Religion & Temples

1. Inti Raymi imatam nin?

   In-ti Ray-mi i-ma-tam nin?

   What does Inti Raymi mean?

   Usage

   Used to ask about the meaning of Inti Raymi, the Inca festival of the sun

   Grammar Note

   "Inti Raymi" = "Festival of the Sun." One of the most important festivals of the Inca Empire

2. Intimanmi mañakuyku

   In-ti-man-mi ma-ña-kuy-ku

   We pray to the sun god

   Usage

   Used to describe the traditional Andean sun worship practice

   Grammar Note

   "-man" = directional suffix (toward). "Intimanmi" = "to the sun (emphatic)." "-mi" = confirmative

3. Pachamama kutimunanpaqmi mañakuyku

   Pa-cha-ma-ma ku-ti-mu-nan-paq-mi ma-ña-ku-yku

   We pray for Pachamama to return

   Usage

   Devotional expression to Pachamama. A prayer rooted in Andean indigenous culture

   Grammar Note

   "kutimunanpaq" = kuti-mu-y (come back) + -nan (3rd-person nominalizer) + -paq (for): "for her to come back". The 2nd-person -nki would mean "you", but the subject here is Pachamama (3rd person). "mañakuyku" = "we pray" (same form as rel-002)

4. Maypis iglesia tiyan?

   May-pis ig-le-si-a ti-yan?

   Is there a church somewhere?

   Usage

   Used to find a Catholic church. Peru and Bolivia are predominantly Catholic countries

   Grammar Note

   "iglesia" is a Spanish loanword. Quechua has many Spanish borrowings from colonial history

5. Kay templo imatam sutichanku?

   Kay temp-lo i-ma-tam su-ti-chan-ku?

   What is this temple called?

   Usage

   Used to ask the name of an Inca temple or religious structure

   Grammar Note

   Quechua has its own terms for temples: "wak'a" (sacred place), "qurikancha" (golden enclosure)

6. Apukunap wak'ankunaqa willkam

   A-pu-ku-nap wa-k'an-ku-na-qa will-kam

   The sacred sites of the mountain gods are holy

   Usage

   Used to express reverence for the Andean mountain spirits (Apu)

   Grammar Note

   "-kuna" = plural suffix. The "-p" of "apukunap" is the genitive ("of the mountain gods") and the "-n" of "wak'ankuna" is 3rd-person possessive ("their shrines"). "willka" means "sacred", not "allin" (good). "-m" = confirmative suffix. Without the ejective k', "waka" is the Spanish loan for "cow" — a different word

7. Qurikancha maypin kashan?

   Qurikancha may-pin kas-han?

   Where is Qorikancha (the Temple of the Sun)?

   Usage

   Used to ask the location of the famous Inca Sun Temple, Qorikancha, in Cusco

   Grammar Note

   "quri" (gold) + "kancha" (enclosure) = "golden enclosure." The largest Inca temple (three-vowel spelling quri)

8. Urupampa mayuta Willkamayu nispa sutichanku

   U-ru-pam-pa ma-yu-ta Will-ka-ma-yu nis-pa su-ti-chan-ku

   The Urubamba river is called "the sacred river"

   Usage

   Used when discussing the sacred Urubamba River (Willkamayu) important to the Inca

   Grammar Note

   "Willkamayu" = "willka" (sacred) + "mayu" (river). "... nispa sutichanku" = "they call it ...". The river was sacred to the Inca

9. Misaqa ima p'unchaypi karqan?

   Mi-sa-qa i-ma p'un-chay-pi kar-qan?

   What day was the Mass?

   Usage

   Used to confirm on which day a Catholic Mass took place

   Grammar Note

   "karqan" is the past of "to be/exist" (-rqa- past + -n 3rd person): "there was". "-pi" = "on/in". ima p'unchaypi = "on which day"

10. Sumaq kawsay ñan iman?

    Su-maq kawsay ñan i-man?

    What path is "Sumaq Kawsay" (good living)?

    Usage

    Used to ask about the Quechua philosophy of "Sumaq Kawsay" (Buen Vivir / good living)

    Grammar Note

    "Sumaq Kawsay" = "good living/flourishing." A Quechua philosophical concept, "Buen Vivir" in Spanish

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