Titikaka qutax sumawa
Ti-ti-ka-ka qu-tax su-ma-wa
Lake Titicaca is very beautiful
Usage
Appreciating Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake, central to Aymara culture
Grammar Note
quta means "lake" in Aymara. Titicaca comes from titi (puma) + kaka (rock), both Aymara words
Aka qutana tuyuñax sumati?
A-ka qu-ta-na tu-yu-ñax su-ma-ti?
Is it okay to swim in this lake?
Usage
Asking if swimming is permitted in Lake Titicaca or other highland lakes
Grammar Note
'Here' is aka + the locative -na. 'To swim' is tuyuña. The frame for asking permission is '...-x sumati?'
Kawkhansa bote alkilasiña utji?
Kawk-han-sa bo-te al-ki-la-si-ña ut-ji?
Where can I rent a boat?
Usage
Finding boat rentals on Lake Titicaca; totora reed boats are iconic
Grammar Note
Standard location frame "Kawkhansa ... utji?" (where is ...?). Renting is alkilasiña (as in the Car Rental & Driving category). The old kawkiru means 'to where' and the sentence had no verb, only a string of words
Quta uqllanmanta ikacha
Qu-ta uq-llan-man-ta i-ka-cha
Be careful of the lake currents
Usage
Warning about dangerous currents in a lake or river
Grammar Note
ikachaña means "to be careful/watch out". -manta is the ablative suffix "from/about"
Titikaka quta thiyaru saraña muntwa
Ti-ti-ka-ka qu-ta thi-ya-ru sa-ra-ña mun-twa
I want to go to the shore of Lake Titicaca
Usage
Expressing desire to visit the shoreline of Lake Titicaca
Grammar Note
'Lakeshore' is quta thiya. 'I want to go to ...' is -ru + saraña + muntwa (I want). Lake Titicaca is the spiritual heart of Aymara culture
Totora bote uñjañataki saraña suma
To-to-ra bo-te uñ-ja-ña-ta-ki sa-ra-ña su-ma
It is wonderful to go and see the reed boats
Usage
Expressing excitement about going to see traditional totora reed boats on Lake Titicaca
Grammar Note
totora is the Andean reed used to build the floating islands of Uros and traditional boats
Quta umax wali thayawa
Qu-ta u-max wa-li tha-ya-wa
The lake water is very cold
Usage
Describing the cold temperature of Lake Titicaca — highland waters are extremely cold
Grammar Note
'Cold' is thaya (the same word as adj-008 and cvs-004 Thaya uma); -wa is assertive. The old jiphi appears on no other card, and -pi is the Quechua locative. Titicaca averages 10–12°C, extremely cold for swimming
Isla del Sol uñjañataki saraña muntwa
Is-la del Sol uñ-ja-ña-ta-ki sa-ra-ña mun-twa
I want to go to see Isla del Sol
Usage
Expressing desire to visit Isla del Sol, the Inca sacred island in Lake Titicaca
Grammar Note
Isla del Sol is the mythical birthplace of Inca civilization on Lake Titicaca — sacred to Aymara and Inca culture
Quta sutaxa suma janq'u
Qu-ta su-ta-xa su-ma janq'u
The surface of the lake is very clear and white
Usage
Describing the crystal clarity of Lake Titicaca's surface
Grammar Note
janq'u means "white/clear/pure" in Aymara. Highland lakes have exceptional water clarity
Aka qutana challwa katuñax sumati?
A-ka qu-ta-na chall-wa ka-tu-ñax su-ma-ti?
Is fishing allowed in this lake?
Usage
Asking whether fishing is permitted in a highland lake like Titicaca
Grammar Note
The old kay qutapi is Quechua. For 'to fish', Layme 2011 gives katuña / katjaña under pescar, and 'fish' is challwa (Laime 2020: challwa. s. Pez), so the Spanish pesca is not needed
More Aymara phrases
- Basic Words
- Basic Nouns
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