Flirting

1. Sumaqmi kanki

   Su-maq-mi kan-ki

   You are very beautiful

   Usage

   Complimenting someone's beauty; Andean culture tends to favor modest expressions

   Grammar Note

   -mi is the direct evidential (speaker witnesses firsthand), adding certainty: "I can see you are beautiful"

2. Imataq sutiyki?

   I-ma-taq su-tiy-ki?

   What is your name?

   Usage

   Asking someone their name when making a new acquaintance

   Grammar Note

   -yki is the 2nd-person possessive "your". -taq is an emphatic question suffix

3. Kusillam tupasqanchis

   Ku-sil-lam tu-pas-qan-chis

   I am happy that we met

   Usage

   Expressing happiness at having met someone

   Grammar Note

   tupay means "to meet/encounter". -sqa nominalizes the verb. -nchis marks inclusive "we"

4. Imapim llaqtaykipi tiyanki?

   I-ma-pim llaq-tay-ki-pi ti-yan-ki?

   In what city do you live?

   Usage

   A conversational question to learn more about someone

   Grammar Note

   llaqta means "town/city/place". tiyay is versatile: "to live/reside/sit/be"

5. Munakuyki

   Mu-na-ku-y-ki

   I like you / I love you

   Usage

   Expressing affection; ranges from "I like you" to "I love you" depending on context

   Grammar Note

   Quechua encodes both subject and object in verb suffixes. munakuyki = "I love you" in one word

6. Ñawiyki k'ancharinmi

   Ña-wiy-ki k'an-cha-rin-mi

   Your eyes are shining

   Usage

   A poetic compliment about the beauty of someone's eyes

   Grammar Note

   k'anchary means "to shine/glow". -mi is the direct evidential marker indicating the speaker sees this firsthand

7. Huk p'unchay tikramusaqku

   Huk p'un-chay tik-ra-mu-saq-ku

   Let us meet again someday

   Usage

   Expressing hope to meet again after a special encounter

   Grammar Note

   tikramuy means "to return". -saq is intentional future; -ku marks plural subject (we)

8. Tusuyta munankichu?

   Tu-suy-ta mu-nan-ki-chu?

   Would you like to dance?

   Usage

   Inviting someone to dance at a traditional Andean music event or festival

   Grammar Note

   tusuy means "to dance" (takiy is the different verb "to sing"). -ta is the accusative; munankichu = "do you want to ...?", with -chu forming the yes/no question

9. Qantam yuyarini

   Qan-tam yu-ya-ri-ni

   I am thinking of you

   Usage

   Romantically expressing that someone is on your mind

   Grammar Note

   yuyariy means "to remember/think of". -ri emphasizes the ongoing or spontaneous nature of the action

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