Martial Arts

1. Tinkuru uñjaña muntwa.

   Tin-ku-ru uñ-ja-ña munt-wa.

   I want to see the tinku

   Usage

   Tinku is a ritual bare-handed encounter held in the Aymara- and Quechua-speaking communities of Bolivia's Norte Potosí. Neighbouring communities face one another within a festival, and the blood spilled is understood as an offering to Pachamama. It is a communal rite, not a sport you sign up to learn

   Grammar Note

   Aymara is agglutinative and forms infinitives in "-ña". "Muntwa" is "muna" (to want) plus the first-person "-t" and the assertive "-wa"

2. Kawkhansa tinku utji?

   Kaw-khan-sa tin-ku ut-ji?

   Where does the tinku take place?

   Usage

   Tinku has no fixed venue; it begins in a village square or wherever the festival gathers. Macha, Pocoata and Sacaca in Norte Potosí are the best known. It is not staged for tourists, so both date and place must be asked locally

   Grammar Note

   Wh-questions attach "-sa" to the question word. "Utji" is the existential verb, covering the existence of places, things and events alike

3. Kunapachasa tinku lurasi?

   Ku-na-pa-cha-sa tin-ku lu-ra-si?

   When is the tinku held?

   Usage

   The Macha tinku is best known for coinciding with the Fiesta de la Cruz in early May. It is bound to the sowing and harvest calendar and falls at turning points in the agricultural year

   Grammar Note

   "Kunapacha" combines "kuna" (what) with "pacha" (time, world). "Pacha" covers both time and space and is the same element found in Pachamama, the earth mother

4. Nayax tinkuru mantasiristati?

   Na-yax tin-ku-ru man-ta-si-ris-ta-ti?

   Would I be allowed to join the tinku?

   Usage

   The answer will almost certainly be no. Tinku is a rite in which community members stand for their own village, and outsiders do not take part. Ask this not to volunteer but to show you understand where you stand

   Grammar Note

   Aymara marks the topic by dropping the final vowel and adding '-x' (naya becomes nayax). '-iri' is a suffix for an agent or habit, not a conditional. A final '-ti' makes a question ('-wa' is assertive and does not make a question)

5. Foto katuña muntwa. Walikiti?

   Fo-to ka-tu-ña munt-wa. Wa-li-ki-ti?

   I would like to take a photo. Is that all right?

   Usage

   Photography at a tinku is often strongly resented, and pointing a camera without asking can cause real trouble. Alcohol runs freely at the height of the festival, so keep your distance and always get permission. If told no, accept it

   Grammar Note

   "Waliki" (good) plus the interrogative "-ti" gives "walikiti" (is it all right?). Yes-no questions take "-ti", in contrast with "-sa" in wh-questions

6. Nuwasiña yatiqaña uta utjiti akana?

   Nu-wa-si-ña ya-ti-qa-ña u-ta ut-ji-ti a-ka-na?

   Is there anywhere around here to learn fighting?

   Usage

   La Paz and El Alto have boxing, karate and taekwondo gyms. El Alto has the largest Aymara-speaking population, though gym instruction normally runs in Spanish. Opening in Aymara closes the distance at once

   Grammar Note

   "Nuwaña" (to hit) takes the reciprocal "-si-" to give "nuwasiña" (to fight one another). "Yatiqaña uta", a house for learning, is the compound for a school

7. Mä urukiwa. Qawqhasa?

   Mä u-ru-ki-wa. Qaw-qha-sa?

   Just one day. How much is it?

   Usage

   The currency is the boliviano. A neighbourhood gym in El Alto charges only a few bolivianos per session. Cash is the norm, so carry small notes

   Grammar Note

   "Mä" is the numeral one, also functioning much like an indefinite article. The limitative "-ki" and the assertive "-wa" combine into "-kiwa" (it is only)

8. Nayax qalltirïtwa.

   Na-yax qall-ti-rït-wa.

   I am only a beginner

   Usage

   Say this to the desk or coach and they will start you from the basics. La Paz sits at about 3,600 metres and El Alto at 4,150, so visitors from sea level tire fast — worth mentioning too

   Grammar Note

   The suffix "-iri" derives agent nouns, turning "qallta-" (to begin) into "qalltiri" (one who is beginning). "-Wa" is the assertive marker showing the speaker vouches for the statement

9. Ampi suma, jani chamampi nuwañamati.

   Am-pi su-ma, ja-ni cha-mam-pi nu-wa-ña-ma-ti.

   Please do not hit with full force

   Usage

   Say this before sparring. Gym practice usually runs in Spanish, but saying it in Aymara breaks the ice immediately. To ask for the opposite, just say "chamampi" (with force)

   Grammar Note

   Negation brackets with "jani" and a final "-ti", structurally the same as Quechua's "mana ... -chu" — one of many traces of long contact between the two languages

10. Qunqurix usutawa, jani takiñjamäkiti.

    Qun-qu-rix u-su-ta-wa, ja-ni ta-kiñ-ja-mä-ki-ti.

    My knee hurts, I cannot kick

    Usage

    Always declare this before training. Swap "qunquri" (knee) for "chara" (leg), "ampara" (hand/arm) or "kallachi" (shoulder). Recovery is slower at altitude, so speak up early

    Grammar Note

    Dropping a noun's final vowel and adding "-x" marks it as topic (qunquri becomes qunqurix). This vowel elision for topicalisation is pervasive in Aymara

11. Amparanakama aptasim, uñtasitapan nayrapa!

    Am-pa-ra-na-ka-ma ap-ta-sim, uñ-ta-si-ta-pan nay-ra-pa!

    Get your hands up, look at his eyes!

    Usage

    Said by the coach. City gyms usually shout "manos arriba" in Spanish, but coaches in El Alto with rural roots mix in Aymara. It comes as a curt imperative with no rudeness intended

    Grammar Note

    "-Naka" (plural) and "-ma" (your) stack onto the noun in that order. "Nayra" means both eye and front or past — Aymara is well known for placing the past in front of the speaker

12. Taqi chamamampi takim, jani axsarantati!

    Ta-qi cha-ma-mam-pi ta-kim, ja-ni ax-sa-ran-ta-ti!

    Kick with all your strength, do not be afraid!

    Usage

    Said by the coach during pad work. In actual sparring the instruction would be the opposite, so treat this as aimed at pads and bags

    Grammar Note

    Imperatives add "-m" to the verb stem (taki- becomes takim). The letter "x" writes a uvular fricative which, with "q", gives Aymara its characteristic back consonants

13. Phisqa minutu samart'am, uma umam.

    Phis-qa mi-nu-tu sa-mar-t'am, u-ma u-mam.

    Rest five minutes and drink water

    Usage

    Said by the coach. El Alto sits at about 4,150 metres where the air is thin and dry and you lose fluid faster than at sea level. Take longer breaks in your first days, and do not be surprised to be offered coca tea

    Grammar Note

    "Ph" is aspirated and phonemically distinct from plain "p"; Aymara stops come in plain, aspirated and ejective series. Note also that "uma" (water) and "umaña" (to drink) share a root

14. Jichhürux ukhamawa. Wali sumaw lurta!

    Ji-chhü-rux u-kha-ma-wa. Wa-li su-maw lur-ta!

    That is it for today. You did very well!

    Usage

    The coach's closing line. Reply with "jallalla" (a blessing or cheer) or "juspagara" (thank you). In Aymara communities it is customary to exchange wishes for one another's health on parting

    Grammar Note

    "Jichhüru" compounds "jichha" (now) and "uru" (day), the vowels merging into a long one. "-Wa" is the assertive suffix attached to what the speaker vouches for

15. Mä phaxsitaki qawqhasa?

    Mä phax-si-ta-ki qaw-qha-sa?

    How much for one month?

    Usage

    If you are staying more than a week the monthly rate usually works out cheaper; a neighbourhood gym in El Alto may ask only a few dozen bolivianos a month. Some charge a separate joining fee, so ask what the monthly price actually covers

    Grammar Note

    The suffix "-taki" means "for", and attached to a period it frames what a price covers. "Phaxsi" denotes both the moon in the sky and the calendar month

16. Guante mayt'asiña utjiti?

    Gu-an-te may-t'a-si-ña ut-ji-ti?

    Is there a glove I can borrow?

    Usage

    Neighbourhood gyms in El Alto usually keep one shared set of gloves, and there may not be enough pairs to go round. Wraps ("venda") and a mouthguard are your own for hygiene, both cheap in La Paz sports shops or at El Alto's Thursday and Sunday market

    Grammar Note

    The infix "-t'-" lends a verb politeness or the sense of a single quick action and is pervasive in everyday Aymara. Spanish loan nouns slot into Aymara sentences unchanged

17. Warminakataki yatichäwi utjiti?

    War-mi-na-ka-ta-ki ya-ti-chä-wi ut-ji-ti?

    Is there a class for women?

    Usage

    Women's self-defence and boxing classes are slowly spreading in El Alto. The city is also home to the cholitas luchadoras, Aymara women who wrestle in the layered pollera skirt, and their weekend shows can be watched — though that is staged entertainment rather than training

    Grammar Note

    Adding "-wi" to a verb derives a noun for the place or occasion of that action: "yatichaña" (to teach) gives "yatichäwi" (a class), the long vowel arising from vowel fusion

18. Kunapachasa yatichäwix qalltasi?

    Ku-na-pa-cha-sa ya-ti-chä-wix qall-ta-si?

    When does the class start?

    Usage

    Gyms in El Alto and La Paz fill up after six in the evening. At this altitude the temperature drops sharply once the sun goes down, so bring a jacket for the trip there and back. Many close on Sundays, and Saturday may offer only a midday session

    Grammar Note

    Besides turning an action back on the doer, the middle "-si-" also detransitivises: "qalltaña" (to begin something) becomes "qalltasiña" (to begin, of itself)

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