Money & Exchange

1. Mbovýpa hepy?

   Mbo-vý-pa he-py

   What is the price?

   Usage

   Ask for the price at a market or shop

   Grammar Note

   mbovy "how many" plus the question clitic -pa; hepy means "its price / expensive", so Mbovýpa hepy? is the set phrase for "how much is it?"

2. Hepyeterei

   He-py-e-te-rei

   It's too expensive

   Usage

   Use as the opening of a price negotiation

   Grammar Note

   hepy "expensive" plus the intensifier -eterei gives "too expensive". (karu means "to eat" and cannot describe a price.)

3. Ikatúpa emboguejy pe precio?

   I-ka-tú-pa em-bo-gue-jy pe pre-cio

   Can you lower the price?

   Usage

   Negotiate a lower price at a market

   Grammar Note

   mboguejy means "to lower / bring down" (Emboguejy ko'ág̃a. "Bring it down now"). (japyhy means "to grab" and does not mean to discount.)

4. Aipota amoambue che pirapire guaraníme

   A-i-po-ta a-mo-am-bue che pi-ra-pi-re gua-ra-ní-me

   I want to exchange to Guaraní (currency)

   Usage

   Exchange foreign currency to Paraguayan Guaraní

   Grammar Note

   moambue means "to change/exchange" and pirapire is "money". The currency and the language share the name Guaraní; "-me" marks what it is changed into

5. Oĩpa cajero automático ko'ápe?

   O-ĩ-pa ca-je-ro au-to-má-ti-co ko-'á-pe

   Is there an ATM here?

   Usage

   Find an ATM

   Grammar Note

   "cajero automático" is Spanish for ATM; "cajero" alone also works in Paraguay

6. Ehechauka chéve cuenta

   E-he-chau-ka ché-ve cuen-ta

   Please show me the bill

   Usage

   Request the bill before paying at a restaurant or shop

   Grammar Note

   hechauka is the causative of hecha "to see", i.e. "to show"; moñe'ẽ means "to read". "chéve" is the dative "to me"

7. Aipota ahepyme'ẽ tarjeta-pe

   A-i-po-ta a-he-py-me-'ẽ tar-je-ta-pe

   I want to pay by card

   Usage

   Request to pay by credit card

   Grammar Note

   "To pay" is hepyme'ẽ (hepy "price" + me'ẽ "to give"). (kañy means "to get lost / flee", never "to pay".) tarjeta is a Spanish loanword

8. Oĩpa vuelto?

   O-ĩ-pa vuel-to

   Is there change?

   Usage

   Ask about change

   Grammar Note

   "vuelto" is a Spanish loanword; in Paraguay, coins are scarce so change can be an issue

9. Mbovýpa ko dólar-pe?

   Mbo-vý-pa ko dó-lar-pe

   How much is this in dollars?

   Usage

   Ask the price in a foreign currency

   Grammar Note

   mbovy "how many" plus the question clitic -pa asks an amount; "-pe" on the currency means "in [currency]"

10. Ndaipotái propina

    Nda-i-po-tá-i pro-pi-na

    I don't want a tip (or: tipping is not expected)

    Usage

    Express that tipping is not needed — tipping is not common in Paraguay

    Grammar Note

    ndaipotái is the negative of aipota "I want" (nd-…-i). There is no Guaraní word for "tip"; everyday speech uses the Spanish propina

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