Useful phrases in Kichwa

A collection of useful phrases in Kichwa (Runa Shimi / Kichwa Shimi), a Northern Quechuan language spoken in southern Ecuador.

Please note that the official ALKI form of Kichwa does not use question mark or exclamation point punctuation in writing. The morphemes "chu" and "tak" are sufficient to indicate that a question is being asked, even though "chu" is often used as negation rather than a question.

Jump to phrases

See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.

Key to abbreviations: frm = formal, inf = informal

Phrase	Runa Shimi / Kichwa Shimi (Kichwa)
Welcome	Alli shamushka
Hello (General greeting)	Kawsankichu (Do you live?)
How are you?	Imanalla (inf) Imanalla kanki (inf to one person) Imanallatak kapanki (frm to one person) Imanallatak kankichik (inf to more than one) Imanallatak kapankichik (frm to more than one) Imatak tiyan (What's new?)
Reply to 'How are you?'	Allimi kani, kikinka (I'm good, and you?) Sumakmi kani (I'm great) Sumaklla (Excellent!) Allipachami kani (I'm very well) Allillami kani (I'm OK) Shina shinalla (Just so-so) Mana allichu kani (I'm not doing good)
What's your name?	Ima shutitak kapanki (frm) Ima shutitak kanki (inf)
My name is ...	... shutimi kani Ñukapa shutika ... kan
Where are you from?	Maymantatak kapanki (frm) Maymanta kanki (inf)
I'm from ...	... llaktamantami kani (I'm from the place of ...) ... mamallaktamantami kani (I'm from the country of ...)
Pleased to meet you	Kushikuripani riksiripashun (It makes me happy that we will know each other)
Good morning (Morning greeting)	Alli tutamanta (early morning) Alli puncha (late morning)
Good afternoon (Afternoon greeting)	Alli puncha (Good day) Alli chishi (noon until dark)
Good evening (Evening greeting)	Alli tuta (after dark, around 6:30 pm)
Good night	Alli tuta
Goodbye (Parting phrases)	Minchakaman Rikurishun (See you) Kayakaman (See you tomorrow) Ashata kashkaman (See you later) Shuk punchakaman (See you another day) Shuk puncha tuparishun (We'll meet another day) Shuk puncha rikurishun (We'll see each other another day)
Cheers! Good Health! (Toasts used when drinking)	Upyay (Drink up!)
Have a nice day	Alli punchata charinki (inf to one person) Alli punchata charipay (frm to one person) Alli punchata charipankichick (frm to more than one)
Bon appetit / Have a nice meal	Mishki mikuyta allikachinki
Yes	Ari
No	Mana Na
Maybe	Ichapashchari Ucharipika
I don't know	Na yachanichu
Do you understand?	Hamuktankichu (Kichwa) Intindinkichu (common Kichwañol)
I understand	Hamuktani (Kichwa) Intindini (common Kichwañol)
I don't understand	Na hamuktanichu (Kichwa) Na intindinichu (common Kichwañol)
Please speak more slowly	Allimantami nipay
Please say that again	Kutin nipay (Please say again) Chayta kutin niwapay (Please say that to me again)
Please write it down	Kayta kaypi killkapay
Do you speak English?	Inglis shimita rimankichu
Do you speak Kichwa?	Runashimita rimankichu
Yes, a little (reply to 'Do you speak ...?')	Ashakutallami Ashakutallami chay shimita rimani
Do you speak a language other than Kichwa?	Shukta shimita rimankichu
Speak to me in Kichwa	Kichwapilla rimawanki
How do you say ... in Kichwa?	Imashina ... Kichwapi nishpa
Excuse me	Kishpichiway (Allow me to interrupt you) Yallichiway (Allow me to pass by you) Ñanta mañachiy (Lend me the path. Let me pass)
How much is this?	Kayka mashnatak kapan Mashnatak (How much? How many?) Mashna vale (common Kichwañol)
Sorry	Kishpichiway (Grant me forgiveness - used to apologize for large or small offenses) Imata rurashun
Please	Kichwa has no equivalent word for "please." Instead, the morpheme "pa" is inserted inside Kichwa verbs. E.g. Ama shinaku kashpa (Please don't be like that) Nipay (Please speak)
Thank you	Yupaychani (formal thank you for important things) Pay pay (Thanks a lot)
Reply to thank you	Imakutashi (It's nothing) Kikinpash (Thanks to you also)
Where's the toilet / bathroom?	Ishpana uku maypitak kan
This gentleman will pay for everything	Kay tiyu tukuyllami rantikrin
This lady will pay for everything	Kay tiya tukuyllami rantikrin
Would you like to dance with me?	Tushunayanchu (Do you want to dance?) Tushuwankichu (Will you dance with me?)
I miss you	Kanta llakarini
I love you	Kanta munani Kanta kuyani
Get well soon	Ñapash allikanki
Go away!	Llukshiy
Help!	Yanapaway
Fire!	Nina rupakun
Stop!	Shayariy
Call the police!	Most native Kichwa speakers are very reluctant to call the police for help. They use indigenous justice instead.
Christmas greetings	Kushi Kapak Raymi (Happy Kapak Raymi, winter solstice Dec 21)
New Year greetings	Kushi Mushuk Wata (Happy New Year! Gregorian calendar, January 1) Kushi Mushuk Nina (Happy New Fire! Andean calendar, Spring equinox March 21)
Birthday greetings	Sumak wata paktay (Wonderful birthday!) Kushi wata paktayta charinki (Have a happy birthday!)
Congratulations!	Napay
One language is never enough	Ashtawan shuklla shimita mutsurishka (More than just one language is necessary)

Common Kichwañol is a variety of Kichwa spoken in Ecuador that is mixed with Spanish.

Corrections, additions and recordings provided by Mama Urku.

If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.

Hear some phrases in Kichwa:

Information about Kichwa | Phrases | Numbers

Links

Collections of Kichwa phrases
https://www.kichwa.net/ecuadorpika-143-hunu-kari-warmimi-kawsanchi/

Phrases in Quechuan languages

Cuzco Quechua, Kichwa

Phrases in other languages

[top]

Talk in Arabic - Learn Egyptian, Iraqi, Levantine, Sudanese, Moroccan, Algerian, Tunisian or Saudi Arabic

You can support this site by Buying Me A Coffee, via PayPal or Patreon, or by contributing in other ways.

If you find all the adverts annoying, there is now an Ad-free version of Omniglot which you can access for a small monthly or annual donation.

Note: all links on this site to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.fr are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission if you click on any of them and buy something. So by clicking on these links you can help to support this site.

[top]