Live & Learn Quechua
Home>Language Index>>Quechua Audio Lessons Quechua (Runa Simi) is a truly fascinating and yet challenging language to learn. One of the difficulties is that there is little available in terms of written material. However with the advancement of technology and the interent a lot more resources are becoming available. We've unearthed the best Quechua learning resources to help you on your mission to communicate with the indigenous peoples of South America. This page includes information and advice on learning Quechua through audio lessons, language learning software, dictionaries, exercise books and much more... Did you know? The following English words come from Quechua: coco, condor, gaucho, lama, puma and quinoa. Useful Phrases Allillanchu? (How are you?) Allillanmi allillantagmi (I'm fine) Ima sutiiki (What's your name?) Sutiymi Sutiyqa Michaelem (My name is Michael) Sinchitan anaychayki (thankyou so much) Juq ratukama (See you later)
Also known as Runa Simi, Quechua is the most widely spoken of all native South American languages. The different dialects of the language had already been established for a long time in the central Andes when the Incas arrived. They made the Classic dialect the official administration language of their empire. Until the introduction of the latin alphabet with the arrival of the Spaniards in the Sixteenth Century, the language had no written alphabet. The incas kept track of numerical data by using quipu strings. Today it is spoken in different regional forms by over 10 million people in South America, including areas of Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador northern Chile and NW Argentina. The language is one of the official languages of Peru and Bolivia along with Spanish and Aymara. One of the main challenges in learning this fascinating language is that there is little written material available. This means that it remains a principally oral language. Below is a map showing where the different dialects are spoken in South America.
I = Waywash
II-A = Yunqay
II-B = Northern
II-C = Southern (descendant of Classic dialect)
Learn OnlineUnless you live in South America it can be very difficult to practise speaking the language. However, with the dawn of online communciation there are now several sites where you can practise speaking online. The sites puts you in touch with native speakers who want to learn your language. You simply contact them and arrange a time to practise with eachother online. You can also practise writing by e-mailing. The following sites provide the service:
Andean Culture Corner
Cultural Quirks: Growing Up in a Culture of Respect: Child Rearing in Highland Peru
Cuisine: All Recipes provide plenty of traditional Peruvian recipes. Inca Food provides an interesting history of Inca food between 1300 and 1500. Traditional Music: Listen to traditional Andean music by clicking on the tracks below:
History:
The Incas (Peoples of America)
Have you had the experience of learning this ancient South American language? If so we'd love to hear how you did it. Which resources did you find useful? How did you go about learning pronunciation and language structure? Please e-mail us your suggestions using the form below.
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provides a unique and fascinating insight into Andean culture. The book looks at child rearing practices in the Andes.
is probably one of the best Inca history books published. The book considers the full span of Inca history - from their remote beginnings as a small settlement on the edge of Lake Titicaca, to their rapid demise six centuries later by the hand of the Spaniards.
