Greetings and politeness in Quechua
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the eleven openers everything else builds on. Play the ten Quechua 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 Quechua phrases in this lesson
- Napaykullaykinah-pie-koo-YAY-kee
- Hello
- Allin p'unchayAH-yeen POON-chai
- Good morning
- Allin tutaAH-yeen TOO-tah
- Good evening
- Tupananchiskamatoo-pah-nan-chis-KAH-mah
- Goodbye
- Rikunanchiskamaree-koo-NAN-chis-ka-ma
- See you
- Allichuah-YEE-choo
- Please
- Sulpaykisool-PIE-kee
- Thank you
- Manan imapasMAH-nan ee-MAH-pas
- You're welcome
- Pampachawaypahm-pah-CHA-why
- Sorry
- Ama hina kaspaAH-mah HEE-nah KAHS-pah
- Excuse me
- Tupasqanchismanta kusikunitoo-pahs-kahn-chees-MAN-tah koo-see-KOO-nee
- Nice to meet you
The formal greeting, literally "I humbly greet you". Among friends, "rimaykullayki" or simply "allillanchu?".
Literally "good day", used in the morning. The ' marks a popped consonant.
Literally "good night", the evening greeting.
Literally "until we meet again", the standard farewell. -kama is until, -chis is we. Shows the agglutinative structure.
Until we see each other. It shares the ending of the course's Goodbye, until we meet.
Allichu is softening, literally "well then". Politeness in Quechua lives mostly in tone and request softening.
The everyday thanks, used constantly. Short, warm, the default word for gratitude.
Literally "nothing something", meaning "it's nothing". The casual brush-off reply to thanks. -pas is emphasis.
Literally "forgive me", the real apology.
Literally "not being like that", a soft "please, excuse me".
Literally "I am glad we met".