mansana
Apple
Usage
A loan from Spanish manzana; Aymara has no native word. Sold in altiplano markets all the same
Grammar Note
The spelling follows the rule of ending loanwords in a vowel and replacing z with s (the same rule as spelling a weekday Lunisa). 'Apple fruit' can also be said mansan achunaka
puquta
Banana
Usage
A native Aymara word. Bananas do not grow on the altiplano; they come up from the Yungas lowlands
Grammar Note
Puquta corresponds to plátano (banana) and is described as 'an edible sweet fruit'
naranja
Orange
Usage
A Spanish loan, but one that appears unchanged inside Aymara prose. The colour term is the same word
Grammar Note
Naranja also has a variant spelling, laranja
uva
Grape
Usage
A Spanish word used as is. Grapes grow in the valleys of Tarija and Cinti, not on the highlands
frutilla
Strawberry
Usage
A Spanish word used as is (like sandía and limón). In Bolivian markets it is called frutilla rather than fresa
sandía
Watermelon
Usage
A Spanish word used as is. This fruit is brought up from the lowlands
achupalla
Pineapple
Usage
A native Aymara word. The scientific name is Ananas comosus
Grammar Note
Besides achupalla, the Spanish piña is sometimes used as is in Aymara writing
kuku
Coconut
Usage
A borrowing from Spanish coco. 'Coconut milk' is sometimes written kuku lichi
Grammar Note
Aymara has only three vowels (a, i, u) and no o, so coco surfaces as kuku. The old koko contained an o and is not a possible Aymara spelling
limón
Lime / Lemon
Usage
A Spanish word used as is. There is also another citrus fruit, lima (sweet lime)
catuña
Mango
Usage
A native Aymara form, spelled catuña
Grammar Note
The Aymara alphabet has no c, but this spelling is what is used. It is a different word from the verb katuña ('to grasp, to receive'; challwa katuña means 'to fish')
durian
Durian
Usage
A Southeast Asian fruit unknown in the Andes; neither an Aymara nor a loan form exists, so it is left in English
mangosteen
Mangosteen
Usage
A Southeast Asian fruit unknown in the Andes; left in English for want of an Aymara form (the old mangostán was Spanish)
papaya
Papaya
Usage
It grows in the lowlands. Papaya is spelled the same in English and Spanish
lychee
Lychee
Usage
An East Asian fruit unknown in the Andes; left in English for want of an Aymara form
rambutan
Rambutan
Usage
A Southeast Asian fruit unknown in the Andes; left in English for want of an Aymara form
dragon fruit
Dragon fruit
Usage
Left in English for want of an Aymara form. The old dragon frutu was neither English nor Aymara
longan
Longan
Usage
An East Asian fruit unknown in the Andes; left in English for want of an Aymara form
jackfruit
Jackfruit
Usage
A South Asian fruit unknown in the Andes; left in English for want of an Aymara form
tamarindo
Tamarind
Usage
A Spanish word used as is. It is a lowland fruit and is not seen on the highlands
guayaba
Guava
Usage
A Spanish word used as is. It grows in the Yungas lowlands
More Aymara phrases
- Basic Words
- Basic Nouns
- Basic Verbs
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