Photography

1. Akana foto apsuñax sumati?

   A-ka-na fo-to ap-su-ñax su-ma-ti?

   May I take a photo here?

   Usage

   Use to check if photography is permitted in temples or cultural sites

   Grammar Note

   'To take a photo' uses apsuña ('to take out'), after the Spanish sacar una foto. 'Here' in Aymara is akana

2. Jumana fotoma apsuñax sumati?

   Ju-ma-na fo-to-ma ap-su-ñax su-ma-ti?

   Can I take your photo?

   Usage

   Always ask permission before photographing a person

   Grammar Note

   Possession is marked twice, with the genitive -na plus a possessive suffix (chachama 'your husband'). 'To take a photo' is apsuña

3. Nanakar mä foto apsut'am.

   Na-na-kar mä fo-to ap-su-t'am.

   Could you take a photo of us?

   Usage

   Ask a stranger to photograph your group at a tourist spot

   Grammar Note

   The Aymara 2nd person imperative adds -m to the stem (Beginning Aymara: Escuelar saram 'go to the school', qunt'asim 'sit down'). -t'a softens the request. The old jachaña means to cry and munasixa is not a request form. nanaka is exclusive we (CONADI: NANAKA nosotros, excluyente)

4. Akanxa foto apsuñax jark'atawa.

   A-kan-xa fo-to ap-su-ñax jar-k'a-ta-wa.

   Photography is not allowed here.

   Usage

   Used to inform visitors that photography is prohibited

   Grammar Note

   Prohibited is jark'ata (Laime 2010: PROHIBIR = jark'aña, 'no está permitido. Jark'ata.'). The old wakisiñakiti is the negative of wakisiña 'to be necessary', i.e. 'is not necessary', which does not mean prohibited. Kaypi is Quechua and was replaced by akanxa

5. Akan qhanax foto apsuñatakix sumawa!

   A-kan qha-nax fo-to ap-su-ña-ta-kix su-ma-wa!

   The light is perfect for photos here!

   Usage

   An enthusiastic comment about ideal lighting conditions

   Grammar Note

   'Light' is qhana. Purpose is expressed with -ñataki (Aymar juk'amp yatiqañatakiwa 'in order to learn Aymara more')

6. Jisk'aki ch'iqaru/kupiru sayt'am.

   Jis-k'a-ki ch'i-qa-ru/ku-pi-ru say-t'am.

   Can you stand a bit to the left / right?

   Usage

   Direct a subject to shift position for better composition

   Grammar Note

   'Left' is ch'iqa and 'right' is kupi. Dropping the ejective ch' and writing chiqa gives a different word meaning 'truth, place', so always write ch'

7. Akar foto apsuñatakix kawkhansa suma chiqa utji?

   A-kar fo-to ap-su-ña-ta-kix kaw-khan-sa su-ma chi-qa ut-ji?

   Where is the best spot to photograph this landmark?

   Usage

   Ask locals for the best vantage point at a landmark

   Grammar Note

   The frame for asking about a place is Kawkhansa … utji?. 'Place' is chiqa

8. Cámarajan bateriapax tukusitawa. Kawkhansa cargañax utji?

   Cá-ma-ra-jan ba-te-ria-pax tu-ku-si-ta-wa. Kaw-khan-sa car-ga-ñax ut-ji?

   My camera battery is dead — where can I charge it?

   Usage

   Ask at a café or hotel for a charging point

   Grammar Note

   Place is asked with kawkhansa (kunapachasa means 'when'). Tukusiña means 'to run out'. Spanish verbs are borrowed by adding -ña to the stem (poder → puedeña)

9. Mä memoria tarjeta thaqhasktwa.

   Mä me-mo-ria tar-je-ta tha-qhask-twa.

   I'm looking for a memory card.

   Usage

   Use in electronics stores or camera shops

   Grammar Note

   'To look for' is thaqhaña. The first-person present is root + -t + -wa

10. Aka chiqax wali k'achawa — mä foto apsuñajawa!

    A-ka chi-qax wa-li k'a-cha-wa — mä fo-to ap-su-ña-ja-wa!

    This view is breathtaking — I must take a photo!

    Usage

    An enthusiastic exclamation when encountering a stunning view

    Grammar Note

    The opening Kay is Quechua; the Aymara demonstrative is aka (CONADI: AKA este, ésta, esto). Obligation is expressed as nominalizer -ña plus a personal possessive suffix plus -wa (Compendio 2.12.22 '-ña como marcador de obligación'; Beginning Aymara: manq'añajawa 'I must eat'). The old card glossed muntwa as must, but muntwa is the 1st person of munaña 'to want'

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