Runa simi
Classical Quechua
Quechuan · historical / hidden variety
Classical Quechua (Runa simi) was the lingua franca of the Inca Empire (Tawantinsuyu) from the 15-16c. The Inca had no writing system per se but used khipu (knotted cord-records) for administration. After Spanish conquest the language was written in Latin script; the earliest grammar is by Domingo de Santo Tomás (1560). Modern Cuzco-Collao Quechua is the closest living variety.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Classical Quechua
Water
yaku
/jaku/
Fire
nina
/nina/
Sun
inti
/inti/
Moon
killa
/kiʎa/
Mother
mama
/mama/
Father
tayta
/tajta/
Eat
mikhuy
/mikʰuj/
Drink
upyay
/upjaj/
Love
munay
/munaj/
Heart
sunqu
/suŋqu/
Tree
sach'a
/satʃʼa/
House
wasi
/wasi/
Dog
allqu
/aʎqu/
Cat
misi
/misi/
Hand
maki
/maki/
Eye
ñawi
/ɲawi/
Hello
rimaykullayki
/rimajkuʎajki/
Thank you
añay
/aɲaj/
One
huk
/huk/
Good
allin
/aʎin/
Words compared
Compared with related Quechuan languages
| Meaning | Classical Quechua | Cusco Quechua | Ayacucho Quechua | Quechua | Aymara | Misak | Papiamento |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | yaku /jaku/ | unu /unu/ | yaku /jaku/ | yaku /jaku/ | uma /uma/ | unø /unø/ | awa /awa/ |
| Fire | nina /nina/ | nina /nina/ | nina /nina/ | nina /nina/ | nina /nina/ | nipi /nipi/ | kandela /kandela/ |
| Sun | inti /inti/ | inti /inti/ | inti /inti/ | inti /inti/ | inti /inti/ | shi /ʃi/ | solo /solo/ |
| Moon | killa /kiʎa/ | killa /kiʎa/ | killa /kiʎa/ | killa /kiʎa/ | phaxsi /pʰaχsi/ | atru /atɾu/ | luna /luna/ |
| Mother | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | tayta /tajta/ | tayta /tajta/ | tayta /tajta/ | tayta /tajta/ | tata /tata/ | tata /tata/ | tata /tata/ |
| Eat | mikhuy /mikʰuj/ | mikhuy /mikʰuj/ | mikuy /mikuj/ | mikhuy /mikʰuj/ | manqʼaña /manqʼaɲa/ | mɵ /mɵ/ | kome /kome/ |
| Drink | upyay /upjaj/ | upyay /upjaj/ | upyay /upjaj/ | upyay /upjaj/ | umaña /umaɲa/ | ushi /uʃi/ | bebe /bebe/ |
| Love | munay /munaj/ | munay /munaj/ | kuyay /kujaj/ | munay /munaj/ | munasiña /munasiɲa/ | kausrap /kawsɾap/ | amor /amor/ |
| Heart | sunqu /suŋqu/ | sunqu /suŋqu/ | sunqu /suŋqu/ | sunqu /suŋqu/ | chuyma /tʃujma/ | mun /mun/ | kurason /kurason/ |
| Tree | sach'a /satʃʼa/ | sachʼa /satʃʼa/ | sacha /satʃa/ | sacha /satʃa/ | quqa /quqa/ | yu /ju/ | palu /palu/ |
| House | wasi /wasi/ | wasi /wasi/ | wasi /wasi/ | wasi /wasi/ | uta /uta/ | ya /ja/ | kas /kas/ |
| Dog | allqu /aʎqu/ | allqu /aʎqu/ | allqu /aʎqu/ | allqu /aʎqu/ | anu /anu/ | kuchi /kutʃi/ | kacho /katʃo/ |
| Cat | misi /misi/ | misi /misi/ | michi /mitʃi/ | misi /misi/ | phisi /pʰisi/ | mishi /miʃi/ | pushi /puʃi/ |
| Hand | maki /maki/ | maki /maki/ | maki /maki/ | maki /maki/ | ampara /ampaɾa/ | mar /maɾ/ | man /man/ |
| Eye | ñawi /ɲawi/ | ñawi /ɲawi/ | ñawi /ɲawi/ | ñawi /ɲawi/ | nayra /najɾa/ | kab /kab/ | wowo /wowo/ |
| Hello | rimaykullayki /rimajkuʎajki/ | rimaykullayki /rimajkuʎajki/ | napaykullayki /napajkuʎajki/ | allillanchu /aʎiʎantʃu/ | kamisaki /kamisaki/ | ma'rik /maʔɾik/ | bon dia /bon dia/ |
| Thank you | añay /aɲaj/ | añay /aɲaj/ | añay /aɲaj/ | sulpayki /sulpajki/ | yuspagara /juspaɣaɾa/ | payn /pajn/ | danki /daŋki/ |
| One | huk /huk/ | huk /huk/ | huk /huk/ | huk /huk/ | maya /maja/ | kan /kan/ | un /un/ |
| Good | allin /aʎin/ | allin /aʎin/ | allin /aʎin/ | allin /aʎin/ | suma /suma/ | kausrik /kawsɾik/ | bon /bon/ |
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