Language/Classical-quechua/Grammar/Plurals
Hi Classical Quechua learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about plurals in Classical Quechua. Plurals are very important in any language, and it is essential for a learner to understand them. First, we will look at the general rules for forming plurals, after which we will give some exceptions and irregularities. Then we will look at some cultural facts about how Quechua speakers use plurals in their lives. Finally, we will have a conversation where you can see how plurals are used in context. So grab a pen and paper, get comfortable and let's get started!
Forming plurals
In Classical Quechua, there are different ways to form plurals depending on the context, but generally speaking, to form a plural, we add the suffix -kuna to the singular noun. This suffix is invariable, meaning that it is the same for all genders and cases. Let's see some examples:
| Classical Quechua | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| runa | /'runa/ | person |
| runakuna | /'runa.ku.na/ | people (plural) |
| qhapaq | /'qa.paʔ/ | emperor |
| qhapaqkuna | /'qa.paʔ.ku.na/ | emperors (plural) |
| puma | /'pu.ma/ | puma (mountain cat) |
| pumakuna | /'pu.ma.ku.na/ | pumas (plural) |
As you can see, the singular noun is followed by the plural suffix -kuna, which signals that there is more than one of the thing being referred to. It's important to note that this suffix does not change according to the gender or case, so it's always -kuna.
Exceptions and irregularities
As with any grammatical rule, there are exceptions and irregularities to the rule for forming plurals. Here are some examples:
Words that don't use -kuna
Some words don't follow the -kuna rule in forming plurals. For example, the word "hanan" (upper) forms the plural "hananpacha" (upper worlds). Other examples include "usa" (brother) which forms the plural "usakuna" and "wanu" (corn) which forms the plural "wanukuna".
Words that double the final consonant
Some words double the final consonant before -kuna. This happens when the final consonant is a voiceless plosive (p, t, k, q) or a sibilant (s, š). For example:
| Classical Quechua | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| sipas | /si'pas/ | bars |
| sipaskuna | /si'pas.ku.na/ | bars (plural) |
| panqa | /pa'ŋ.ka/ | ear |
| panqakuna | /pa'ŋ.ka.ku.na/ | ears (plural) |
Words that change their stem
Some words change their stem in forming the plural. These changes may affect just a vowel or the whole stem. For example:
| Classical Quechua | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| hatun | /ha'tun/ | big |
| hatuq | /ha'tuq/ | the big one |
| hatukuna | /ha'tu.ku.na/ | the big ones (plural) |
| wirti | /'wir.ti/ | tail |
| wirpikuna | /'wir.pi.ku.na/ | tails (plural) |
As you can see, the stem of "hatuq" changes to "hatu-" in the plural, and the stem of "wirti" changes to "wirpi-" in the plural.
Cultural Facts
Quechua speakers use plurals in many interesting and unique ways. For example, plurals can be used to indicate the "duality" of things that come in pairs, such as eyes, ears, hands, and feet. Instead of saying "two eyes" or "two hands", they say "blind eyes" or "thin hands" to indicate duality. In addition, pluralization can also be influenced by the animacy of the noun. For example, in Quechua, the plural form of "panka" (hill) is "panqaq" if the hill is alive (such as if it is considered to be home to a huaca, a sacred being), and "pankakuna" if it is not alive.
Conversation
Here's a conversation where you can practice using plurals in context. It is between Juan and Maria, who are looking at different animal pictures.
- Juan: Qhapaqkuna riqsichik.
- Maria: Riqsucha pumakuna kani.
Translation:
- Juan: Emperors are powerful.
- Maria: Pumas are beautiful.
As you can see, Juan uses the plural form "qhapaqkuna" to refer to more than one emperor, and Maria uses the plural form "pumakuna" to refer to more than one puma.
Sources
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Related Lessons
- How to Use Be
- How to Use Have
- Adjectives
- Questions
- Gramatical generalities
- Give your Opinion
- Pronouns
- Negation
- Conditional Mood