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
20 core words in Cusco Quechua
Water
unu
/unu/
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
sachʼa
/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/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Quechuan (Southern, Cuzco-Collao) languages
| Meaning | Cusco Quechua | Classical Quechua | Ayacucho Quechua | Quechua | Aymara | Misak | Jaqaru |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | unu /unu/ | yaku /jaku/ | yaku /jaku/ | yaku /jaku/ | uma /uma/ | unø /unø/ | uma /uma/ |
| Fire | nina /nina/ | nina /nina/ | nina /nina/ | nina /nina/ | nina /nina/ | nipi /nipi/ | nina /nina/ |
| Sun | inti /inti/ | inti /inti/ | inti /inti/ | inti /inti/ | inti /inti/ | shi /ʃi/ | ñiwi /ɲiwi/ |
| Moon | killa /kiʎa/ | killa /kiʎa/ | killa /kiʎa/ | killa /kiʎa/ | phaxsi /pʰaχsi/ | atru /atɾu/ | phaxshi /pʰaχʃi/ |
| 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/ | awki /awki/ |
| Eat | mikhuy /mikʰuj/ | mikhuy /mikʰuj/ | mikuy /mikuj/ | mikhuy /mikʰuj/ | manqʼaña /manqʼaɲa/ | mɵ /mɵ/ | mankaña /mankaɲa/ |
| Drink | upyay /upjaj/ | upyay /upjaj/ | upyay /upjaj/ | upyay /upjaj/ | umaña /umaɲa/ | ushi /uʃi/ | umaña /umaɲa/ |
| Love | munay /munaj/ | munay /munaj/ | kuyay /kujaj/ | munay /munaj/ | munasiña /munasiɲa/ | kausrap /kawsɾap/ | munasiña /munasiɲa/ |
| Heart | sunqu /suŋqu/ | sunqu /suŋqu/ | sunqu /suŋqu/ | sunqu /suŋqu/ | chuyma /tʃujma/ | mun /mun/ | chuyma /tʃujma/ |
| Tree | sachʼa /satʃʼa/ | sach'a /satʃʼa/ | sacha /satʃa/ | sacha /satʃa/ | quqa /quqa/ | yu /ju/ | qhura /qʰuɾa/ |
| House | wasi /wasi/ | wasi /wasi/ | wasi /wasi/ | wasi /wasi/ | uta /uta/ | ya /ja/ | uta /uta/ |
| Dog | allqu /aʎqu/ | allqu /aʎqu/ | allqu /aʎqu/ | allqu /aʎqu/ | anu /anu/ | kuchi /kutʃi/ | anu /anu/ |
| Cat | misi /misi/ | misi /misi/ | michi /mitʃi/ | misi /misi/ | phisi /pʰisi/ | mishi /miʃi/ | phishi /pʰiʃi/ |
| Hand | maki /maki/ | maki /maki/ | maki /maki/ | maki /maki/ | ampara /ampaɾa/ | mar /maɾ/ | amrra /amra/ |
| Eye | ñawi /ɲawi/ | ñawi /ɲawi/ | ñawi /ɲawi/ | ñawi /ɲawi/ | nayra /najɾa/ | kab /kab/ | nayri /najɾi/ |
| Hello | rimaykullayki /rimajkuʎajki/ | rimaykullayki /rimajkuʎajki/ | napaykullayki /napajkuʎajki/ | allillanchu /aʎiʎantʃu/ | kamisaki /kamisaki/ | ma'rik /maʔɾik/ | kamishti /kamiʃti/ |
| Thank you | añay /aɲaj/ | añay /aɲaj/ | añay /aɲaj/ | sulpayki /sulpajki/ | yuspagara /juspaɣaɾa/ | payn /pajn/ | yuspaa /juspaː/ |
| One | huk /huk/ | huk /huk/ | huk /huk/ | huk /huk/ | maya /maja/ | kan /kan/ | maya /maja/ |
| Good | allin /aʎin/ | allin /aʎin/ | allin /aʎin/ | allin /aʎin/ | suma /suma/ | kausrik /kawsɾik/ | shuma /ʃuma/ |
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