Quechua Language
Quechua - Runa Simi (language of the people) - was the official language of the Inca empire. During the Spanish conquest, the quechua language was used and propagated by missionaries into the Andean areas beyond the Inca borders. The quechua wave engulfed many civilizations, indigenous cultures and languages. Today, it is the most widely-spoken indigenous language in South America, in daily use by more than 13 million people.
Quechua is spoken in the Andean areas, mainly in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, but it is also used in the North of Chile and Argentina and in the South of Colombia. The large geographical distribution of the language has given rise to about thirty dialects which appear to be very different between the southern areas (Ayacucho, Cuzco, Argentina and Bolivia), central Peru (Lima and Junin) and those in the north (Ecuador and Northern Peru).
In Bolivia, Quechua is spoken in regions around Potosí, Sucre and Cochabamba.
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Aymara Language
Aymara is the second indigenous language used in South America. It it spoken by nearly 2 million people on the Andean altiplano, mainly distributed across Bolivian territory (75%) but also in Peru (20%) and Chile (5%).
Aymara was the official language of the glorious civilization of Tiahuanaco (400BC - 900AD).
Some useful Quechua words and phrases
| People | |
| Friend | Wawqemasi |
| Baby | Wawita |
| Woman | Warmi |
| Son/Daughter | Wawa |
| Brother | Irmanu |
| Grandmother | Jatun mama |
| Grandfather | Jatun tata |
| Man | Runa |
| Mummy | Mama |
| Mother | Mama |
| Daddy | Tatay |
| Father | Tata |
| Boy | Ch'iti |
| Girl | Imilla |
| Sister | Irmana |
| Animals | |
| Alpaca | Allpaqa |
| Donkey | Burru |
| Dog | Alqo |
| Pig | Khuchi |
| Condor | Kuntur |
| Llama | Llama |
| Chicken | wallpa |
| Cow | Waka |
| Nature | |
| Air | Wayra |
| Tree | Sach'a |
| Sky | Janajpacha |
| Coca | Kuka |
| Water | Yaku |
| Star | Qoyllur |
| Fire | Nina |
| Day | P'unchay |
| Lake | Qhocha |
| Mountain | Orqo |
| Cloud | Phuyu |
| Night | Tuta |
| Rain | Para |
| Fish | Challwa |
| Sun | Inti |
| Numbers | |
| 1 | U' |
| 2 | Iskai |
| 3 | Quinsa |
| 4 | Tahua |
| 5 | Phiska |
| 6 | Zo'gta |
| 7 | Khanchis |
| 8 | Pusa'g |
| 9 | Iskon |
| 10 | Chunca |
| 100 | Pacha'g |
| 1000 | Huaranca |
| Useful expresions | |
| Hello! | Raphi! |
| Good bye! | Wuasleglla! |
| How are you? | Imaynalla Cascancu? |
| See you tomorrow | Ccaya cama |
| How much do you want? | Mascata munanqui? |
| My name is xyz | xyz mi sutiy |
| What's your name? | Ima sutiyki? |
| Please | Allichu |
| Thanks | Diuspagarasunki |
| I don't understand | Mana japikkana |
| Where is xyz? | Maypi xyz? |
| Yes | Ari |
| No | Mana |
| I don't have | Mana Canchu |
| Yesterday | Qayna |
| Tomorrow | Qaylla | Far | Karu |
| Near | Kailla |
| Right | Paña |
| Left | Lloq'e |
| Yes, I want | Ari munani |
| No, I don't want | Mana munanichu |
| Various | |
| House | Wasi |
| Bed cover | Phullu |
| Bed | Puñana |
| Flag | Wiphayla |
Some useful Aymara words and phrases
| People | |
| Friend | Masi |
| Baby | Asu |
| Woman | Warmi |
| Son/Daughter | Wawa |
| Brother | Jilata |
| Grandmother | Apachi |
| Grandfather | Achachi |
| Man | Chacha |
| Mummy | Mama |
| Mother | Tayka |
| Daddy | Tata |
| Father | Awki |
| Boy | Yuqalla |
| Girl | Imilla |
| Sister | Kullaka |
| Animals | |
| Alpaca | Allpachu |
| Donkey | Ch'utu |
| Dog | Anu |
| Pig | Khuchi |
| Condor | Mallku |
| Llama | Qawra |
| Chicken | Chiwchi |
| Cow | Waka |
| Nature | |
| Tree | Quqa |
| Sky | Lakhampu |
| Coca | Kuka |
| Water | Uma |
| Star | Warawara |
| Fire | Nina |
| Day | Uru |
| Lake | Quta |
| Mountain | Qullu |
| Cloud | Qinaya |
| Night | Aruma |
| Rain | Jallu |
| Fish | Chaulla |
| Sun | Inti |
| Numbers | |
| 1 | Maya |
| 2 | Paya |
| 3 | Quimsa |
| 4 | Pusi |
| 5 | Pesca |
| 6 | Zo'hta |
| 7 | Pakalko |
| 8 | Quimsakalko |
| 9 | Yatunca |
| 10 | Tunca |
| 100 | Pataca |
| 1000 | Waranka |
| Useful expresions | |
| Hello! | Laphi! |
| Good bye! | Jakisiñkama! |
| How are you? | Kamisaraki? |
| See you tomorrow | Ccarurucama |
| How much do you want? | Caucasa munta? |
| My name is xyz | Sutijara xyz |
| What's your name? | Kunas sutimaj? |
| Please | Mira |
| Thanks | Yuspagara |
| I don't understand | Janiwa entindkti |
| Where is xyz? | Kaukasa xyz? |
| Yes | Jisa |
| No | Janiwa |
| I don't have | Janiwa utkiti |
| Yesterday | Masuru |
| Tomorrow | Qharuru |
| Far | Jaya |
| Near | Maka |
| Right | Kupi |
| Left | Ch'iqa |
| Yes, I want | Jisa muntua |
| No, I don't want | Jani munti |
| Various | |
| House | Uta |
| Bed cover | Ch'usi |
| Bed | Iquiña |
| Flag | Wiphala |
