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Pawqarkuna, llinp’ikuna

Colors in Quechua

Introduction

Grammar

Vocabulary

Exercises

Qallarinapaq | Introduction

In Quechua culture colors have a very important meaning that is closely linked to Andean culture. This is evident in the dance, weaving, painting, and handicrafts, among other expressions. In some indigenous towns we identify with certain colors depending on our geographic location and that is expressed through our clothing. For example, in the towns in the Apurímac region, the most characteristic poncho is the color brown (or other dark colors) and in the towns in the region of Cusco, the poncho or clothing is the color red (a red hue) and it varies in this way in each place.

The «nogal» poncho is frequently used in the Carnaval festivities in the region of Apurímac.
The colorful poncho from the Cusco region in which the color red generally is predominant.
The poncho characteristic of the community of Huilloc, located in the providence Urubamba, Cusco.

Qillqa | Grammar

The structure that we will follow in the unit is the following:

Yana           sara
Adjective Subject

Next, click on the play icon and repeat out loud:

ColorQuechuaEnglish
Yana – Black		Yana saraBlack corn
Yuraq – white		Yuraq quwiWhite guinea pig
Puka – red		Puka t’ikaRed flower
Q’umir – green		Q’umir sach’aGreen tree
Kulli – purple		Kulli saraPurple corn
Uqi – grey		Uqi michiGrey cat
Anqas – blue		Anqas p’achaBlue clothes
Q’illu – yellow		Q’illu saraYellow corn
Ch’umpi – brown		Ch’umpi wakaBrown cow

When you want to express the intensity of a certain color, you repeat the word. For example:

  1. Pukay puka t’ika
    Very red flower
  2. Yura yuraq sara
    Very white corn
  3. Yanay yana manka
    very black pot
  4. Q’illuy q’illuy inti
    very yellow sun

Rimanakuna | Vocabulary

Throughout this unit there is the following vocabulary:

Saracorn
T’ikaflower
Sach’atree
Michicat
P’achaclothing
Mankapot
Intisun

Ruwapakuy | Exercises

Colors – Pawkarkuna

YanaBlack Yarn

YuraqWhite yarn

PukaRed yarn

Q’omerGreen yarn

KulliPurple yarn

OqeGray yarn

AnqasBlue yarn

Q’elloYellow Yarn

Ch’umpiBrown yarn

Exercise 1:

This exercise has 2 steps:
Fill in the color that corresponds to each image
In the answer section, click on the play icon and repeat out loud.

¡Qallarisun! / Let's get started!

Example:

Sara – corn

a) Yana Sara (black corn)

T’ika – flower

b) __________ t’ika

Quwi – guinea pig

c) __________ quwi

Waka – cow

d) __________ waka

Sach’a – tree

e) __________ sach’a

Sara – corn

f) __________ sara

P’acha – clothing

g) __________ p’acha

After completing this activity, revisit each of the answers, click on the play icon, and repeat out loud:

Answers

a)

Yana Sara (black corn)

b)

Puka t’ika (red flower)

c)

Yurak qowi (white guinea pig)

d)

Ch’umpi waka (brown cow)

e)

Q’umir sach’a (green tree)

f)

Q’illu Sara (yellow corn)

g)

Anqhas p’acha (blue clothing)

Exercise 2:

For the following exercise, in your notebook write 4 phrases using the vocabulary from this unit and emphasizing the intensity of a color.

Example:

Pukay puka t’ika.
Very red flower.

  1. _________ _________ __________.
  2. _________ _________ __________.
  3. _________ _________ __________.
  4. _________ _________ __________.