Aymar aru
Aymara
Aymaran
Aymara (Aymar aru) is the principal language of the Aymara people of the Andean altiplano, with ~2M speakers centered around Lake Titicaca on the Bolivia-Peru border. One of three official languages of Bolivia (alongside Spanish and Quechua) and an official language in Peru (in regions where it predominates). Famous for its evidential marking system (whether the speaker witnessed an event firsthand vs. inferred or hearsay) and for spatial-temporal metaphors that place the past in front and the future behind (the inverse of most languages). The Aymaran family includes Jaqaru and Kawki of central Peru. Pre-Columbian writing was via tocapu and quipu.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Aymara
Water
uma
/uma/
Fire
nina
/nina/
Sun
inti
/inti/
Moon
phaxsi
/pʰaχsi/
Mother
mama
/mama/
Father
tata
/tata/
Eat
manqʼaña
/manqʼaɲa/
Drink
umaña
/umaɲa/
Love
munasiña
/munasiɲa/
Heart
chuyma
/tʃujma/
Tree
quqa
/quqa/
House
uta
/uta/
Dog
anu
/anu/
Cat
phisi
/pʰisi/
Hand
ampara
/ampaɾa/
Eye
nayra
/najɾa/
Hello
kamisaki
/kamisaki/
Thank you
yuspagara
/juspaɣaɾa/
One
maya
/maja/
Good
suma
/suma/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Aymaran languages
| Meaning | Aymara | Jaqaru | Cusco Quechua | Classical Quechua | Quechua | Misak | Ayacucho Quechua |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | uma /uma/ | uma /uma/ | unu /unu/ | yaku /jaku/ | yaku /jaku/ | unø /unø/ | yaku /jaku/ |
| Fire | nina /nina/ | nina /nina/ | nina /nina/ | nina /nina/ | nina /nina/ | nipi /nipi/ | nina /nina/ |
| Sun | inti /inti/ | ñiwi /ɲiwi/ | inti /inti/ | inti /inti/ | inti /inti/ | shi /ʃi/ | inti /inti/ |
| Moon | phaxsi /pʰaχsi/ | phaxshi /pʰaχʃi/ | killa /kiʎa/ | killa /kiʎa/ | killa /kiʎa/ | atru /atɾu/ | killa /kiʎa/ |
| Mother | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | tata /tata/ | awki /awki/ | tayta /tajta/ | tayta /tajta/ | tayta /tajta/ | tata /tata/ | tayta /tajta/ |
| Eat | manqʼaña /manqʼaɲa/ | mankaña /mankaɲa/ | mikhuy /mikʰuj/ | mikhuy /mikʰuj/ | mikhuy /mikʰuj/ | mɵ /mɵ/ | mikuy /mikuj/ |
| Drink | umaña /umaɲa/ | umaña /umaɲa/ | upyay /upjaj/ | upyay /upjaj/ | upyay /upjaj/ | ushi /uʃi/ | upyay /upjaj/ |
| Love | munasiña /munasiɲa/ | munasiña /munasiɲa/ | munay /munaj/ | munay /munaj/ | munay /munaj/ | kausrap /kawsɾap/ | kuyay /kujaj/ |
| Heart | chuyma /tʃujma/ | chuyma /tʃujma/ | sunqu /suŋqu/ | sunqu /suŋqu/ | sunqu /suŋqu/ | mun /mun/ | sunqu /suŋqu/ |
| Tree | quqa /quqa/ | qhura /qʰuɾa/ | sachʼa /satʃʼa/ | sach'a /satʃʼa/ | sacha /satʃa/ | yu /ju/ | sacha /satʃa/ |
| House | uta /uta/ | uta /uta/ | wasi /wasi/ | wasi /wasi/ | wasi /wasi/ | ya /ja/ | wasi /wasi/ |
| Dog | anu /anu/ | anu /anu/ | allqu /aʎqu/ | allqu /aʎqu/ | allqu /aʎqu/ | kuchi /kutʃi/ | allqu /aʎqu/ |
| Cat | phisi /pʰisi/ | phishi /pʰiʃi/ | misi /misi/ | misi /misi/ | misi /misi/ | mishi /miʃi/ | michi /mitʃi/ |
| Hand | ampara /ampaɾa/ | amrra /amra/ | maki /maki/ | maki /maki/ | maki /maki/ | mar /maɾ/ | maki /maki/ |
| Eye | nayra /najɾa/ | nayri /najɾi/ | ñawi /ɲawi/ | ñawi /ɲawi/ | ñawi /ɲawi/ | kab /kab/ | ñawi /ɲawi/ |
| Hello | kamisaki /kamisaki/ | kamishti /kamiʃti/ | rimaykullayki /rimajkuʎajki/ | rimaykullayki /rimajkuʎajki/ | allillanchu /aʎiʎantʃu/ | ma'rik /maʔɾik/ | napaykullayki /napajkuʎajki/ |
| Thank you | yuspagara /juspaɣaɾa/ | yuspaa /juspaː/ | añay /aɲaj/ | añay /aɲaj/ | sulpayki /sulpajki/ | payn /pajn/ | añay /aɲaj/ |
| One | maya /maja/ | maya /maja/ | huk /huk/ | huk /huk/ | huk /huk/ | kan /kan/ | huk /huk/ |
| Good | suma /suma/ | shuma /ʃuma/ | allin /aʎin/ | allin /aʎin/ | allin /aʎin/ | kausrik /kawsɾik/ | allin /aʎin/ |
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