K’iche’ numbers beyond three have been mostly replaced by Spanish numbers. Numbers up through 20 are generally understood but rarely used. The K’iche’ numerical system is vigesimal, based twenty.
One of the ways in which numbers in K’iche’ are predominantly used is in the calendar, as well as in traditional Mayan ceremonies. Here we can see an example of the counting that takes place during one of these ceremonies:
Jun |
1 |
Keb’ |
2 |
Oxib’ |
3 |
Kajib” |
4 |
Jo’ob’ |
5 |
Waqib’ |
6 |
Wuqub’ |
7 |
Wajxaqib’ |
8 |
B’elejeb’ |
9 |
Lajuj |
10 |
Julajuj |
11 |
Kab’lajuj |
12 |
Oxlajuj |
13 |
Kajlajuj |
14 |
O’lajuj |
15 |
Waqlajuj |
16 |
Wuqlajuj |
17 |
Wajxaqlajuj |
18 |
B’elejlajuj |
19 |
Juk’al |
20 |
Juwinaq |
20 |
Winaq is generally used for counting up to number based on 40, then it switches to k’al.
Juk’al jun |
21 |
Juwinaq jun |
21 |
Juwinaq kajlajuj |
34 |
Oxk’al jo’ob |
65 |
Jumuch’ |
80 |
Kajkal |
80 |
O’kal |
100 |
Juq’o’ |
400 |
Kaq’o’ lajk’al |
1000 |
Oq’o’ |
2000 |
Ordinal numbers
Nab’e |
first |
Ukab’ |
second |
Urox |
third |
Ukaj |
fourth |
Uro’ |
fifth |
Uwaqaq |
sixth |
Uwuq |
seventh |
Uwajxaq |
eighth |
Ub’elej |
ninth |
Ulaj |
tenth |
Ujulaj/Ujulajuj |
eleventh |
Ujuwinaq |
twentieth |
Nab’e mul |
(for the) first time |
Are le ukab’ wal. |
She is my second child. |
Are le urox nuwuj. |
This is my third book. |
Distributive Numbers
Jujun |
one by one |
Kakab’ |
two by two |
Ox’ox |
three by three |
Kajkaj |
four by four |
Jo’taq |
five by five |
Waqitaq |
six by six |
Wuqitaq |
seven by seven |
Wajxaqitaq |
eight by eight |
B’elejitaq |
nine by nine |
Lajujitaq |
ten by ten |
Jujun qech |
one for each one of us |
Kaya jujun qech le wuj. |
You give each of us a piece of paper. |
Jun chqe. |
One of us. |
Jujun chqech. |
Some of us. |
E keb’ chqech. |
Two of us. |
Chi jujunal |
(as) one by one |
Le tïjonik pa jujunal |
The individual lesson / One-on-one Lesson |
Kakab’ chi qajujunal |
two for each of us |
chi kakab’il |
as two by two |
Marking Time
Kamik |
today |
Chanim |
right now |
Miyer |
a little time ago/recently |
Chwe’q |
tomorrow |
-(ij)ir | Time past |
Iwir |
yesterday |
Kab’ijir |
the day before yesterday |
Oxjir |
three days ago |
Junab’ir |
a year ago |
Wuqub’xir |
a week ago |
-ij | Time to come |
Kab’ij |
day after tomorrow |
Oxij |
in three days |
Kojej |
in four days |
Wuqub’ix |
in a week |
Pa jun junab’ aq’anoq |
a year from now |
Pa keb’ ik’ aq’anoq |
two months from now |
Pa le jun chi junab’ |
next year |
Pa jun wuqq’ij kanoq |
a week ago |
Pa oxib’ wuqq’ij aq’anoq |
in three weeks |
Junab’ir |
a year ago |
Kab’ir |
two years ago |
Oxb’i’r |
three years ago |
Pa kakab’ q’ij |
every two days |
Pa ox’ox ik’ |
every three months |
Pa kajkaj junab’ |
every four years |
Pa oxib’ ik’ |
in three months |
Telling time
Ramaj |
hour/moment |
Ch’uti’q ramaj |
minute(s) |
Nik’aj |
half |
Jachike ramaj chanim? |
What time is it now? |
Oxib’ ruk’ nik’aj. |
Half past three. |
Jachike ramaj kumajij le qatijonik? |
When does our class start? |
Julajuj ruk’ lajuj ch’utiq ramaj. |
ten after eleven. |
Karaj na lajuj ch’utiq ramaj pa le wuqub’ ramaj. |
ten ’til seven / 6:50 |
Karaj diez minutos pa las diez. |
ten ’til ten / 9:50 |
Xq’ax lajuj ch’utiq ramaj chech le leajuj ramaj. |
ten past ten / 10:10 |
Xq’ax diez minutos chech a las diez. |
ten past ten / 10:10 |
Kumajij pa b’elejeb’ ramaj, katani’ pa kab’lajuj ramaj. |
It goes from nine to twelve. (lit: it begins at nine and ends at 12. |
Times of the day
Saqirik |
Sunrise |
Xsaqir chanim |
Good morning! (It has dawned) |
Nimaq’ab |
Morning |
Xpaqi’ le q’ij |
Mid-monring (10 am) |
Tik’il le q’ij |
Noon |
Pa q’ij |
Noon |
Xb’e la q’ij |
Afternoon |
B’enaq’ij |
Afternoon |
Xulan q’ij |
Afternoon; sundown |
Xulan q’ij kimb’e pa nutaqkil. |
In the afternoon I run my errands. |
Xok aq’ab’ |
Good evening! (It is night already) |
Nik’aj aq’ab’ |
Midnight |
Aq’ab’il |
Early morning right before or at sunrise |
Aq’ab’il ximb’e pa si’. |
Early in the morning I went to gather firewood. |
Indefinite numbers and related words
Jun |
a/one |
Jujun |
some |
Keb’ oxib’ |
a few |
-onojel |
all; each |
Ronojel le… |
all (of) the… |
Le (e) nik’aj chik |
the rest; the others |
K’o jujun k’o kichak, le e nik’aj chi ku’xlanik. |
There are some who have work, but the others are on vacation. |
K’o e jujun Kechakunik, k’o e jujuj na kechakun taj. |
There are some who work and others who do not work. |
Shopping/Money
Pwaq |
money |
Ch’ich’apwaq |
(metal) coins |
Wuj |
bills (money) |
Real |
coins (antiquated) |
Pajb’al |
measure (pound if referring to weight) |
Nik’aj |
half |
Ajlanik pa le k’ayb’al |
counting in the market |
Kaya jun pajb’al nusaqwach. |
Give me a pound of potatoes. |
Kaya keb’ pajb’al we le pix. |
Give me two pounds of these tomatoes. |