Language/Classical-quechua/Vocabulary/Fruits

Classical Quechua Vocabulary - Fruits

Hi Classical Quechua learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn some Classical Quechua vocabulary related to fruits. Fruits in Quechua are important sources of vitamins and are a part of Andean culture. Let's begin!

Don't hesitate to look into these other pages after completing this lesson: Family & Express Surprise.

Vocabulary

In Classical Quechua, fruits are called "kichas". Here are some common fruits:

Classical Quechua	Pronunciation	English
puka malhi	['pʊ.qa 'mal.ʰɪ]	apple
alliqoq	['aʎ.ʎɪ.qʊq]	strawberry
uchuva	['ʊ.t͡ʃʊ.βa]	cape gooseberry (or Peruvian ground cherry)
pina	['pɪ.na]	pineapple
chirimoya	['t͡ʃi.rɪ.mɔ.ja]	cherimoya (or custard apple)
k'ellu	['kʼe.ʎʊ]	peach
tumi	['tʊ.mi]	fig
achupalla	['a.t͡ʃʊ.pa.ʎa]	wild onion
sach'a papa	['sa.tʃʼa 'pa.pa]	wild potato

Pronunciation Tips

The "r" sound in Classical Quechua is pronounced as a trill or a flap, similar to the "r" in Spanish or Italian. However, the "q" sound in Quechua is a voiceless velar stop, similar to the "k" sound in English. The "ch" sound in Quechua is a voiceless postalveolar affricate, similar to the "ch" sound in English "church".

To better understand the pronunciation, listen to some examples:

• Malqa tukuy shuyaq wakchaq kani. (All things in the world are balanced.) ['mal.qa 'tu.kuj 'ʃu.jaq 'waq.t͡ʃaq 'ka.ni]
• Yachanichu? (Do you understand?) ['ja.t͡ʃa.ni.tʃʊ]
• Ananauyta munakuykuspa chi qanra. (With the chorus of the song, we welcome you.) ['a.na.na.wɪ.ta mu.na.kuj.kus.pa t͡ʃi 'qan.ɾa]

Example Dialogue

Here is an example dialogue to see how these fruits can be used in context:

• Person 1: Puka malhi mikurqani. (I want to eat an apple.)
• Person 2: Alliqoqmi rurasqami. (I bought some strawberries today.)
• Person 1: Qhelqo uchuva saqirqa. (This cape gooseberry is very sweet.)
• Person 2: Chirimoyataspi muchasqa, yuraq kuska mikhunasqa. (We ate cherimoya yesterday, it was delicious and white inside.)

Cultural Information

Fruits are an important part of Andean culture and cuisine. Many fruits that are native to the Andes, such as the cape gooseberry, have been used for centuries in traditional medicines and natural remedies. Some communities also celebrate festivals and rituals related to the harvest of fruits, such as the Granada Festival in Cusco, which is held every year in February to celebrate the harvest of pomegranates.

Practice

To improve your Classical Quechua Vocabulary, you can use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions! Also, you can find more Classical Quechua vocabulary related to different topics in the Vocabulary section in the Classical Quechua page.

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➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Sources

• Cape Gooseberry
• Cusco
• Cherimoya

Other Lessons

• How to Say Hello and Greetings
• Count to 10
• Animals
• Health
• Greetings
• Days of the Week
• Feelings and Emotions
• Geography
• Food
• Colors