Directions

15 phrases · Quechua with romanization, English and audio

  1. Maypim mercado kashan?

    MAY-pim mer-CA-do ka-SHAN

    Where is the market?

    Usage

    Asking where the market or a destination is located.

    Grammar Note

    "Maypim" = "Maypi" (where) + "-m" (evidential clitic); "-m" asserts known information.

  2. Chiqanta purinapuni kay ñanta.

    chi-QAN-ta pu-RI-na-pu-ni KAY ÑAN-ta

    Walk straight along this road.

    Usage

    Giving directions to go straight ahead.

    Grammar Note

    "-puni" is an intensifier suffix meaning "definitely/certainly/without fail". "Straight ahead" is "chiqanta", the adverbial of "chiqan" (straight, direct). "haykayta" derives from "haykuy" (to enter) and never means "straight"

  3. Hayk'am killometro kachkan?

    HAY-k'am kil-LO-me-tro kach-KAN

    How many kilometres is it?

    Usage

    Asking the distance to a destination.

    Grammar Note

    "kachkan" is the progressive/present existential form of "kay" (to be/exist). The quantity interrogative is "hayk'a", with an ejective k'; "hayqa" is not a valid spelling

  4. Lluq'iman muyuy.

    LLUQ'-i-man mu-YUY

    Turn to the left.

    Usage

    Directing someone to turn left.

    Grammar Note

    "-man" is the directional case suffix meaning "towards/to". In the three-vowel orthography "left" is "lluq'i" (its counterpart "right" is "paña")

  5. Paymi mapata yachan.

    PAY-mi MA-pa-ta ya-CHAN

    He/She knows the map.

    Usage

    Pointing out someone who knows the map or the way.

    Grammar Note

    The 3rd-person singular verb ending is simply "-n", so "yachay" (to know) gives "yachan"; there is no "-ngan" ending in the Quechua paradigm. The subject carries the evidential "-mi" ("-m" after a vowel)

  6. Chay suyu ñanman ripuy.

    chay su-YU ÑAN-man ri-PUY

    Go to the road of that area.

    Usage

    Directing someone towards a specific area.

    Grammar Note

    "ripuy" is the imperative of "riy" (to go); Quechua imperatives often use "-y".

  7. Kay llaqtapichu kashanki?

    kay LLA-qta-pi-chu ka-SHAN-ki

    Are you in this town?

    Usage

    Confirming someone's current location in town.

    Grammar Note

    "-chu" is the yes/no question marker clitic in Quechua

  8. Hotel maypim tarikun?

    ho-TEL MAY-pim ta-RI-kun

    Where can the hotel be found?

    Usage

    Asking where to find a hotel.

    Grammar Note

    "tarikun" is the reflexive/passive form of "tariy" (to find), meaning "is found".

  9. Chay hatun wasita riqsiy.

    chay ha-TUN WA-si-ta riq-SIY

    Use that large building as a landmark.

    Usage

    Using a large building as a reference point for directions.

    Grammar Note

    The bare verb root serves as the 2nd-person singular imperative. "To recognize, to know" is "riqsiy", with a plain q and no ejective q'. "-yki" is the 1sg→2sg portmanteau and cannot form an imperative

  10. Pawarispa purinapaqmi kachkan.

    pa-wa-RIS-pa pu-RI-na-paq-mi kach-KAN

    It is necessary to walk quickly.

    Usage

    Urging someone to walk quickly when time is short.

    Grammar Note

    "-napaq" is the purposive suffix meaning "in order to do X".

  11. Paña

    Right

    Usage

    Show it to a driver; one word beats a sentence

  12. Lluq'i

    Left

    Usage

    Show it to a driver; one word beats a sentence

  13. Chiqanta

    Straight ahead

    Usage

    Show it to a driver; one word beats a sentence

  14. Kutiy

    Go back

    Usage

    When the driver has gone too far

  15. Sayay

    Stop here

    Usage

    To have a driver pull over where you want

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