Health & Hospital

1. Kawkhansa qulliri utji?

   Kaw-khan-sa qul-li-ri ut-ji?

   Where is there a doctor?

   Usage

   Used in emergencies or when feeling unwell to locate medical assistance

   Grammar Note

   The frame for asking about a place is Kawkhansa … utji?. 'Doctor' is qulliri (qulla 'medicine' + agent -ri), and the Spanish médico is also commonly used. 'Teacher' is yatichiri ('one who teaches'). A traditional Aymara healer is called a kallawaya and treats with herbs and rituals

2. Sora utjitu

   So-ra ut-ji-tu

   I have altitude sickness

   Usage

   Used to report altitude sickness symptoms. The Lake Titicaca region sits above 3,800m

   Grammar Note

   Altitude sickness (soroche) is serious at Andean heights. Symptoms: headache, nausea, shortness of breath. Treatment: rest, coca tea, hydration, acclimatize slowly

3. Umaña muntwa, uma apxitama

   U-ma-ña mun-twa, u-ma ap-xi-ta-ma

   I need to drink water, please bring water

   Usage

   Used to urgently request water for hydration, especially important at high altitude

   Grammar Note

   Hydration is crucial at altitude. Always use boiled or bottled water in highland Bolivia. The body dehydrates faster at altitude even without feeling thirsty

4. P'iqi usu utjitu

   P'i-qi u-su ut-ji-tu

   I have a headache

   Usage

   Used to report a headache — a primary symptom of altitude sickness and other illnesses

   Grammar Note

   'Head' is p'iqi and 'pain, illness' is usu. This is an important expression for the main symptom of altitude sickness. Body parts include ampara (hand) and kayu (foot)

5. Kallawaya qulliri jikisiñ muntwa

   Ka-lla-wa-ya qul-li-ri ji-ki-siñ mun-twa

   I want to meet a kallawaya traditional healer

   Usage

   Used to request treatment from a kallawaya, the traditional itinerant herbalists of the Andes

   Grammar Note

   Kallawaya are UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage itinerant healers who combine hundreds of medicinal plants with ritual. The Charazani region of Bolivia is their heartland. This language's data spelled "I want" four different ways — muntha, munxta, munta and muntwa. The person markers of the Aymara simple present are -t for the 1st person, -ta for the 2nd and -i for the 3rd (UniMorph aym: munt V;PRS;1;SG / munta V;PRS;2;SG / muni V;PRS;3;SG), so the bare 1st and 2nd person forms are ambiguous. Only the assertive forms muntwa (1st) and muntawa (2nd) separate them unambiguously, so the 1st person "I want" is standardised here as muntwa. Munxta is not a person form at all.

6. Janchijax janiw walikiti

   Jan-chi-jax ja-niw wa-li-ki-ti

   My body doesn't feel well

   Usage

   A basic expression for reporting general physical discomfort or illness

   Grammar Note

   janchi is "body", -ja is "my" and -x marks the topic. Janiw walikiti means "not good / not well" (same pattern as Janiw walikiti in the Feelings category), inside the janiw … -kiti negation frame

7. Qulla utjiti?

   Qu-lla ut-ji-ti?

   Is there medicine available?

   Usage

   Used at pharmacies or medical facilities to ask if medicine is available

   Grammar Note

   'Medicine' is qulla. Lanti means 'instead of, substitute'

8. Kawkhansa hospital utji?

   Kaw-khan-sa hos-pi-tal ut-ji?

   Where is the hospital?

   Usage

   Used in emergencies or serious illness to locate the nearest hospital

   Grammar Note

   Medical facilities in Aymara regions can be limited. Major cities like La Paz, Puno, and Oruro have hospitals, but rural areas may only have basic health posts

9. Janiw suma utjktatiti

   Ja-niw su-ma ut-jkta-ti-ti

   I am not feeling well

   Usage

   A polite way to express general unwellness or discomfort

   Grammar Note

   Aymara negation: "janiw" + verb + "-ti" (double marking). "Suma" (good/well) works for both physical health and general quality — a versatile positive adjective

10. Suma utjañataki qulla apxitama

    Su-ma ut-ja-ña-ta-ki qu-lla ap-xi-ta-ma

    Please bring medicine so I can recover

    Usage

    Used when ill to request medicine for recovery

    Grammar Note

    The old lanti means 'in place of' (Laime 2020: lanti. posp. En vez de) and is not medicine; medicine is qulla (Laime 2020: qulla. s. Medicamento). -taki is a purpose suffix meaning 'in order to, for the sake of', so suma utjañataki is 'for the sake of being well'

11. Asmanitwa

    I have asthma

    Usage

    Declare the condition; also usable when an attack stops you talking

12. Diabetesnitwa

    I have diabetes

    Usage

    Affects food, medication, and how fainting is treated

13. Presión altanitwa

    I have high blood pressure

    Usage

    Tell this before anything is prescribed

14. Chuyma usunitwa

    I have a heart condition

    Usage

    Show it together with chest pain

15. Epilepsianitwa

    I have epilepsy

    Usage

    Lets bystanders understand a seizure

16. Seguro

    Insurance

    Usage

    At a clinic or counter, to ask about or show insurance

17. Ch'akax p'akjatawa

    I broke a bone

    Usage

    After a fall or crash; point at the limb you cannot move

18. Wilax jalsuski

    I am bleeding

    Usage

    Point at the bleeding spot while showing it

19. Nakhantatatwa

    Burn

    Usage

    For scalds, exhaust-pipe burns, or bad sunburn

20. P'iqix muyuski

    I feel dizzy

    Usage

    For altitude sickness, dehydration, or low blood pressure

21. Jinchu

    Ear

    Usage

    A body part to point at when something hurts

22. Kunka

    Neck

    Usage

    A body part to point at when something hurts

23. Kallachi

    Shoulder

    Usage

    A body part to point at when something hurts

24. Qunquri

    Knee

    Usage

    A body part to point at when something hurts

25. Luk'ana

    Finger

    Usage

    A body part to point at when something hurts

26. Lip'ichi

    Skin

    Usage

    For rashes, itching, or sunburn

27. Nasa

    Nose

    Usage

    For a nosebleed or a blocked nose

28. Uju

    Cough

    Usage

    Also works at a pharmacy when asking for cough medicine

29. Jurma usu

    Common cold

    Usage

    jurma (mucus) + usu (illness); a cold or flu with a runny nose and cough

30. Qullirir jawsam!

    Please call a doctor

31. Akana usu utjitu

    It hurts here

    Usage

    A sentence made by replacing 'head' in 'P'iqi usu utjitu' ('I have a headache') with Akana ('here'). Show it while pointing to the painful spot

32. Janchijax qaritawa

    My body feels sluggish

33. Samarañax wakisiti?

    Do I need to rest?

34. Wich'u

    Diarrhea

    Usage

    A symptom word. Show it to a doctor or pharmacist to describe your symptoms

35. Jama

    Poop

    Usage

    Neutral word for human or animal feces (Spanish heces). No child-talk word was found, so this word is used; show it when talking about stool at a medical visit

36. Chhuxu

    Pee

    Usage

    Word for urine (Spanish orina). No child-talk word was found, so this word is used; show it when talking about urine at a medical visit or test

37. Wich'unitwa

    I have diarrhea

    Usage

    A sentence made by adding the possessive -ni and the first-person -twa to wich'u ('diarrhea'). Use it to describe your symptoms to a doctor or pharmacist

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