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Is the Quechua language still spoken today?
Quechua, or Runa Simi — “language of the people” — is an indigenous language spoken throughout the Andean region of South America. Today, Quechua is still spoken by about 8 million people, primarily in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.
Who speaks Quechua today?
Quechua varieties are spoken in Colombia (where the language is called Inga), Ecuador (where it is called kichwa or runa shimi), Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina (where it is usually spelled Quechua and called, by its speakers, runa simi).
What language do many rural Peruvians speak?
Quechua
Today, Quechua is the most widely spoken indigenous language of Peru. It’s an official language of the country and is used as the main everyday language in many rural areas. Quechua is most commonly spoken in the southern and central highland areas of Peru. Around 13% of Peruvians speak Quechua as their mother tongue.
How many Quechua languages are there?
45 dialects
Quechua is also known as Runasimi, which translates to the “people’s language”. It’s spoken so widely in South America that there are now 45 dialects within the Quechua language family.
What language do the Peruvians speak?
The 2007 Census of Peru records just four major languages, although over 72 indigenous languages and dialects are spoken in the country. Around 84% of Peruvians speak Spanish, the official national language. Even so, over 26% of the population speaks a first language other than Spanish.
Do Quechua people speak Spanish?
As the most widely spoken autochthonous language of Perú, it is considered to be an official language along with Spanish. Many Quechua-speaking Peruvians need to learn Spanish in order to function in their own country, as the latter is the language of commerce, education, and government.
Where is Quechua spoken?
Peru
Quechua today Today, Quechua is the most widely spoken indigenous language of Peru. It’s an official language of the country and is used as the main everyday language in many rural areas. Quechua is most commonly spoken in the southern and central highland areas of Peru.
What countries speak Quechua?
About the Quechua Language Quechua (“qheshwa”) is an indigenous language of the Andean region, spoken today by approximately 13 million people in Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Northern Chile, Argentina, and Southern Colombia.
Where is Quechua an official language?
The Quechua language is a co-official language to Spanish in Peru but is a second language in Bolivia. In the highlands of these two countries, the Quechua language is spoken as sole language by about 50% of the population although 80% speak Quechua but use other dialects instead while 90% understand the Quechua language.
Where do people speak Quechua and Kichwa?
Although most Quechua speakers are native to the country of origin, there are some significant populations living in Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Argentina . The most common Quechua dialect is Southern Quechua. The Kichwa people of Ecuador speak the Kichwa dialect; in Colombia, the Inga people speak Inga Kichwa .
Where are the Quechua Mountains?
The Quechua, direct descendants of the Inca, are found in the southern Altiplano and on nearby mountains as well as in the valleys of Cochabamba , Chuquisaca , and… Andes Mountains : The people …of Bolivia are Aymara- and Quechua -speaking Indians; most of the remainder are Spanish-speaking mestizos (or mixed).