Post Office

1. Moõpa oĩ correo?

   Mo-õ-pa o-ĩ co-rre-o?

   Where is the post office?

   Usage

   Asking for the location of the post office

   Grammar Note

   "Where" is moõpa, not araka'e (which means "when"). Paraguay's postal operator is Correo Paraguayo, and "correo" is what people say in Guaraní too

2. Aipota amondo peteĩ kuatiañe'ẽ Japónpe

   A-i-po-ta a-mon-do pe-teĩ kua-tia-ñe-'ẽ Ja-pón-pe

   I want to send a letter to Japan

   Usage

   Saying you want to send a letter abroad

   Grammar Note

   "Kuatiañe'ẽ" is kuatia (paper/writing) + ñe'ẽ (word) = letter/document. Guaraní orthography has no letter c, so a spelling such as "mbocuatia" is impossible

3. Mboýpa hepy amondo ko kuatiañe'ẽ?

   Mboý-pa he-py a-mon-do ko kua-tia-ñe-'ẽ?

   How much does it cost to send this letter?

   Usage

   Asking about the postage for a letter

   Grammar Note

   Prices are asked with "Mboýpa hepy?" (how much is it?): mboy "how many" + hepy "costly / price". "Oñembyasy" means "to grieve", not "to cost"

4. Aipota ajogua peteĩ estampilla

   A-i-po-ta a-jo-gua pe-teĩ es-tam-pi-lla

   I would like to buy one stamp

   Usage

   Requesting to purchase a postage stamp

   Grammar Note

   "Jogua" is "to buy"; "jerure" means "to ask for", not to purchase. A postage stamp is "estampilla" in Paraguay (not the Peninsular Spanish "sello")

5. Ko pakete tuicha

   Ko pa-ke-te tui-cha

   This package is large

   Usage

   Describing the size of a package at the post office

   Grammar Note

   "Pakete" is borrowed from Spanish "paquete". The adjective "tuicha" (big) follows the noun. Guaraní needs no copula in such sentences

6. Mboy árapa oguahẽta ko kuatiañe'ẽ?

   Mboy á-ra-pa o-gua-hẽ-ta ko kua-tia-ñe-'ẽ?

   How many days will this letter take to arrive?

   Usage

   Asking about delivery time for a letter

   Grammar Note

   "Mboy" (how many) + "ára" (day) = "how many days". "-ta" is the future suffix, so "oguahẽta" is "will arrive". "Tekohára" means "inhabitant" and has nothing to do with days

7. Aipota amondo ko pakete certificado

   A-i-po-ta a-mon-do ko pa-ke-te cer-ti-fi-ca-do

   I want to send this package by registered mail

   Usage

   Requesting registered or certified mail service

   Grammar Note

   "Certificado" is borrowed from Spanish. In Paraguay, most postal terminology uses Spanish words

8. Oĩ peteĩ kuatiañe'ẽ che rérape

   O-ĩ pe-teĩ kua-tia-ñe-'ẽ che ré-ra-pe

   There is a letter for me

   Usage

   Saying there is mail addressed to you

   Grammar Note

   "Téra" is "name" (it becomes "réra" after "che"). "Che rérape" is "in my name". Existence is expressed with the existential verb "oĩ", not "areko" (to possess)

9. Oguahẽpa kuatiañe'ẽ ko direcciónpe?

   O-gua-hẽ-pa kua-tia-ñe-'ẽ ko di-rec-ción-pe?

   Does mail reach this address?

   Usage

   Asking whether mail is delivered to an address

   Grammar Note

   Attaching the question particle "-pa" to the verb makes a yes/no question (oguahẽ "arrives" → oguahẽpa "does it arrive?"). Spanish "dirección" is used for "address" and takes the locative "-pe"

10. Aipota ahupyty ko pakete

    A-i-po-ta a-hu-py-ty ko pa-ke-te

    I would like to pick up this package

    Usage

    Picking up a package that was held at the post office

    Grammar Note

    "Hupyty" is "to receive / to get". "Amboguejy" means "to lower something down" and is not used for collecting a parcel

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