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Live & Learn Quechua


Immerse yourself in beautiful Peru! Immerse yourself in beautiful Peru! Immerse yourself in beautiful Peru!

Photos kindly provided by Paul & Shelly Markham, Perth, Australia

Home>Language Index>>Quechua

Audio Lessons       Software       Translation       Dictionaries       Exercise Books     Flashcards    Video & Media       Learn Online       Immersion          Culture Corner

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)



Language Synopsis

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.


Map showing areas where Quechua dialects are spoken I = Waywash

II-A = Yunqay

II-B = Northern

II-C = Southern (descendant of Classic dialect)



Audio Lessons

There isn't much available in terms of audio lessons for this language. See the free resources below, and see our Learn Online section for advice on how to practise speaking the language online.

Internet Freebies

Quechua.org.uk provide a very useful guide for pronouncing numbers and basic words in the different dialects. Click on the words and listen to how they're pronounced.

Andes.org provide a free pronunciation guide where you can download the different sounds of the language.



Photo kindly provided by Paul & Shelly Markham, Perth, Australia


Quechua Language Software

There isn't much out there in terms of language learning software for this language. However, the few products that are available will serve as an excellent introduction to the language, allowing you to pick up some essential phrases.

101 Languages - Quechua Software 101 Languages of the World is an excellent language learning resource if you're a beginner to the language. The software uses games, listening activities and pronunciation analysis to help you grasp the basics of th language. It also includes includes a free multilingual word processor: the Unitype GlobalWriter. This allows you to type in Quechua; get spell checking, thesauruses, character sets, and more (for Windows only).

This is a great resource for any traveller as it allows you to learn the basics of 101 languages, not only the Andean ones.



Quechua-English Dictionaries

Websters provide the only easily obtainable Quechua-English dictionary. It is available in three dialects: Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia.

Webster's English-Quechua Dictionary Websters Quechua-English Thesaurus Dictionary

Websters EcuadorQuechua-English Thesaurus Dictionary

Websters BolivianQuechua - English Thesaurus Dictionary


Internet Freebies

Quechua-Network provide a useful free English-Quechua/Quechua-English dictionary.

Click here for another useful dictionary with many entries.



Exercise and Phrasebooks

Lonely Planet Quechua Phrasebook As the Incas had no writing system, Runa Simi was and has remained as mostly an oral language. This means there is very little in terms of written material for learning the language. The following book is therefore very valuable if you're learning the language.

Lonely Planet Quechua Phrasebook: This easy to use reference book comes complete with grammar explanations and shows how words are built, with prefixes, suffixes etc. At only $7.99 this book is a must have for anybody learning Quechua!


Internet Freebies

Although there is little from the book publishing industry for learning this language, there is a lot of information available free on the internet.

Alphabet

The Runasimi alphabet is based on the Latin alphabet. Go to Wikipedia to see the full alphabet.

Grammar

Wikipedia provide the most detailed analysis of this langauge's grammar available on the net.

Free 12 lessons course: This fantastic site provides a free 12 lesson course and takes a very grammatical approach, tackiling the many prefixes and suffixes of the language. Each word can be listened to on an audio clip.

Andes.org also provide free grammar lessons.

Reading Material

Read the Gospel of Luke in three different dialects on Andes.org.

Watchtower.org provide reading material about the basic teachings of the Bible. A comparison of the texts with the English can help language aquisition. The material is available on their website in five different dialects: Ancash, Ayacucho, Boliviano, Cuzaco and Quichua (Ecuatorian).



Language Flashcards

We are happy to offer free flashcards in any language, please see our Flash Cards page for more information.



Video & Media

Here is a lovely video of a little girl and some friends (later on) singing in Quechua... it seems as though her friends ruin it abit for her though.

And here are some videos of a traditional dance:



Learn Online

Unless 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:

My Language Exchange

Language Exchange Online.



Language Schools and Immersion

Cactus Language provide 12 week courses in Cuzco the capital of the Inca Empire. The courses can be tailored to your needs, and also come with the option of living with a Quechua-speaking family throughout your stay.

Wiracocha provide beginners, intermediate and advanced courses. Typically a 20 hour course costs $100. The language school is based in Cuzco.

Acupari Language School provide one-to-one lessons. They take a slightly different approach and centre the learning around interaction with the locals. Your teacher takes you to markets and village communities to practise by direct communication.

Sustainable Language School in Cochabamba, Bolivia, provide lessons at $7 per hour. The school is geared toward socially and ecologically minded students.



Andean Culture Corner



Useful Phrases

Andes.org provide lots of phrases that might come in useful. Some of the words also include audio clips.



Growing up with a culture of respect

Cultural Quirks

Growing Up in a Culture of Respect: Child Rearing in Highland Peru provides a unique and fascinating insight into Andean culture. The book looks at child rearing practices in the Andes.




Food

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:



The Incas

History

The Incas (Peoples of America) 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.

Wikipedia provide an excellent summary of the Inca history.



Help Others Live and Learn

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.


Immerse yourself in beautiful Peru! Immerse yourself in beautiful Peru! Immerse yourself in beautiful Peru!
Photos kindly provided by Paul & Shelly Markham, Perth, Australia


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