Shopping

1. Hayk'ataq vale?

   Hayk'a-taq va-le?

   How much is this?

   Usage

   Essential phrase for asking prices at markets, especially in Cusco

   Grammar Note

   -taq is an emphatic question suffix. Quechua relies heavily on suffixes for grammatical meaning

2. Ancha chaniyuqmi!

   An-cha cha-ni-yuq-mi!

   It is too expensive!

   Usage

   Exclaiming about high prices when bargaining at Andean markets

   Grammar Note

   ancha is an intensifier meaning "very/extremely". chaniyuq is chani (price/value) + -yuq (having), i.e. "costly". Bargaining is part of Andean market culture

3. Asllata pisiyachiway

   As-lla-ta pi-si-ya-chi-way

   Please reduce the price a little

   Usage

   Politely asking for a small discount when shopping

   Grammar Note

   pisi means "little/less", pisiyachiy "to reduce/discount" (-ya- become + -chi- causative). -way = "(do it) for me"

4. Kayta rantisaq

   Kay-ta ran-ti-saq

   I will buy this

   Usage

   Confirming you will purchase an item

   Grammar Note

   rantiy means "to buy". -saq is the 1st-person singular intentional future, "I will buy". The bare imperative ranti would mean "(you) buy!"

5. Qhawayllam kachkani

   Qha-way-llam kach-ka-ni

   I am just looking

   Usage

   Browsing without commitment at a market stall

   Grammar Note

   The limitative "only" is "-lla"; "Qhawayllam kachkani" uses the same suffix. "-sqayki" is the 1sg→2sg nominalised form ("that I … you"), and "-chu" marks questions and negation, not limitation

6. Huk ratu qhawachiwankichu?

   Huk ra-tu qha-wa-chi-wan-ki-chu?

   Let me have a look

   Usage

   Asking to examine an item more closely at a market or shop

   Grammar Note

   qhawachiy is "to show" (qhaway "to look" + -chi- causative), -wanki is "you do it to/for me", -chu marks the question: a request, "could you show me?"

7. Chanita pisiyachiway

   Cha-ni-ta pi-si-ya-chi-way

   Could you lower the price?

   Usage

   Negotiating a lower price at an Andean market

   Grammar Note

   Lowering a price is pisiyachiy (to decrease, to reduce), the same verb as in Chanikunata pisiyachiy. Inserting the object marker -wa- turns the imperative into a request made on the speaker's behalf. Note that kichariy means "to open" — it carries no sense of discounting

8. Kay awayta rantiyman

   Kay a-way-ta ran-ti-y-man

   I would like to buy this woven textile

   Usage

   Expressing intention to buy traditional Andean woven textiles

   Grammar Note

   away is the nominalized form of "to weave", meaning "weaving/woven textile". Andean textiles are world-famous

9. Taripaykichu?

   Ta-ri-pay-ki-chu?

   Do you have change?

   Usage

   Asking if the seller has change when making a purchase

   Grammar Note

   -chu creates yes/no questions. taripayki refers to "the change/remainder on your side"

10. Allinmi kay rantiykuna

    Al-lin-mi kay ran-tiy-ku-na

    These are good purchases

    Usage

    Expressing satisfaction with your purchases

    Grammar Note

    -kuna is the plural suffix for nouns. rantiykuna is the nominalized plural of rantiy (to buy)

11. Manam boletata munanichu.

    Ma-nam bo-le-ta-ta mu-na-ni-chu

    I don't need a receipt

    Usage

    Used to decline a receipt when it is offered. A retail receipt in Peru and Bolivia is called a boleta

    Grammar Note

    Negation is expressed by a pair: mana(m) at the front of the clause and -chu on the verb. The object takes the accusative suffix -ta

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