Otavaleno Kichwa is part of the Quechua family of languages, evolved from the Quechua spread by the Incas throughout the Andes.  For more information, and to hear some of the fascinating differences and similarities among these languages, visit The Sounds of the Andean Languages.  Varieties of Kichwa differ throughout the Ecuadorian highlands and in Napo province, the one Amazonian region where it is spoken.  As the bilingual education movement gained strength, leaders decided to standardize spelling throughout Ecuador (Kichwa Unificado, Shukyachiska Kichwa) in order to facilitate the making of educational materials and strengthen the unity of the movement.  Hence the spelling Kichwa, rather than Quichua, which was usually preferred before.  In the communities where we work, Kichwa is often mixed with Spanish, and the majority of people are bilingual.  Mestizos in the communities often speak only Spanish, with a bit of Kichwa mixed in.  Elders and young children sometimes speak only Kichwa, with some common Spanish words mixed in.  There are also some Spanish phrases that have been transformed in Kichwa, such as "Dios le pague" (God pay you), which has become "Yusul pagui", "pagui", and "pai" in Kichwa usage.  Indigenous cultural leaders and students sometimes speak a pure Kichwa, but most older community members speak a version with numerous Spanish influences.  Speaking a few words of Kichwa when you arrive in one of the communities where we work will impress people and show them that you value their language and culture.

Greetings, Goodbyes, and Basic Questions

Ali punlla  Good morning
Ali chishi Good afternoon
Ali tuta  Good evening
Kaya kaman  See you tomorrow
Ashta kashkaman  See you later (ashta from Spanish "hasta")
Shuk punlla kaman  See you another day
Imanalla?  How are you? (abbreviated form)
		Alilla  Good (just fine)
		Sumak  Great
Ima shutitak kanki?  What is your name?
		~Nuka shutika _____mi kan.  My name is ____.
Maymantatak kanki?  Where are you from?
		Estados Unidosmantami kani.  I am from the United States.
Mashna watatak charinki?  How old are you?
		~Nukaka ____watata charini.  I am ____ years old.
Maymantak rinki?  Where are you going?
		Otavalomanmi rini.  I'm going to Otavalo. Wasimanmi rini.  I'm going home. Yachana wasimanmi rini.  I'm going to school. Jawamanmi rini.  I'm going up.

Basic Vocabulary

Yupaychani  I thank you (this is offical Kichwa.  Yusul pagui, pagui, and pai are often used).
Ali shamushka kapaychik Welcome
Sumak  Excellent
Mishki Sweet
Tayta  Father, Mr., Sir
Mama  Mother, Mrs., Ma'am
Wawa  child
Mashi  friend
Wasi house
Urku  mountain
Sara corn
Tamya  rain
Yaku  water
Mikuna  food
Inti sun
Rumi  stone
Warmi  woman
Kari man
~Nan road
Chaki~nan  footpath
Chakra  field
Kushilla happy
Unkushka  sick
Pi~nashka  angry
Llakilla  sad
Jatun  big
Uchilla small

Useful commands and words (especially for our healthcare work)

shamupay  please come
japipay  please take it
tyaripay  please sit down
shuyapay  please wait
pityapay  please go up
karaway  give it to me
kaypi  here
chaypi  there

Pronouns and verb conjugations

Pronouns	Kana  To Be
~Nuka I	kani
Kan  you (singular) or Kikin familiar you (singular)	kanki
Pay he or she	kan
~Nukanchik  we	kanchik
Kankuna  you plural	kankichik
Paykuna they	kan

All verbs are regular in Kichwa. 

Rurana  To Do
Rina  To Go
Munana  To Want
Pu~nuna  To Sleep
Mikuna  To Eat
Charina To Have
Yachana  To Know
Shamuna  To Come
Kawsana  To Live
Wa~nuna  To Die
Pukllana  To Play

Kichwa uses a system of particles, which are attached to the ends of words, to indicate part of speech, to serve as prepositions, or otherwise to change the meaning.

Some particles and examples

-ka  emphasis, indicates subject of sentence	Nuka shutika Juanchomi kan. My name is Juancho.
-ta indicates direct object	Yakuta munani. I want water.
-mi indicates predicate nominative or predicate adjective (what something is)	Paypak shutika Tamiami kan.  Her name is Tamia.
-man  to (preposition)	Wasimanmi rinchik.  We're going home.
-manta  from (preposition)	~Nukaka Agualongomantami Panecilloman rini.  I'm going from Agualongo to Panecillo.
-tak  makes a question	Maymantatak kanki?  Where are you from?
-pi  in (preposition)	Paika wasipimi kan.  She is in the house.
-kuna plural (it is not always necessary to use the particle if it's obvious from context that it's plural)	Wawakunaka pi~nashkami kan.  The children are angry.

The Tandana Health Care Song

Karumanta shamuni, shamuni, shamuni Jampinkapa shamuni, shamuni, shamuni Shutikuta karaway, karaway, karaway Tyarinapi tyaripay, tyaripay, tyaripay Ashakuta shuyapay, shuyapay, shuyapay Doktorpakman yalipay, yalipay, yalipay Jampikuta japipay, japipay, japipay Makikuta mayllapay, mayllaapay, mayllapay Alikuta yalipay, yalipay, yalipay.

I come from far away I come to do health work Give me your name Please sit here Please wait a moment Please go in with the doctor Please take your medicine Please wash your hands Please be well.

(Note: recording is from a previous version of the song and does not match the words here.)