Compliments

1. Sumawa manqax, yuspagara

   Su-ma-wa man-qax, yus-pa-ga-ra

   The food was very delicious, thank you

   Usage

   Praising someone for a delicious meal they prepared

   Grammar Note

   manqa-x is the shortened form of manqa-xa. suma expresses "goodness" for food, scenery, people, etc.

2. Aka markax wali k'achawa

   A-ka mar-kax wa-li k'a-cha-wa

   This town is very beautiful

   Usage

   Praising the beauty of a town or place you are visiting

   Grammar Note

   The Aymara word for 'town, city' is marka (the counterpart of Quechua llaqta). Visual beauty is k'acha

3. Aymara suma parltawa

   Ay-ma-ra su-ma par-l-ta-wa

   You speak Aymara well

   Usage

   A compliment often given to those learning Aymara

   Grammar Note

   parlaña means 'to speak'. The 2nd-person assertive form is -ta + -wa (the same pattern as muntawa). The 3rd-person parlaski means 'he is speaking' and cannot address the listener. alli comes from Quechua allin; the Aymara word for 'good' is suma

4. Yuspagara, wali suma katuqista

   Yus-pa-ga-ra, wa-li su-ma ka-tu-qis-ta

   Thank you for your warm hospitality

   Usage

   Thanking Aymara hosts for their generous hospitality

   Grammar Note

   Katuqaña means 'to receive, to welcome'. -ista is the form 'you do it to me' (2nd person to 1st person). 'Warm hospitality' is expressed as 'you welcomed me very well'

5. Bolivia markaxa sumawa

   Bo-li-via mar-ka-xa su-ma-wa

   Bolivia is a very wonderful country

   Usage

   Praising the country you are visiting; Bolivia is the heartland of Aymara language

   Grammar Note

   marka means "land/place/country". suma qamaña (good living) was adopted into the Bolivian constitution

6. Kawkhanqata uñjañapuni

   Kaw-khan-qa-ta uñ-ja-ña-pu-ni

   It is wonderful no matter how you look at it

   Usage

   Praising something — food, art, or scenery — as wonderful from every angle

   Grammar Note

   -puni is an emphatic suffix meaning "certainly/absolutely". uñjaña is the infinitive "to see"

7. Suma allichatawa, yuspagara

   Su-ma al-li-cha-ta-wa, yus-pa-ga-ra

   It is very well arranged, thank you

   Usage

   A formal compliment praising the arrangement or preparation by a guide or host

   Grammar Note

   allichaña means 'to fix/arrange' (the same word is used in the Beauty & Grooming category), -ta is the perfect participle, -wa is assertive. The old kamachisi- could not be confirmed as 'arrange', since kamachi means 'rule' (csno-007)

8. Suma jaqiru tukutawa

   Su-ma ja-qi-ru tu-ku-ta-wa

   You have become a very good person

   Usage

   Deeply praising someone's personal growth and character

   Grammar Note

   'To become' is tukuña (the stem found on existing cards such as tukuñatakix). tukuyaña is the causative 'to finish/bring to an end' and cannot mean 'become'. The 2nd-person assertive form is -ta + -wa. The compliment says the listener has become a good person

9. Aymara parlañax wali sumawa

   Ay-ma-ra par-la-ñax wa-li su-ma-wa

   Speaking Aymara is a wonderful thing

   Usage

   An encouraging compliment for someone learning or using Aymara

   Grammar Note

   'To speak Aymara' is Aymara parlaña. A bare Aymaraña means 'being Aymara', not speaking. alli comes from Quechua allin; the Aymara word for 'good' is suma. ch'ama means 'strong/strength' and is not the word for 'wonderful' in a compliment

10. Aka luratax wali k'achawa, suma luratawa

    A-ka lu-ra-tax wa-li k'a-cha-wa, su-ma lu-ra-ta-wa

    This work is beautifully crafted

    Usage

    Praising the craftsmanship of an Andean artisan product or work of art

    Grammar Note

    The old Kay taman is Quechua kay plus tama, and tama means 'herd, flock', not 'work of art'. The word for a work is lurata (Laime 2020: Obra. Algo que es producido)

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