Chqeta'maj le qach’ab’al K’iche’! - A Beginner to Advanced Level K'iche' Online Course

Introduction

In K’iche’, the positional k’o and other words derived from it refer to location and existence. Its range of meanings include “to have,” “to exist,” and “to be.”

TZIJONIKText

Le yawab’

K’o jun q’ij, xyawaj le numam. K’ax le upam, le e wachalal xkib’anala jun chomal. Xek’oji’ konojel chuq xink’oji’ in. Xqach’ob’o jas kaqab’an chech le ukunaxik. Xqachomaj cher rajawaxik e k’o keb’e ruk’ le ajkun, chuq rajawaxik k’o kakanaj kan ruk’ le numam. Xqajach taq qib’, are k’u le nuch’utinan raj xb’e chwa ro’ch. Xpe le wixoqil je wa’ xub’ij chech: “K’o la na la nan, katij na la ju sin wa la waral.” “Utz b’a la’,” xcha le nuch’utinan. Are k’u le watz are xk’oji’ kan ruk’ le numam, xojb’e oj ruk’ le nuchaq’ chi’lam le e qach’uti taq tat ruk’ le ajkun, are taq xojopan chwa ro’ch, le nuchaq’ je wa’ xub’ij chech: “¿La at k’olik tat?” “Je’, in k’olik. ¿La ix k’olinaq waral?” xcha le ajkun. “Na oj k’olinaq taj tat, xojpe awuk’; kaqaj ka’wila kan le numam cher sib’alaj k’ax k’olik” xcha le nuchaq’. “Utz b’a la’, cherma rajawaxik kixk’oji’ iwonojel are chi kiweta’maj jasa le k’ax chech”, xcha le ajkun. “Utz b’a la’ tat,” xojcha qonojel.
Are taq xojopan pa le qo’ch, xpe le ajkun, xuta che le numam: “¿La k’ax k’o la tat?” “Je’, k’ax,” xcha le numam. Le ajkun utz uq’atuxik xub’ano, xuriqo jas k’ax chech le numam, k’a te k’u ri’ xuya kan le ukunab’al cher are le rora chi’l le sik’. Ruk’ la’ xji’ wi le numam, no’jimal xtani’ le q’oxom, xkunatajik! Sib’alaj xki’kotik je wa’ xub’ij chqech: “Chink’asa chi na keb’, oxib’ q’ij chixo’l walk’wal”, qonojel sib’alaj xojki’jotik, k’a te k’u ri’, xojwarik.

Show/Hide English translation

One day, my grandfather got sick. His stomach hurt. My siblings quickly had a meeting. They were there and I was there, too. We discussed what we were going to do in order to cure him. We decided that it was necessary that some of us went to the doctor (curandero). It was also necessary that someone stay with my grandfather. We split up, my aunt would go to her house. My wife came and said to her “Stay a bit, aunt, have something to eat here.” “Alright,” said my aunt. My older brother stayed with my grandfather, we went, with my younger brother and my uncles to the doctor. When we got to his house, my younger brother said “Are you home, sir?” “I am. Have you been here?” said the doctor. “We haven’t, we came to you; we want we want you to come look at our grandfather because he is very sick (is in a lot of pain)”, said my younger brother. “Alright,” said the doctor, “but it is necessary that you all are there so you can know what is wrong with him.” “Alright, sir,” we all said.
When we arrived at our house, the doctor came, and he asked my grandfather, “Does something hurt (is something wrong), sir.” “Yes, it does,” said my grandfather. The doctor examined him carefully, he found what was wrong with my grandfather, and then he left him medicine, which is rora (ruda) and a sik’ (puro). My grandfather was massaged with that and slowly the pain stopped. He was cured. He was happy and said, “There is still sometime with my kids (lit. there are a few days left among my children).” We al got really happy, and then we went to sleep.

KEMCHI’Grammar

Intransitive positional verb k’oji’(k):

Incompletive aspect

Kink’oji’(k) I am/I will be.

Completive aspect

xink’oji’(k) I was.

Imperative aspect (stem: k’ol)

Chink’oloq! Let me be!

K’ola la Be! (2nd person, formal)

Perfective aspect (stem: k’olinaq)

In k’olinaq. I have been.

Stative form (stem: k’o/ k’olik)

In k’olik. I am.

K’o la. You are (formal).

La k’ax at k’olik? Are you in pain?

Negated stative (maj)

In maj. I am not

Maj. It is not/ No.

Jawi katb’e wi? – Maj kimb’e wi
Where are you going? – I am not going anywhere.

Possession: k’o + possessed noun

K’o nuwuj. I have a book.

La k’o awe? Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend?

Some examples:

K’o ri achi pa ja.
The man is at home.

Xek’oji’ ri winaq pa nimaq’ij.
The people were at the party (fiesta).

Uj k’olinaq chila’ pa tinamit.
We have been there in town.

E maj qachalal aretaq xujopan pa ko’ch.
Our relatives were not there when we arrived at their house.

K’ola na la. Na kab’e ta la chanim.
Stay a while. Don’t go yet (formal).

K’AK’A TAQ TZIJVocabulary

Ajkun	doctor, curandero, healer
Kunab’al	medicine
Yawab’	sick
K’ax	pain, ailment
“Utz b’a la”	“Alright, then.” Common phrase to express agreement.
Amaq’	country
Nimaq’ij	party, celebration, fair
B’is	sadness

CHAK KECH TIJOXELAB’Exercises

Translate the following sentences to K’iche’:

Is your father home, children?
There is no one home.
Have you (alaq) been in the town behind that mountain there?
Do you have your medicine?
Were you at the party?

Tranlsate the following sentences to English:

Naj xujk’oji’ pa tinamit aretaq xujb’e pa nimaq’ij.
Jawi k’o wi le ro’ch le ajkun?
Naj k’o wi le tinamit che le wo’ch.
In k’olinaq pa le amaq’ Estados Unidos.
La katk’oji’ na, nan?