Qhichwa
Cusco Quechua
Quechuan (Southern, Cuzco-Collao)
Cusco Quechua is the prestige variety of Southern Quechua, originating in the Cuzco region of Peru — the historical capital of the Inca Empire. ~1.5M speakers in Cusco, Apurímac, and parts of Puno. Distinguished by aspirated and ejective consonant series (/p pʰ p'/) acquired through Aymara contact, lost in other Quechua varieties. Co-official language of Peru since 1975. Standardized 5-vowel orthography (since 1985) replaces older Spanish-influenced 3-vowel writing. Strong revitalization through INC-Cusco and intercultural-bilingual education.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Cusco Quechua
Water
unu
/unu/
Fire
nina
/nina/
Sun
inti
/inti/
Moon
killa
/kiʎa/
Star
quyllur
/ˈqojʎur/
Mother
mama
/mama/
Father
tayta
/tajta/
I
ñuqa
/ˈɲoqa/
You
qan
/qan/
Name
suti
/ˈsuti/
Eye
ñawi
/ɲawi/
Hand
maki
/maki/
Heart
sunqu
/suŋqu/
Love
munay
/munaj/
Tree
sachʼa
/satʃʼa/
House
wasi
/wasi/
Dog
allqu
/aʎqu/
Cat
misi
/misi/
Eat
mikhuy
/mikʰuj/
Drink
upyay
/upjaj/
One
huk
/huk/
Two
iskay
/ˈiskaj/
Hello
rimaykullayki
/rimajkuʎajki/
Thank you
añay
/aɲaj/
Good
allin
/aʎin/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Quechuan (Southern, Cuzco-Collao) languages
| Meaning | Cusco Quechua | Classical Quechua | Ayacucho Quechua | Quechua | Aymara | Jaqaru | Misak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | unu /unu/ | yaku /jaku/ | yaku /jaku/ | yaku /jaku/ | uma /uma/ | uma /uma/ | unø /unø/ |
| Fire | nina /nina/ | nina /nina/ | nina /nina/ | nina /nina/ | nina /nina/ | nina /nina/ | nipi /nipi/ |
| Sun | inti /inti/ | inti /inti/ | inti /inti/ | inti /inti/ | inti /inti/ | inti /inti/ | shi /ʃi/ |
| Moon | killa /kiʎa/ | killa /kiʎa/ | killa /kiʎa/ | killa /kiʎa/ | phaxsi /pʰaχsi/ | phaxshi /pʰaχʃi/ | atru /atɾu/ |
| Star | quyllur /ˈqojʎur/ | quyllur /qojʎur/ | quyllur /ˈqojʎur/ | quyllur /ˈqojʎʊr/ | warawara /waɾawaɾa/ | wara /waɾa/ | kualøm /kwalʌm/ |
| 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/ | awki /awki/ | tata /tata/ |
| I | ñuqa /ˈɲoqa/ | ñuqa /ɲoqa/ | ñuqa /ˈɲoqa/ | ñuqa /ˈɲʊqa/ | naya /naja/ | naya /naja/ | na /na/ |
| You | qan /qan/ | qam /qam/ | qam /qam/ | qam /qam/ | juma /huma/ | juma /huma/ | ñui /ɲui/ |
| Name | suti /ˈsuti/ | suti /suti/ | suti /ˈsuti/ | suti /ˈsuti/ | suti /suti/ | suti /suti/ | wetø /wetʌ/ |
| Eye | ñawi /ɲawi/ | ñawi /ɲawi/ | ñawi /ɲawi/ | ñawi /ɲawi/ | nayra /najɾa/ | nayra /najɾa/ | kab /kab/ |
| Hand | maki /maki/ | maki /maki/ | maki /maki/ | maki /maki/ | ampara /ampaɾa/ | ampara /ampaɾa/ | mar /maɾ/ |
| Heart | sunqu /suŋqu/ | sunqu /suŋqu/ | sunqu /suŋqu/ | sunqu /suŋqu/ | chuyma /tʃujma/ | chuyma /tʃujma/ | mun /mun/ |
| Love | munay /munaj/ | munay /munaj/ | kuyay /kujaj/ | munay /munaj/ | munasiña /munasiɲa/ | munasiña /munasiɲa/ | kausrap /kawsɾap/ |
| Tree | sachʼa /satʃʼa/ | sach'a /satʃʼa/ | sacha /satʃa/ | sacha /satʃa/ | quqa /quqa/ | qhura /qʰuɾa/ | yu /ju/ |
| House | wasi /wasi/ | wasi /wasi/ | wasi /wasi/ | wasi /wasi/ | uta /uta/ | uta /uta/ | ya /ja/ |
| Dog | allqu /aʎqu/ | allqu /aʎqu/ | allqu /aʎqu/ | allqu /aʎqu/ | anu /anu/ | anu /anu/ | kuchi /kutʃi/ |
| Cat | misi /misi/ | misi /misi/ | michi /mitʃi/ | misi /misi/ | phisi /pʰisi/ | phishi /pʰiʃi/ | mishi /miʃi/ |
| Eat | mikhuy /mikʰuj/ | mikhuy /mikʰuj/ | mikuy /mikuj/ | mikhuy /mikʰuj/ | manqʼaña /manqʼaɲa/ | mankaña /mankaɲa/ | mɵ /mɵ/ |
| Drink | upyay /upjaj/ | upyay /upjaj/ | upyay /upjaj/ | upyay /upjaj/ | umaña /umaɲa/ | umaña /umaɲa/ | ushi /uʃi/ |
| One | huk /huk/ | huk /huk/ | huk /huk/ | huk /huk/ | maya /maja/ | maya /maja/ | kan /kan/ |
| Two | iskay /ˈiskaj/ | iskay /iskaj/ | iskay /ˈiskaj/ | iskay /ˈiskaj/ | paya /paja/ | paya /paja/ | pa /pa/ |
| Hello | rimaykullayki /rimajkuʎajki/ | rimaykullayki /rimajkuʎajki/ | napaykullayki /napajkuʎajki/ | allillanchu /aʎiʎantʃu/ | kamisaki /kamisaki/ | kamishti /kamiʃti/ | ma'rik /maʔɾik/ |
| Thank you | añay /aɲaj/ | añay /aɲaj/ | añay /aɲaj/ | sulpayki /sulpajki/ | yuspagara /juspaɣaɾa/ | yuspaa /juspaː/ | payn /pajn/ |
| Good | allin /aʎin/ | allin /aʎin/ | allin /aʎin/ | allin /aʎin/ | suma /suma/ | shuma /ʃuma/ | kausrik /kawsɾik/ |
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