Learn Quechua (Cuzco)
Learn Quechua online with an app that gets you speaking right away. Start now and gain confidence with practical lessons you can use in South America or with Quechua speakers anywhere.
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Speak Quechua with confidence
Many people want to learn the Quechua language to connect with Indigenous communities in Peru, Bolivia and beyond. But frustratingly, it's hard to find good Quechua courses that focus on the spoken language.
uTalk is the solution. We'll help you avoid:
- Missing out on conversations with native Quechua speakers in Andean communities
- Struggling with academic resources that ignore everyday Quechua phrases
- Losing motivation because lessons don't reflect the language actually spoken in the Cuzco region
Learn Quechua quickly and unlock the rich cultural context of the Andes.
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Three steps to learn Quechua online
No textbooks to decipher. No complicated grammar to learn. Just a clear path.
Start in minutes
Subscribe now, download the app or open the web app, choose Cusco Quechua and select your first category.
Get StartedPractise real phrases
Learn through short lessons with audio from native speakers in the Cuzco region and memory-boosting games. Reviews focus on the words you get wrong to help you learn faster.
Speak like a local
Try your basic Quechua in real life. Both beginners and more experienced learners can build practical spoken language skills and start enjoying meaningful experiences in Latin America.
Why uTalk is the best Quechua learning app
uTalk is app-based, online and ready when you are, helping you learn how to speak and recognise key Quechua words and phrases.
Speak first
Practical content includes greetings, family, travel and everyday spoken Quechua from the Cuzco region.
Authentic native speakers
Learn from real Cuzco Quechua speakers, not just computer voices. Hear the pronunciation that's understood across southern Peru and Bolivia.
Beginner friendly, fun and effective
Game-like practice builds confidence. The lessons are short, focused and based on real-life situations.
Speak Quechua today (common phrases and audio)
uTalk helps you learn how to speak and recognise key words and phrases. It's app-based, online and ready when you are.
Kaphiytam munaykuyman.
I’d like a coffee, please.
Allillanchu.
Hello.
Arí.
Yes.
Arí, ama hina kaychu.
Yes please.
Manam.
No.
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Amaraq, añáy.
No thanks.
Ama hina kaychu.
Please.
Añáy.
Thank you.
Urpilláy, sunqulláy.
Thank you very much.
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Imamantataq.
You’re welcome.
Iskay sirwisata quykamuway.
Two beers, please.
uniwus
bus
karru
car
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taksi
taxi
trin
train
istasiyun
railway station
ayrupurtu
airport
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samana wasi
hotel
pasapurti
passport
tiliphunu
telephone
Uyariykuway.
Excuse me.
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¿Imay urasñataqri?
What time is it?
Yapamanta rimaykamuway.
Can you repeat that please?
Allillamantayá rimaykamuway.
Please speak more slowly.
Imatachá ninkipas.
I don’t understand.
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Pampachaykuway.
Sorry.
¿Maypitaq hisp'ana k'uchurí?
Where are the toilets?
Warmip Hisp'anan
Ladies’ Toilet
Qharip Hisp'anan
Gents’ Toilet
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¿Maypitaq qucha patari?
Where is the beach?
¿Maypitaq qullqichana wasiri?
Where is the bank?
¿Hayk'ataq kayri?
How much does this cost?
manukuy tarhita
credit card
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kahiru
cash machine
Tinkunanchikkama.
Goodbye.
parasitamul
paracetamol
kichana
keys
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saywiti
map
lluq'i
left
paña
right
huk
one
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iskay
two
kimsa
three
Where is it spoken?
Peru
Number of speakers
1,500,000
Language family
Quechua
Southern Quechua
Fun facts | Quechua (Cuzco)
- The Coca-Cola brand owes the “coca” in its name to the Quechua word kuka, which refers to the leaves of an indigenous plant historically used in Coca-Cola production.
- The famous ruined Inca citadel Machu Pikchu was named for its mountain-side setting: the words literally mean “Old Peak” in Quechua.
- In traditional beliefs in the Andes, the landscape is sacred, from the apu (mountain gods) to inti-killa (the sun and moon) and Pacha Mama (mother earth).
- Traditional Andean principles include the concept of minkʼa, when a whole village works together on a shared task, and ayni, where people call on each other for help with work and are duty-bound to return the favour.
- Quechua words now used in other languages worldwide include the names of Andean wildlife such as llama, puma and kuntur (condor).
How our Quechua courses work
Learning a language should be simple. Start with basic greetings and high-frequency vocabulary. Then move to practical categories such as family, numbers and essential phrases. The lessons are short, fun and created for beginners. You'll practise Quechua with native speaker audio from the Cuzco region and be tested on what you've learned to create stronger memories. Review sessions adapt to your progress by testing you more on the vocabulary you tend to get wrong.
Pick a category, and the app orders the content so you get quick wins. Choose to learn from English or another language if you prefer. You can learn online or offline and use uTalk on a mobile or desktop. Change category at any time to suit your goals. If you have questions, check the in-app help or contact support. We're a friendly UK-based team, and we're happy to help.
Cuzco Quechua vs. other Quechua varieties
Quechua isn't a single language but a family of closely related language varieties spoken across the Andes. Cuzco Quechua (also called Qusqu runa simi) is spoken in the Cuzco region of southern Peru, and it is one of the most widely understood varieties of Quechua across Peru and Bolivia.
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Key points
- Other major varieties include Ayacucho Quechua, Bolivian Quechua and Northern Quechua dialects spoken in Ecuador. While these varieties differ in pronunciation and vocabulary, their speakers can often understand each other, especially those who speak southern varieties of Quechua.
- uTalk teaches Cusco Quechua because it's widely recognised and understood throughout southern Peru and Bolivia. This gives you the most practical foundation for communicating with Quechua speakers across the Andes, whether you're travelling, connecting with communities or exploring your heritage.
Quechua and other languages of Peru
- Alongside Spanish, Quechua is one of Peru's official languages, and it's spoken by millions of people throughout the Andes. It's the most widely spoken Indigenous language in Peru, and it remains central to Andean culture and identity.
- Spanish is the dominant language throughout Peru and is spoken by the majority of people in the cities and coastal regions. Aymara is another significant Indigenous language, which is spoken in southern Peru near Lake Titicaca and the Bolivian border, where the communities maintain strong cultural traditions.
- uTalk offers both Spanish from Spain and Latin American Spanish alongside Quechua, so you can explore Peru's linguistic diversity. Learning Quechua opens doors to communicating with Indigenous communities, while Spanish helps you navigate the cities and modern Peru.
We help make speaking Quechua easy
It’s easy to feel stuck when you can’t find helpful learning resources for Indigenous languages. At uTalk, every language is precious to us. Quechua connects millions of people across South America to their cultural heritage. That’s why we recorded Cuzco Quechua: to help you learn the language while supporting its preservation. We recorded native speakers from the Cuzco region with support from Peru's Radio RPP, PUCP University and the Ministry of Education so you can learn the language as it's really spoken.
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Richard Howeson
uTalk Founder
Why learners trust uTalk
We go out of our way to support minority and regional languages. Content is recorded by native speakers from authentic Andean communities. The app works for English speakers and for speakers of more than 140 other languages worldwide. Check our reviews to see how learners turn practice into progress.
Your language learning journey in Quechua
You'd like to connect with Indigenous communities, explore the Inca Empire's legacy or communicate when travelling in Peru, Bolivia or Ecuador. Cuzco Quechua is spoken by millions of Quechua speakers across the Andes. Finding quality resources that teach basic Quechua can be hard, but it doesn't have to be.
Get StarteduTalk can help. Choose a category to begin with basic greetings such as allillanchu. Then build useful words and phrases for real-life situations. You'll listen to native speakers from the Cuzco region, record yourself copying them and compare the two. Games make it fun for beginners, but the content is practical for everyone, and you can learn online or offline. You can follow a guided learning pathway or simply explore, choosing for yourself what you want to learn and when.
With uTalk, you'll speak Quechua with confidence and understand more of what people say. You'll use your skills with native language communities, for travelling through South America and in new connections with many Quechua speakers.
Learn real-life topics in Quechua
Explore the Quechuan language family
Quechua belongs to the Quechuan language family, which is a network of closely related languages spoken across the Andes mountains in South America. These varieties share deep historical roots in the Inca Empire and often have similar grammatical structures and vocabulary, though pronunciation and some words differ between regions.
Major varieties include Cuzco Quechua (southern Peru), Ayacucho Quechua (central Peru), Bolivian Quechua and Northern Quechua dialects spoken in Ecuador and Colombia. While these are sometimes considered separate languages, speakers can often understand each other to varying degrees.
uTalk offers Cuzco Quechua from the Quechuan family, which gives you a strong foundation for being widely understood across southern Peru and Bolivia, connecting you to millions of speakers throughout the Andes.
Get StartedYour Quechua questions answered
Do you offer live online classes or is it just an app?
uTalk is an app and online language learning software. Lessons are digital, short and practical. If you want a tutor, the app still helps you prepare for class and review between sessions.
Can I start as a beginner?
Yes. The course begins with basic greetings and everyday words and phrases and takes you to an A1-A2 level on the CEFR scale. Some of our topics even cover material you’d learn as you grow your skills to B1 or B2.
What application languages do you support? Can I learn without English?
Yes. uTalk works for speakers of more than 140 languages. Choose the one that suits you in Settings.
How is content selected and ordered?
Topics are based on real life situations. You can select any category and the app suggests a smart learning order for beginners. You can change it at any time.
How does uTalk compare with YouTube lessons?
YouTube can be useful, but it’s hard to check pronunciation or get structured reviews. uTalk gives you native speaker audio, games that test tricky words more often and a clear path from basic to practical use.
Where can I learn a language with uTalk?
We’re available on iOS, Android, web, Mac and PC. Get started now and you’ll be directed to download uTalk for your device.
What is Cuzco Quechua?
Cuzco Quechua is a variety of the Quechua language family spoken in the Cuzco region of Peru. While there are many Quechua dialects across South America, Cuzco Quechua is generally well understood across southern Peru and Bolivia.
How is Quechua different from Spanish?
Quechua is a completely separate Indigenous language with different grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary. While many Quechua speakers also speak Spanish (which is the dominant language in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador), learning Quechua lets you connect with the cultural context and heritage of Andean communities in a way Spanish cannot.
How quickly can I learn to speak Quechua?
Short, regular sessions work best. Many learners can handle simple conversations after a few weeks of steady practice. Your speed depends on how often you use the app and how much you review.
Can I learn Quechua for free with uTalk?
Getting started with uTalk is easy, and you can cancel whenever you want. We want you to love uTalk, so we even offer a 28-Day Money Back Guarantee if you're not satisfied.
Where is Quechua spoken?
The Quechua language is spoken throughout the Andes, primarily in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. Smaller communities of native speakers also exist in Colombia and Argentina. Quechua was the dominant language of the Incas, and it remains an important part of the cultural identity of millions.
Topics
- Accommodation
- Adjectives
- Animals' Bodies
- Animals
- Bathroom
- Body
- Business
- Calendar
- Camping
- Military Peace Keeping
- Clothes
- Colours
- Military Commands
- Football Commentary
- Cooking
- Countries
- Directions
- Disaster Relief - Volunteers
- Natural Disasters
- Doctor
- Driving
- Emergencies
- Family
- Farming
- First Words
- Food and Drink
- Fruit
- Holiday
- Home
- Illness
- Ingredients
- Military Intelligence
- Kitchen
- Leisure
- Likes and Dislikes
- Football Match Abroad
- Numbers up to Ten Million
- Numbers up to Twenty
- Occupations
- Olympics
- Outdoors
- Places
- Prepositions
- Restaurant
- School
- Shopping Phrases
- Shopping Words
- Essential Phrases
- Social Phrases
- Sports
- Free Starter Words
- Technology
- Time
- Timetable
- Tools
- Transport
- Travelling
- Vegetables
Get by with basic greetings, words and phrases including 'hello', 'thank you' and 'I'd like a coffee please'.