1. In sentences in which no interrogative word appears, "-chu" has an interrogative function. Note that in Quechua, question marks are not used.
e.g.: Tusunkichu. = Do you dance?
(tusuy = "to dance") (-nki = 2nd person singular present tense conjugation) (-chu = interrogative)e.g.: Paqarinchu hamunqa. = Is it tomorrow that s/he will come?
(paqarin = "tomorrow") (-chu = interrogative) (hamuy = "to come") (-nqa = 3rd person singular future tense conjugation)e.g.: Paqarin hamunqachu. = Will s/he come tomorrow?
(paqarin = "tomorrow") (hamuy = "to come") (-nqa = 3rd person singular future tense conjugation) (-chu = interrogative)e.g.: Takiqchu kanki. = Are you a singer?
(takiy = "to sing") (-q = agentive) (-chu = interrogative) (kay = "to be")(-nki = 2nd person singular present tense conjugation)
2. "-chu" indicates negation when it is preceeded by the negation adverbs, "mana", "ama", and "ni".
e.g.: Manan tusunichu. = I don't dance.
(mana…-chu = negative) (-n = validator) (tusuy = "to dance") (-ni = 1st person singular present tense conjugation)e.g.: Manan paqarinchu hamunqa. Minchhan hamunqa. = It isn't tomorrow that s/he will come. S/he will come the following day.
(mana…-chu = negative) (-n = validator) (paqarin = "tomorrow") (hamuy = "to come") (-nqa = 3rd person singular future tense conjugation) (minchha = "the day after tomorrow") (-n = validator) (hamuy = "to come") (-nqa = 3rd person singular future tense conjugation)e.g.: Manan paqarin hamunqachu. = S/he won't come tomorrow.
(mana…-chu = negative) (-n = validator) (paqarin = "tomorrow") (hamuy = "to come") (-nqa = 3rd person singular future tense conjugation)e.g.: Ama rimawaychu. = Don't talk to me.
(ama…-chu = negative) (rimay = command "talk")(-wa- = pronominal "to me")e.g.: Ama qhawawaychu. = Don't look at me.
(ama…-chu = negative) (qhaway = command "look") (-wa- = pronominal "to me")e.g.: Manan tusuytapis ni takiytapis yachanichu. = I don't know how to dance or how to sing.
(mana…-chu = negative) (-n = validator) (tusuy = "to dance") (-ta = direct object marker) (-pis = conjunction "and/or") (takiy = "to sing") (-ta = direct object marker) (-pis = conjunction "and/or") (yachay = "to know") (-ni = 1st person singular present tense conjugation)e.g.: Ni imatapis qhawashanichu. = I'm not looking at anything.
(ni…-chu = negative) (ima = "what")(-ta = direct object marker)(-pis = indefinite)(qhaway = "to look")(-sha = present progressive)(-ni = 1st person singular present tense conjugation)
3. "-chu" may also take the role of the disjunctive conjunction, "or", stating an alternative. In this way, as an interrogative, "-chu" is added onto words that are tied together or compared.
e.g.: Qanchu noqachu, qoweta wayk'unqa. = Will you or I cook the guinea pig?
(qan = 2nd person singular subject pronoun "you") (-chu = "or") (noqa = 1st person singular subject pronoun "I") (-chu = "or") (qowe = "guinea pig") (-ta = direct object marker) (wayk'uy = "to cook") (-nqa = 3rd person singular future tense conjugation)e.g.: Mariachu Ricardochu, aswan allinta tusun. = Who dances better, Maria or Ricardo?
(-chu = "or") (-chu = "or") (aswan = "more") (allin = "good") (-ta = adverbalizer) (tusuy = "to dance") (-n = 3rd person singular present tense conjugation)