Basic Nouns

1. Y

   Water

   Usage

   Ask for drinking water; pair it with “bottle” if you want sealed water

2. Tembi'u

   Food

   Usage

   The general word for food; useful when hunting for somewhere to eat

3. Pirapire

   Money

   Usage

   The base word for paying and changing currency

4. Baño

   Toilet

   Usage

   Combine it with the “where” question

   Grammar Note

   A loan from Spanish "baño," more widely used in Paraguay than any native term.

5. Pañuelo

   Tissue

   Usage

   Many toilets have no paper — use this word to buy some

   Grammar Note

   A loan from Spanish "pañuelo."

6. Pohã

   Medicine

   Usage

   At a pharmacy; combine it with gestures for your symptom

7. Valija

   Luggage

   Usage

   For checking in, carrying on, or reporting lost bags

   Grammar Note

   A loan from Spanish "valija."

8. Llave

   Key

   Usage

   At hotel reception when collecting or returning it

   Grammar Note

   A loan from Spanish "llave."

9. Pasaje

   Ticket

   Usage

   Covers both transport tickets and admission tickets

10. Pasaporte

    Passport

    Usage

    Comes up at check-in, currency exchange, and any police check

11. Pumbyry

    Phone

    Usage

    When you need to borrow one or ask for a number

    Grammar Note

    "Pumbyry" is a coined Guaraní word meaning "sound sent far"; in daily speech "celular" is also heard.

12. Cargador

    Charger

    Usage

    To borrow one at a hotel or café, or buy one in a shop

    Grammar Note

    Spanish "cargador" is used as is.

13. Estación

    Station

    Usage

    A landmark word when asking for directions

14. Tasyo

    Hospital

    Usage

    The first word you need if you fall ill

    Grammar Note

    "Tasyo" is a Guaraní formation meaning "place of sickness."

15. Tahachi

    Police

    Usage

    For theft or accidents; combine it with “where?”

    Grammar Note

    "Tahachi" is the Guaraní word for a police officer.

16. Ñemuha

    Shop

    Usage

    When looking for somewhere to buy something

    Grammar Note

    "Ñemuha" means "place of trading," a native compound.

17. Koty

    Room

    Usage

    Use it when asking a hotel about vacancies

18. Tape

    Road

    Usage

    The base word when asking the way

19. Ogaygua

    Family

    Usage

    A guaranteed small-talk topic; showing photos goes a long way

    Grammar Note

    From oga (house) + ygua (one of); note that "ogapy" means the house itself, not the family.

20. Téra

    Name

    Usage

    For introductions and for giving your name at a counter

21. akã

    Head

    Usage

    Body-part word for pointing at where it hurts

22. tesa

    Eye

    Usage

    Point at this to report an eye problem

23. tãi

    Tooth

    Usage

    Point at this to report a toothache

24. ahy'o

    Throat

    Usage

    Point at this to report a sore throat

25. hyepy

    Belly / abdomen

    Usage

    For stomach pain; the possessed form of "tye"

26. atukupe

    Back

    Usage

    For back pain

27. po

    Hand

    Usage

    For an injured hand

28. py

    Foot

    Usage

    For an injured foot

29. pyti'a

    Chest

    Usage

    For chest pain or trouble breathing

30. nambi

    Ear

    Usage

    For an ear problem

31. ajúra

    Neck

    Usage

    For neck pain

32. ati'y

    Shoulder

    Usage

    For shoulder pain

33. tenypy'ã

    Knee

    Usage

    For knee pain

34. kuã

    Finger

    Usage

    Finger of the hand; a toe is "pysã", a different word

35. pire

    Skin

    Usage

    For a rash or skin irritation

36. tĩ

    Nose

    Usage

    For a nose problem

37. tuguy

    Blood

    Usage

    To show that you are bleeding

38. Consulado

    Consulate

    Usage

    Where to go after a lost passport or a crime; the Spanish form, as with Estación and Pasaporte

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