How are you?
(formal, and with respect, as with elders- plural) Quetal man ustedes?		How are you, (all, ladies, gentlemen, etc.)?
NOTE: Chavacano is peculiar in its emphasis on differentiating various forms of addressing someone, whether it be singular or plural, based on their level of familiarity to the speaker and how the speaker regards that person in the context of our society's mores, or simply by their mood at that moment.  In order to understand this peculiarity, we will present you with a list of Personal and Possessive Pronouns and how they are used in context with aforementioned statement.   For descriptive purposes, we will first elaborate on what Pronouns are, and how Personal and Possessive relates to it.  A Pro-Noun is an extension of the Noun.  In grammar, it is one of a class of words that function as substitutes for nouns or noun phrases and denote persons or things asked for, previously specified, or understood from the context.  The Chavacano Pronouns will be presented as follows:

Personal Pronouns (Pronouns used when referring to persons)
Chavacano:		English:
Yo, Iyo		I
Uste, Tu, Evo(s)		You
El, Ele		He
Nosotros, Kita		We (including the person spoken to)
Nosotros, Kamo		We (excluding the person spoken to)
Ustedes, Vosotros, Kamo		You (plural)
Ellos, Sila		They

 

 

Possessive Pronouns (Pronouns used in denoting possession)
Chavacano:		English:
Mi, Mio, Dimiyo		My, Mine
Di uste, Tuyo, Di tuyo, De vos		Your, Yours
Suyo, Di suyo		His, Hers
Con nosotros, Kanaton		Our (including the person spoken to)
Con nosotros, Kanamon		Us (excluding the person spoken to)
Con Ustedes, Con Vosotros, Kaninyo		You (plural)
Con Ellos, Kanila		Them

 

 

FORMAL		FAMILIAR		COMMON
Usage: When addressing someone older or higher up in society's echelon, i.e.: a teacher, priest, doctor, city official, etc.		Usage: When addressing someone who is acquainted or is of equal social status, and denotes courteousness, i.e.: co-worker or girlfriend / boyfriend.		Usage: When addressing someone who is acquainted or is of equal social status, with no regard to formality or courtesy, or one of lower ordinary class, and can imply crudeness, disrespect, or be derogatory.
Pronouns:		Pronouns:		Pronouns:
Uste		Tu		Evo(s); Vos
Ustedes		Vosotros		Kamo
Di uste		Tuyo, Di tuyo		De vos
Di ustedes		De vosotros		Di inyo
Con uste		Con tigo		Con vos
Con ustedes		Con Vosotros		Kan inyo
Nosotros		Kita; Kame		Kita; Kame
Nuestro		Di aton; Di amon		Di aton; Di amon
Con Nosotros		Kan aton; Kan amon		Kan aton; Kan amon
Suyo		Di suyo		Di suyo
Con el		Con ele		Con ele
Con ellos		Kanila		Kanila
De ellos		Di ila		Di ila

Stay tuned.  There's more to come!  We've only just begun.

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By: Franklin H. Maletsky - Zamboangueño

English to Chavacano By: Franklin H. Maletsky: A Chavacano Zamboangueño

English to Chavacano - Chabacano:
The original online Chavacano Translation Dictionary Since 1997.

El original chavacano diccionario na internet
Email me some chavacano words and phrases: franklin_maletsky@yahoo.com. Gracias.

Chavacano LifeStyles

Translate English to chavacano or chabacano, simply click on the letter that the English word starts with below. Or use "SEARCH" top right

An example of a sentence translation from English to Chavacano

• Ta prepara ya bo para el dia de Valentino?
  • Are you preparing for Valentine's day?

Updated: February 5, 2024

Jardinero, Campesino, Cainginiero

Herramientas del Jardinero, Campesino, o Cainginiero:

1. Arao - The plow
   1. Mango - Handle of the Plow
   2. Pilo - Blade of the Plow
2. Acha - Big Ax
   1. Achita - Small Ax
3. Alat ↔ Basket
4. Asada - Hoe
5. Balde - Can
6. Bilao - Small concave Basket
7. Bolo - Machete
   • Puluhan - Handle
8. Carabao
   1. Pamitik - The rope that's tied through the nose of the carabao.
   2. Persoga - The rope usually made out of the long ratan vine.
      1. Pabiling - The part of the rope that ties to the head of the carabao.
      2. Largero - The long part of the rope that connects to the Pabiling. This part goes through the "orejas" in the pabiling. This makes it into a swivel so the "persoga" will stay straight.
   3. Ayugo - The yoke of the carabao.
   4. Pandiit - The rope under the ayugo, that goes under the neck of the carabao.
   5. Danao - The pond. This is where the carabao wallows. In the river the carabao can wallow in the deep water and this activiy is called "Tubug".
   6. Hampelo / Sapin.- The cloth or sack on the back of the carabao that the riders use.
9. Carro - The big cart
   1. Carriton - A small push cart.
10. Cuchillo - Knife
11. Hilamon - Used to till or pull weeds. A short small bolo.
    • Ta usa yo firme el hilamon para man habug con el maga siembra na mi jardin. I always use the short bolo to till the soil in my garden.
12. Jalo y Pilon - Mortar and Pestle
13. Kahigan - Rake
14. Mekate - Long Rope made out of Abaca
15. Pajagat- - The sleigh
    1. Dalaydayan - The two wooden rails that is part of the pajagat that connects to the yoke.
    2. Canastro - The huge basket on the pajagat.
16. Pala - Shovel
17. Saco - Sack
18. Sangud - Sikle - A crescent shaped Bolo
19. Toro - Bull

Carpintero

Herramientas del Carpintero: Tools of the carpenter.

1. Bisagra - Hinge
2. Cepillo - Plane
3. Clabo - Nail
4. Escoplo - Chisel
5. Lapis - Pencil
6. Lima - File
7. Martillo - Hammer
8. Nawi - Tie-out for the nipa made out of ratan strands.
9. Nipa - Shingles for the roof made out of Palm leaves
10. Sawali - Woven bamboo used as wall sidings or ceilings. Comes in 4x8.
11. Nivel - Level
12. Pulgadera - Tape Measure
13. Papel de lija - Sand Paper
14. Sierra - Saw
15. Achita - Small ax (hatchet)
16. Tornillo - Screw

Lavandera Laundry woman

Herramientas del Lavandera:

1. Almedon - Starch to stiffen the fabric and hold its shape.
2. Bateya - Basin made out of Wood (originally). Wash tub.
3. Jabon - Soap
4. Luguran - Stone Scrubber
5. Pakang - Paddle to pound the laundry.
6. Pukpukan - The large flat stone where the dirty wet clothes are pounded on.
7. Sipan - Scrubber usually out of corn cob.
8. Tapis - One piece body-clothing like a pillow but open on both ends.

Sastrera o Sastrero Tailor

1. Aguha - Needle
2. Ilo - Thread
3. Imperdible - Safety pin
4. Maquina de coser - Sewing Machine
5. Pulgadera - Tape measure
6. Tijeras - Scissors

El maga parte del casa

• Batalan ↔ Terrace. An open area connected to the kitchen where most of the washing and cleaning is done.
  • Todo el lavada ta hace na batalan. All the laundry is done in the terrace.
• Dindin ↔ Wall
  • El dindin de suyo casa de sawali lang. The wall of his house is made of bamboo thatching.
  • Ya usa lang sila sawali para dindin. They used sawali for the wall.
• Palupu - Roof ridge
• Piso - Floor or Flooring
• Sanepa - Roof verge or Facial board
• Techo ↔ Roof.
  • El techo de nipa lang. It only has a nipa thatched roof.