Order anything by pointing in Guarani
I would like, this one, how much, the bill: survive any counter or menu. Play the ten Guarani words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 11 Guarani phrases in this lesson
- Aipota...ai-poh-TAH
- I would like...
- KóvaKOH-vah
- This one
- Mboýpa?mboh-UH-pah
- How much is it?
- Pe kuenta mínapeh KWEN-tah MEE-nah
- The bill, please
- Tarjeta-petar-HEH-tah-peh
- By card
- Pirapire-pepee-rah-pee-REH-peh
- In cash
- Yuh
- Water
- Kafekah-FEH
- Coffee
- Ñanarynya-na-RIH
- Tea
- SérvesaSER-veh-sah
- Beer
- ...'ỹre-uh-REH
- Without...
Literally "I want": "aipota peteĩ kafe", I would like a coffee.
Point and say it.
The y is a vowel made at the back of the mouth, like a tight "uh".
Kuenta is borrowed from Spanish cuenta.
Pirapire is money, literally "fish skin", for the scales on old coins.
One letter, one syllable: water. It shows up in place names all over Paraguay, like Ypacaraí.
Paraguay drinks tereré, cold yerba mate, far more than coffee.
Tea or a herbal infusion. The final y is a central vowel, said with unrounded lips.
From Spanish cerveza.
Without: "asuka'ỹre", without sugar.