Answer Key for Lecsyony Tsëbtyop (12)
Tarea Teiby xte Lecsyony Tsëbtyop (§12.1). Translate the following sentences into Zapotec. Practice reading each one aloud.
a. Did you (form.) do the puzzle?
Beinyyu rrompecabes e?
b. The men are having a church built.
Cayuny ra buny teiby ydo.
c. I didn’t do the puzzle.
Queity beinydya rrompecabes.
d. Juana had a house built.
Beiny Lia Zhuan teiby yu.
e. Are you doing homework?
Cayunyu tarea e?
f. When did the child do the homework?
Guc beiny mniny tarea?
Tarea Tyop xte Lecsyony Tsëbtyop (§12.2).
Part Teiby. Translate the following into Zapotec. Use both ren [re’nn] “this” and ren [rèenn] “that”. Then work with a partner to make sure that you can pronounce each one so that the other person understands whether you are saying “this” or “that”. Then listen while your partner says each one, mixing up the order. Work with your partner and keep practicing until the other person always understands what you’re saying.
Note: Pronunciation guides are given here to remind you of the contrasting pronunciations of ren.
a. this woman / that woman
mna ren / mna ren
[mnnààa’ re’nn] / [mnnààa’ rèenn]
b. these children / those children
ra mniny ren / ra mniny ren
[ra mnìi’iny re’nn] / [ra mnìi’iny rèenn]
c. this building / that building
edifisy ren / edifisy ren
[edifii’sy re’nn] / [edifii’sy rèenn]
d. that cat / this cat
zhyet ren / zhyet ren
[zhye’et rèenn] / [zhye’et re’nn]
e. those girls / these girls
ra zhyap ren / ra zhyap ren
[ra zhyàa’p rèenn] / [ra zhyàa’p re’nn]
f. that church / this church
ydo ren / ydo ren
[ydòòo’ rèenn] / [ydòòo’ re’nn]
Part Tyop. For each of the following Zapotec sentences, add either ren [re’nn] “this” or ren [rèenn] “that” to the word in brackets. Remember that noun phrases that use “this” or “that” are almost always focused. Practice reading both the original and new Zapotec sentences out loud. Then translate your sentence into English.
Example: Ryulazri [liebr].
Answer: Liebr ren ryulazri. “They like this book.”
[Li’ebr re’nn ryu’lààa’zrih]
Note: Pronunication guides are given for each sentence.
a. Mnizha [rregal] liu.
Rregal ren mnizha liu. “I gave you that gift”
[Rrega’ll rèenn mnìi’izha’ lìu’]
b. Bxyeilyu [cart].
Cart ren bxyeilyu. “You opened this letter.”
[Ca’rt re’nn bxye’illyùu’]
c. Bsan Rony [pasaport].
Pasaport ren bsan Rony. “Jeronimo left that passport behind.”
[Pasapo’rt rèenn bsàa’ann Ro’ony]
d. Canaz bdo [juguet].
Juguet ren canaz bdo. “The baby is grabbing this toy.”
[Jugue’t re’nn cannàa’az bdòo’]
e. Quibya [dadich].
Dadich ren quibya. “I will wash that blanket.”
[Dahdi’ihch rèenn quìi’bya’]
Tarea Chon xte Lecsyony Tsëbtyop (§12.2).
Part Teiby. Practice pronouncing the examples in this section and make sure you can pronounce each one correctly, according to the meanings given.
Part Tyop. Each of the following sentences has two different pronunciations—and different meanings! Give the different English translations for each sentence and practice pronouncing the sentences that the correspond to the meanings you have in mind.
Example: Nde ryulazri.
Answer: “They like this.” / “They like this one.” / “They like that.” / “They like that one.”
a. Nde mnizha liu.
“I gave you this.” / “I gave you this one.” / “I gave you that.” / “I gave you that one.”
b. Ra nde bxyeilyu.
“You opened these.” / “You opened these ones.” / “You opened those.” / “You opened those ones.”
c. Nde bsan Lia Petr.
“Petra left this behind.” / “Petra left this one behind.” / “Petra left that behind.” / “Petra left that one behind”.
d. Ra nde canaz mniny.
“The child is grabbing these.” / “The child is grabbing these ones.” / “The child is grabbing those.” / “The child is grabbing those ones.”
e. Nde quibya.
“I will wash this.” / “I will wash this one.” / “I will wash that.” / “I will wash that one.”
Tarea Tap xte Lecsyony Tsëbtyop (§12.4).
Part Teiby. Bcwa ni ca ni guet cuan Dizhsa. (“Translate what follows into Zapotec.”) Then practice saying these sentences until you feel comfortable pronouncing them.
a. The women are making tortillas.
Cacwa ra mna guet.
b. Maria and Soledad are throwing the ball.
Cacwa Lia Maria cuan Lia Da pelot.
c. I have a pencil.
Caa teiby lapy.
d. Do you (form. pl.) know these men?
Ra buny ren runybeyuad e?
e. What do you have?
Xi coo?
f. The waiter wrote the bill.
Bcwa meser rresieb.
g. The teacher has a basket.
Ca mes teiby zhimy.
h. Does Pedro know Chico?
Runybe Bed Chiecw e?
i. Do you guys have coffee?
Caad cafe e?
j. When did the girl write a book?
Guc bcwa zhyap teiby liebr?
Part Tyop. Choose another student as a partner. Practice asking and answering questions like the following, using the new verb ca and either a-yac or question word questions.
— Coo liebr e? — A, caa liebr.
or
— Xi ca mes? — Plum ca mes.
Answers may vary. See below for examples.
— Caad computador e? — A, caën computador.
— Tu ca guet? — Meser ca guet.
— Cari cart e? — A, cari cart.
— Mniny ren ca rrompecabes e? — Yac, queity cadyëm rrompecabes.
Tarea Gai xte Lecsyony Tsëbtyop. (§12.5).
Part Teiby. Bcwa ni ca ni guet cuan Dizhsa. (“Translate what follows into Zapotec.”)
a. We praised the teacher.
Beinyën alabar mes.
b. Will you guys defend us?
Gunyad defender danoën e?
c. Do you understand them?
Runyu comprender lari e?
d. Take a picture of this one!
Nde beiny tomar fot!
e. When will Petra swim?
Guc guny Lia Petr nadar?
f. Those women demonstrated.
Ra mna ren beiny protestar.
g. The doctors praised the cook.
Beiny ra doctor alabar cosiner.
h. Why do the police suspect the men?
Xi ni runy ra polisy sospechar ra buny?
Part Tyop. Each of the Spanish verbs below is regularly used by Zapotec speakers in the borrowed verb sentence pattern. See if you can figure out how these verbs should be spelled in Zapotec. (Your teacher will help you by pronouncing each verb. Most of the spellings are the same as in Spanish, but not all of them! You can check the answers at the end of this lesson.) Practice pronouncing each new word. Do the Zapotec pronunciations sound any different from the Spanish ones?
a. preparar ‘to get (something) ready’
runy preparar [preparaar]
b. odiar ‘to hate (someone)’
runy odiar [odiaar]
c. necesitar ‘to need (something)’
runy nesesitar [nesesitaar]
d. molestar ‘to bother (someone)’
runy molestar [molestaar]
e. manejar ‘to drive (a vehicle)’
runy manejar [manejaar]
Part Chon. Then, make up a Zapotec sentence using each of the borrowed verbs (in its Zapotec spelling and pronunciation) in the borrowed verb sentence pattern.
a. runy preparar
Chicy beiny Lia Da preparar cub. “Then Soledad prepared the tejate/masa.“
b. runy odiar
Xi ni runy Chiecw odiar Bed? “Why does Chico hate Pedro?”
c. runy nesesitar
Runy ra zhyap nesesitar ra bistied. “The girls need dresses.”
d. runy molestar
Cayuny bdo molestar yu e? “Is the baby bothering you (form.)?”
e. runy manejar
Zhi gyienyën manejar camyuny. “Tomorrow we will drive the truck.”
Tarea Xop xte Lecsyony Tsëbtyop. (§12.6). Bcwa ni cwa ni guet cuan Dizhsa. (“Translate what follows into Zapotec.”)
a. The girl is tying a knot.
Cayuny zhyap bgwa.
b. Will you stand in line?
Gunyu col e?
c. I didn’t answer.
Queity beinydya contest.
d. He really spends money!
Uas runyi gaxt!
e. Would you be so good as to run an errand?
Ysaguelu beiny mandad.
f. We thought.
Bienyën xgab.
g. Why aren’t the men working?
Xi ni queity cayuny ra buny zeiny?
h. Petra made a charitable donation.
Beiny Lia Petr guan.
Tarea Gaz xte Lecsyony Tsëbtyop. (§12.6). Make up a Zapotec sentence using each of the following Zapotec verbs. (Don’t use focus in these sentences yet. We’ll get to that soon.) Practice reading your sentences out loud. Then translate your sentences into English.
a. runy bisy
Zhi gunya bisy lai. “I will let her know tomorrow.”
b. runy company
Nai beinyyuad company Lia Arasely. “You (form. pl.) accompanied Araceli yesterday.”
c. runy castiu
Cayuny mes castiu ra studian. “The teacher is punishing the students.”
d. runy cas
Guny Rnest cas Lia Zhuan. “Ernesto will pay attention to Juana.”
e. runy fald
Beiny Gyeily fald scwel. “Miguel missed school.”
f. runy gan
Cayunyri gan muly. “They are earning money.”
Tarea Xon xte Lecsyony Tsëbtyop. (§12.7).
Part Teiby. For each of the sentences that you created in Tarea Gaz, change the sentence so that either the subject or the object is focused. Practice reading each of the new sentences out loud. Then translate your new sentences into English.
a. Zhi gunya bisy lai.
Naa gunya bisy lai zhi. “I will let her know tomorrow.”
Lai gunya bisy zhi. “I will let her know tomorrow.”
b. Nai beinyyuad company Lia Arasely.
Yuad beinyyuad company Lia Arasely nai. “You (form. pl.) accompanied Araceli yesterday.”
Lia Arasely beinyyuad company nai. “You (form. pl.) accompanied Araceli yesterday.”
c. Cayuny mes castiu ra studian.
Mes cayuny castiu ra studian. “The teacher is punishing the students.”
Ra studian cayuny mes castiu. “The teacher is punishing the students.”
d. Guny Rnest cas Lia Zhuan.
Rnest guny cas Lia Zhuan. “Ernesto will pay attention to Juana.”
Lia Zhuan guny Rnest cas. “Ernesto will pay attention to Juana.”
e. Beiny Gyeily fald scwel.
Gyeily beiny fald scwel. “Miguel missed school.”
Scwel beiny Gyeily fald. “Miguel missed school.“
f. Cayunyri gan muly.
Lari cayunyri gan muly. “They are earning money.”
Muly cayunyri gan. “They are earning money.”
Part Tyop. For each of the sentences that you created in Tarea Gaz, change the sentence so that it is a question. Half the sentences should be a–yac questions ending in e, and half should be question word questions using different question words. Again, practice reading each of the questions out loud. Then translate your questions into English.
a. Zhi gunya bisy lai.
Zhi gunya bisy lai e? “Will I let her know tomorrow?”
b. Nai beinyyuad company Lia Arasely.
Cali beinyyuad company Lia Arasely nai? “Where did you (form. pl.) accompany Araceli to yesterday?”
c. Cayuny mes castiu ra studian.
Cayuny mes castiu ra studian e? “Is the teacher punishing the students?”
d. Guny Rnest cas Lia Zhuan.
Guny Rnest cas Lia Zhuan e? “Will Ernesto pay attention to Juana?”
e. Beiny Gyeily fald scwel.
Xi ni beiny Gyeily fald scwel? “Why did Miguel miss school?”
f. Cayunyri gan muly.
Xa cayunyri gan muly? “How are they earning money?”
Part Chon. For each of the sentences that you created in Tarea Gaz, change the sentence so that it is negative. Practice reading each of the sentences out loud. Then translate your new sentences into English.
a. Zhi gunya bisy lai.
Zhi queitydya gunya bisy lai. “I will not let her know tomorrow.”
b. Nai beinyyuad company Lia Arasely.
Nai queity beinydiyuad company Lia Arasely. “You (form. pl.) did not accompany Araceli yesterday.”
c. Cayuny mes castiu ra studian.
Queity cayunydi mes castiu ra studian. “The teacher is not punishing the students.”
d. Guny Rnest cas Lia Zhuan.
Queitydi Rnest guny cas Lia Zhuan. “Ernesto will not pay attention to Juana.”
or Queitydi Rnest guny Rnest cas Lia Zhuan.
e. Beiny Gyeily fald scwel.
Queity beinydi Gyeily fald scwel. “Miguel did not miss school.”
f. Cayunyri gan muly.
Queity cayunydiri gan muly. “They are not earning money.”
Tarea Ga xte Lecsyony Tsëbtyop. (§12.7). Read each of the following Zapotec sentences out loud. Chiru, bcwa ni cwa ni guet cuan Ingles. (“Then, translate what follows into English.”)
a. Uas gyienyën castiu wbwan.
“We will really punish the thief.”
b. Runyi xten meser.
“He works as a server.”
c. Beinyu fald scwel e?
“Did you miss school?”
d. Lia Tyen runyrëb sospechar.
“They (resp.) suspect Cristina.”
e. Gunyu bisy naa e?
“Will you let me know?”
f. Xa gunyu bisy naa?
“How will you let me know?”
Tarea Tsë xte Lecsyony Tsëbtyop. (§12.8). Create a Zapotec sentences using each of the following compound verbs. Practice reading each sentence out loud. Then translate each of your sentences into English.
a. runyfald
Runyfaldën amiegw. “We don’t have enough friends.”
b. runyton
Nai beinytonad. “You guys were acting stupid yesterday.”
c. runyzac
Cayunyzacrëb camyuny. “They (resp.) are fixing the truck.”
d. runyzhyab
Ra mniny re gunyzhyab. “Those children will behave badly.”
e. runybe (Use only with formal, name, or noun subject for now!)
Runybe Lia Da yu. “Soledad knows you (form.).”
