kawsay
The English word 'life' is translated into Quechua as kawsay.
kawsay is used to refer to the state of being alive.
Meaning: the state of being alive (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Ayacucho Quechua, the form kausay is commonly used to refer to 'life'.
Did you know?
- The term sumaq kawsay has become so influential that it was incorporated into the 2008 Constitution of Ecuador as a national guiding principle.
- In the Andean worldview, kawsay does not just mean biological life, but refers to a vital energy that flows through everything in nature, including stones and mountains.
- While English uses 'life' as a noun, many Quechua speakers view the concept through the verb root kawsay, meaning 'to live', making life an active process rather than a thing one possesses.
Examples in context
- Kawsayqa sumaqmi.Life is beautiful.
Example conversation
Rosa and Jose are talking about their dreams for the future.
- RosaImapacham kawsayniyku allin kanqa?How will our life be good?
- JoseLlamkaywanmi kawsayqa allin kanqa.Life will be good through work.
- RosaSumaq kawsayta munasqayki, Jose.I want a beautiful life for you, Jose.
- JoseÑuqapas chaytan munani, Rosa.I want that too, Rosa.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “life” translations and entries kawsay, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
