Learn Guarani: A Complete Beginner's Guide
Introduction: Why Learn Guarani?
Guarani (avañe'ẽ, literally "the human word") is a language from the Tupi-Guarani family, spoken by approximately 6-7 million people, primarily in Paraguay but also in parts of Brazil, Argentina, and Bolivia. It is the only indigenous language of the Americas to be an official language alongside a European language: Paraguay has been officially bilingual in Spanish and Guarani since its 1992 constitution.
What makes Guarani unique is that it is not a minority language: approximately 90% of Paraguay's population speaks it, including non-indigenous people. In rural areas, it is often the dominant language. In Paraguay, Guarani is the language of the heart, of humour, of poetry, and of popular music. Spanish is seen as the formal language; Guarani is the language of identity.
Guarani is also linguistically fascinating. It is an agglutinative and polysynthetic language: a single word can express what an entire sentence would say in English. It features a highly developed nasality system and distinguishes an "inclusive we" (including the listener) from an "exclusive we" (excluding the listener) — a nuance that very few European languages possess.
Guarani Basics
Alphabet and Pronunciation
Guarani uses the Latin alphabet, augmented with some special characters:
Vowels (12 total — 6 oral + 6 nasal):
| Oral | Nasal | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| a | ã | a / nasal a |
| e | ẽ | e / nasal e |
| i | ĩ | i / nasal i |
| o | õ | o / nasal o |
| u | ũ | oo / nasal oo |
| y | ỹ | between "oo" and "ee" (like Turkish "ü") / nasal |
The vowel y is the most challenging: it's a central close sound, between "oo" and "ee".
Notable consonants:
- g̃ → nasal "ng" (as in "parking")
- ch → "ch" (as in "church")
- j → like an English aspirated "h"
- ñ → like "ny" in "canyon"
- ' (puso) → glottal stop (an abrupt halt of voice)
- mb, nd, ng, nt → prenasalised consonants
Nasal Harmony
Guarani has a fundamental rule: nasality spreads throughout the word. If a syllable contains a nasal vowel, the nasality "contaminates" neighbouring syllables. It's one of the most developed nasal harmony systems in the world.
Greetings and Essential Expressions
| English | Guarani | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Good morning | Mba'éichapa nde ko'ẽ | Mba-é-i-cha-pa ndé ko-è |
| How are you? | Mba'éichapa? | Mba-é-i-CHA-pa? |
| I'm fine | Iporã | I-po-RÃ |
| Thank you | Aguyje | A-goo-Y-hé |
| Please | Ikatúpa | I-ka-TOO-pa |
| Yes | Héẽ | HÉ-è |
| No | Nahániri | Na-HÁ-ni-ri |
| Excuse me | Che ñyrõ | Ché ÑY-rõ |
| Goodbye | Jajotopata | Ha-ho-to-PA-ta |
| My name is... | Che réra... | Ché RÉ-ra... |
| I don't understand | Ndaikuaái | Ndai-kwa-Á-i |
| Welcome | Tereg̃uahẽ porã | Té-ré-gwa-HÈ po-RÃ |
| Friend | Che irũ | Ché i-RŨ |
| It's beautiful | Iporã | I-po-RÃ |
| I love you | Rohayhu | Ro-ha-Y-hoo |
The magic word: Iporã means "well, beautiful, good, nice." It's the most versatile word in Guarani — a bit like "nice" in English.
Explore more expressions on our Guarani vocabulary page.
Basic Grammar
No Grammatical Gender
Guarani has no grammatical gender (no masculine/feminine). To specify sex, add -kuimba'e (male) or -kuña (female):
- jagua = dog → jagua kuimba'e (male dog), jagua kuña (female dog)
Inclusive vs Exclusive "We"
Guarani distinguishes:
- Ñande = we (inclusive: you + me + others) — "all of us"
- Ore = we (exclusive: me + others, WITHOUT you) — "us without you"
This is a rare and powerful distinction: when a Paraguayan says "ñande," they're including you. When they say "ore," they're deliberately excluding you.
Verb Conjugation
Verbs conjugate with person prefixes:
Verb: -guata (to walk)
| Person | Form | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| I | Aguata | I walk |
| You | Reguata | You walk |
| He/She | Oguata | He/She walks |
| We (inclusive) | Ñaguata | We walk (you included) |
| We (exclusive) | Roguata | We walk (without you) |
| You (pl.) | Peguata | You all walk |
| They | Oguata (hikuái) | They walk |
Negation
Negation uses the circumfix nd-...-i:
- Aguata → I walk
- Ndaguatái → I don't walk
Tenses
- Past: suffix -kue → Aguatakue (I walked)
- Future: suffix -ta → Aguatata (I will walk)
- Present continuous: suffix -hina → Aguatahina (I am walking)
Discover our Guarani grammar courses on Targumi for interactive exercises.
Essential Vocabulary
Family (ñemoñare)
| English | Guarani |
|---|---|
| Father | Túva |
| Mother | Sy |
| Elder brother | Ryke'y |
| Younger brother | Ryvy |
| Sister | Reindy |
| Child | Mitã |
| Grandfather | Taita guasu |
| Grandmother | Jarýi |
| Husband | Ména |
| Wife | Rembireko |
Food (tembi'u)
| English | Guarani |
|---|---|
| Cassava | Mandi'o |
| Corn | Avati |
| Meat | So'o |
| Fish | Pira |
| Beans | Kumanda |
| Rice | Arroz |
| Sweet potato | Jety |
| Water | Y |
| Milk | Kamby |
| Fruit | Yva |
| Bread | Mbujape |
Numbers (papapy)
| Number | Guarani |
|---|---|
| 1 | Peteĩ |
| 2 | Mokõi |
| 3 | Mbohapy |
| 4 | Irundy |
| 5 | Po |
| 6 | Poteĩ |
| 7 | Pokõi |
| 8 | Poapy |
| 9 | Porundy |
| 10 | Pa |
| 20 | Mokõipa |
| 100 | Sa |
Note: the word po (5) also means "hand" — the counting system is based on fingers. Pa (10) = two hands.
Find more themed vocabulary on our Guarani vocabulary page.
Culture and Guarani Proverbs
Tereré: The National Drink
Tereré is Paraguay's emblematic drink: mate (yerba mate) infused in ice-cold water, served in a guampa (a cup made from ox horn or wood) and drunk through a bombilla (a metal filtering straw). It's a social act: tereré is shared in a circle, each person drinking in turn. Refusing an offered tereré is considered rude. In 2020, UNESCO inscribed tereré as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Guarani Music
The Paraguayan polka and guarania are the two emblematic musical genres. Guarania, created by José Asunción Flores in 1925, is a slow, melancholic genre, often sung in Guarani. The Paraguayan harp is the national instrument.
Guarani Proverbs
"Ñande yvy marae'ỹ" Our land without evil. Meaning: a fundamental concept in Guarani spirituality — the quest for the perfect land, without suffering.
"Iporã che retã" My country is beautiful. Meaning: a common expression of patriotism and love for the land.
"Opa mba'e oĩ haguã, oĩ vaerã jey" Everything that exists can cease to exist. Meaning: nothing is permanent — Guarani wisdom on impermanence.
Learn more about Guarani culture on our Guarani cultural resources.
The Paraguayan Diaspora
The Paraguayan diaspora is estimated at around 1 million people, mainly in Argentina (the largest community — estimated at 550,000+), Spain (around 100,000), Brazil, the United States, and Europe.
In Argentina, the Paraguayan community is enormous and very active, particularly in Buenos Aires. Guarani is spoken daily in households. In Spain, Paraguayans form one of the largest Latin American communities, concentrated in Madrid and Barcelona.
For diaspora children, learning Guarani is an act of identity connection with Paraguay and the indigenous culture of their parents.
Targumi offers a modern, accessible method for learning Guarani. Also check out our Quechua guide, another great indigenous language of the Americas, taught on Targumi.
Learn with Targumi
Ready to start learning Guarani? Targumi supports you with a modern, effective method:
- Progressive lessons designed for English speakers
- Contextualised vocabulary with audio pronunciation
- Practical exercises for every lesson
- Real-life dialogues for natural conversation
- Progress tracking system with XP and rewards
Guarani is your passport to the heart of South America. Whether you have Paraguayan roots, are preparing a trip to Paraguay, or are fascinated by indigenous languages, Targumi is here for you.
Start your Guarani journey on Targumi today!
Article written by Maira Benítez, Guarani teacher and Targumi collaborator. At Targumi, we make learning Guarani accessible to everyone.
Sources and References
- Guarani — Ethnologue: Paraguayan Guarani is spoken by about 6 million native speakers. Language family: Tupian, Tupi-Guarani branch.
- Wikipedia — Guarani: encyclopedic information on the language, its geographic area and official status.
- Targumi — Learn Guarani: courses with certified native teachers.
Further Reading
- Learn Guarani on Targumi — courses with native teachers
- All languages on Targumi — 106 languages taught