In this unit, you will learn about K’iche’ pronouns. We will start with personal pronouns and how to use them in conversation. Next, you will learn how to report the location of people and objects.

Independent pronouns Independent pronouns–equivalent to English personal pronouns–are used in K’iche’ as subjects of non-verbal predicates as well as for emphasis or topicalization (for example, “As for me, I am sure I’ll learn K’iche’”). They are used more sparsely than in English, however. Non-verbal predicates include stative phrases denoting states, conditions or qualities. Unlike Spanish or English, K’iche’ does not have a verb equivalent to ‘to be’. You will notice that the English translations of the example sentences below require the verb ‘to be’ as copula. In pronominal, non-verbal sentences in K’iche’, independent pronouns occupy the first slot followed by the predicate as in the following examples:

1. [sc_embed_player  fileurl=”https://tzij.coerll.utexas.edu/wp-content/uploads/pronouns_04_in-ajtij.mp3″]In ajtij. I teacher I am a teacher.
2. [sc_embed_player  fileurl=”https://tzij.coerll.utexas.edu/wp-content/uploads/pronouns_04_at-rajkun.mp3″]At r-ajkun le nu-nan. You her-doctor art. my-mother You are my mother’s doctor.
3. [sc_embed_player  fileurl=”https://tzij.coerll.utexas.edu/wp-content/uploads/pronouns_04_are-le-utat.mp3″]Are le u-tat le al Ska’. He art. her-dad- art. class. Francisca He is Francisca’s dad.
4. [sc_embed_player  fileurl=”https://tzij.coerll.utexas.edu/wp-content/uploads/pronouns_04_oj-ajxojolob.mp3″]Oj ajxojolob’ pa Awas Q’ij. We dancers prep. Holy Week We are dancers on Holy Week.
5. [sc_embed_player  fileurl=”https://tzij.coerll.utexas.edu/wp-content/uploads/pronouns_04_are-ral.mp3″]A’re e r-al le nan We’l. They her-children art. class. Manuela They are the children of mrs. Manuela.

Look at the table of independent pronouns. Note that the pronouns are not marked for gender like in the third person in English (in other words, there is no difference between the pronoun for she and he).

in	I	oj/uj	we
at	you	ix	you (pl)
lal	you (formal)	alaq	you (pl, formal)
are(’)	he/she/it	a’re(’)	they

The glottal stop after “are(‘)” and “a’re(‘)” appears when phrase final. We have already seen these pronouns, for example, in greetings:

1. La utz awach? – Utz maltyox, e k’u ri at? – Utz maltyox. How are you? – Well, thank you, and you?– Well, thank you.
2. La utz wach la? – Utz maltyox, e k’u ri lal ? – Utz maltyox. How are you (formal) – Well, thank you, and you (formal)?– Well, thank you.

Let’s look at more examples:

1. In ajtij. I teacher I am a teacher.
2. At tijoxel You student You are a student.
3. Are utz u-na’oj He/she/it good his-knowledge He is a good man/woman (she/he has good character/ buena gente).
4. Lal k’amal b’e you (formal) leader You (formal) are a leader.

Locative sentences Locative sentences, as the name suggests, describe the location of the subject. In K’iche’, locative sentences consist of independent pronouns in the first slot followed by the existential particle k’o and its locative complement, in other words, the place where the subject is. As we have seen in stative phrases, we use the verb “to be” when glossing the sentence in English. Note that if a third person subject is plural the form e k’o is used (we will discuss plurals in more detail in lesson 9). If a third person is explicit, it precedes the existential k’o as well. Let’s look at the following examples:

1. At k’o pa swan! at k’o pa swan You ex. prep. ravine You are in the ravine!
2. Oj k’o pa le r-o’ch le a Wel. we ex. prep. his-house Manuel We are at Manuel’s house.
3. In k’o pa le u-k’isb’al cholaj. I ex. prep. its-last row/lane I’m in the last row.

If the subject of the sentence is the third person singular pronoun, the particle k’o stands alone.

1. K’o pa tijob’al Ex. prep. school He/she/it is at school.

If the subject of the sentence is the third person plural pronoun, e precedes the particle k’o:

1. E k’o pa tijob’al They ex. prep. school They are at school.
2. E k’o keb’ u-k’ajol le tat Xwan They ex. two his-sons art. class. Juan Mr. Juan has two sons.

Emphasis, topicalization, and independent pronouns When the subject is topicalized or emphatic contrast is stressed, independent pronouns are copied in sentence-initial position.

1. In in k’o pa tijob’al! I am the one who is at school!
2. At at le utaqo’n le q’atal tzij! You are the one who is the judge’s messenger!
3. Are le Tu’r le loq’omanel! Venturo is the one who is the buyer!
4. Oj oj wokol ja! We are the ones who are construction workers!
5. Ix ix e’laq’omab’! You all are the ones who are thieves!

tz’ib’ab’al	pencil, pen, chalk
wuj	book
uxaq wuj	piece of paper
wanke’t	table, desk
tem	chair
chim	bag, backpack
rax	green, blue
q’eq	black
q’an	yellow
saq	white
kaq	red
ajtij	teacher
tijoxel	student
tikonel	farmer (someone who plants)
ajtij	teacher
ajkun	doctor
pare’	priest
kojol b’aq	nurse, pharmacist
chakunel	worker
k’amal b’e	leader; president; traditionally a person who is an expert in ceremonial speech, for example for weddings
ajanel	wood worker, carpenter
ajq’ij	calendar specialist, daykeeper, shaman
Ajik’	maid, domestic worker (someone who is paid by the month – ik’)
b’insanel ch’ich’	driver
b’anal si’	someone who gets and sells firewood
b’anal ch’ajo’n	somebody who does laundry for a living
b’anal wa	cook
wokol ja	handyman/woman; construction worker
alkalte’	mayor

Translate the following phrases into English.

1. Oj k’o pa Iximulew.
2. In ixoq.
3. Alaq k’o alaq pa juyub’.
4. A’re’, utz kina’oj.
5. Rax le nuchim.
6. La utz wach alaq?
7. K’o jun tz’i’ pa le nuchakub’al.
8. In in k’o pa ja.
9. Are’ le wajtij.
10. Ix k’o pa le nimatijob’al.
11. Le qab’ix k’o chila’.
12. Are’ k’o wuk’.
13. A’re’ le tijoxelab’.
14. Oj k’o pa b’e.
15. K’o jun chi tzij pa le cholaj tzij.

Answers

1. We are in Guatemala.
2. I am a woman.
3. You all are on the mountain.
4. They have a good character (good-natured).
5. My bag is green.
6. How are you all?
7. There is a dog in my office.
8. I am at home.
9. He/she is my teacher.
10. You all are at the university.
11. Our cornfield is over there.
12. He/she is with me.
13. They are the students.
14. We are on the road.
15. I have another word in the sentence.

Translate the following phrases into K’iche’.

1. I have a bag.
2. I am a teacher.
3. He is a student.
4. They are thieves.
5. They are the ones who are thieves! (focus)
6. I have two children.
7. The cook is at Ernesto’s house.
8. They have shoes.
9. The priest is at the church.
10. How is your mom?

Answers

1. K’o jun nuchim.
2. In Ajtij.
3. Are jun tijoxel.
4. Ri a’re elaq’omab’.
5. A’re le e winaq le elaq’omab’.
6. E k’o keb’ nuk’ajol.
7. K’o le b’anal wa pa le ro’ch tat Ernesto.
8. A’re k’o kixajab’.
9. K’o le pare’ pa le tyox.
10. La utz uwach le anan?