This paper explores patterns of maintenance and shift influencing Kaqchikel-Maya in contact with Spanish in the Parramos municipality of the central highlands of Guatemala. It explores self-reported abilities in the use of Spanish and Kaqchikel-Maya and directly evaluated knowledge of Kaqchikel in relation to ethnicity, gender, and generations in town and village in the municipality. The study uses fieldwork between 2011 and 2013 in the Parramos municipality. Findings are read in relation to stability vs. instability in the use of the two languages and to the asymmetry of the bilingualism that marks the ethnic communities.