Photography

10 phrases · Guaraní with romanization, English and audio

  1. Ikatúpa ajapo peteĩ nde ra'ãnga?

    I-ka-tú-pa a-ja-po pe-teĩ nde ra-'ãn-ga?

    May I take your photo?

    Usage

    Asking permission before taking someone's photo

    Grammar Note

    A photo is "ta'ãnga" (image). The initial t- alternates to r-/h- when possessed: "nde ra'ãnga" (your picture), "ha'ãnga" (his picture). Taking a photo is "ta'ãnga japo" (to make an image); a photographer is "ta'ãnga apoha". Everyday jopara also uses Spanish "foto"

  2. Jajapo peteĩ ta'ãnga oñondive.

    Ja-ja-po pe-teĩ ta-'ãn-ga o-ñon-di-ve.

    Let's take a photo together

    Usage

    Suggesting taking a group or selfie photo together

    Grammar Note

    The verb prefix "ja-" (ña- before a nasal stem) is the inclusive first-person plural — the one that includes the listener, matching the pronoun "ñande". Invitations use this form

  3. Ko tenda iporãiterei ta'ãnga apo hag̃ua.

    Ko ten-da i-po-rãi-te-rei ta-'ãn-ga a-po ha-g̃ua.

    This is a great spot for photos

    Usage

    Recommending a good location for taking photos

    Grammar Note

    "hag̃ua" is the purposive suffix "in order to"; the verb before it stands in its bare nominal form ("apo" = the making). "-iterei" is the intensifier "very"

  4. Ndaikatúi ojejapo ta'ãnga ko'ápe.

    Ndai-ka-túi o-je-ja-po ta-'ãn-ga ko-'á-pe.

    You are not allowed to take photos here

    Usage

    Telling someone photography is not permitted here

    Grammar Note

    Negation uses the circumfix "nda-…-i" (ikatu → ndaikatúi). The prefix "je-" is passive/impersonal, so "ojejapo" means "it is made / one makes"

  5. Ejapo chéve peteĩ ta'ãnga porã.

    E-ja-po ché-ve pe-teĩ ta-'ãn-ga po-rã.

    Please take a nice photo

    Usage

    Asking someone to take a good photo of you

    Grammar Note

    The prefix "e-" creates second-person imperatives. ejapo = e (imperative) + japo (do/make)

  6. Ko ta'ãnga iporãiterei.

    Ko ta-'ãn-ga i-po-rãi-te-rei.

    This photo is wonderful

    Usage

    Expressing admiration for a photo

    Grammar Note

    Quality words such as "porã" (good/beautiful) take "i-" to form a third-person predicate: iporã = "it is beautiful". "-iterei" intensifies it to "very"

  7. Ajapose peteĩ ta'ãnga opa mba'e ojekuaa hag̃ua.

    A-ja-po-se pe-teĩ ta-'ãn-ga o-pa mba-'e o-je-kua-a ha-g̃ua.

    I want to take a panoramic photo

    Usage

    Saying you want to capture a wide panoramic shot

    Grammar Note

    "-se" is the desiderative suffix "want to" (ajapo → ajapose). Guaraní has no word for "panoramic", so the idea is rendered as "so that everything can be seen"

  8. Ajerure ndéve: ikatúpa ajapo peteĩ nde ra'ãnga?

    A-je-ru-re ndé-ve: i-ka-tú-pa a-ja-po pe-teĩ nde ra-'ãn-ga?

    Will you allow me to take your picture?

    Usage

    Formally requesting permission to photograph someone

    Grammar Note

    "jerure" means "to ask / to request". Prefacing the question with "ajerure ndéve" (I ask you) raises the politeness level. The question particle "-pa" attaches to the first word of the clause

  9. Ko ta'ãnga ndahesakãi.

    Ko ta-'ãn-ga nda-he-sa-kãi.

    This photo is blurry

    Usage

    Commenting that a photo came out blurry

    Grammar Note

    "hesakã" means clear/sharp, not blurry; to say a photo is blurry you negate it with the circumfix "nda-…-i" → "ndahesakãi". The same root gives "myesakã" (to explain = to make clear)

  10. Areko peteĩ cámara.

    A-re-ko pe-teĩ cá-ma-ra.

    I have a camera

    Usage

    Saying you have a camera with you

    Grammar Note

    In everyday jopara (the Guaraní–Spanish mix) the device is simply "cámara". There is also the coinage "ta'angapyhyha" (image-catching tool), but it is a technical term for cinematography, not the ordinary word for a camera

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