Quechua was the official language of the Inca Empire. It is today spoken by about 13 million people in Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Northern Chile, Argentina, and Southern Colombia. There are different dialects of Quechua, and vocabulary and pronunciation vary by area.
The Quechua language was not always the official language of the Inca Empire, but one of the emperors changed the official language to Quechua. The Incas imposed the Quechua language on the other peoples who they conquered, and the language spread all over the Empire. Many of the conquered peoples maintained their own languages in addition to Quechua.
Natural Quechua Speakers
Many people continue to speak Quechua and it is now an official language in Peru. Many people in Peru speak only Quechua, although many are bilingual and speak both Quechua and Spanish. Many words in Quechua have been borrowed from Spanish, and about 30% of modern Quechua vocabulary comes from Spanish. Also, people of Native Indian origin often use Quechua words in Spanish. Some Quechua words are used in English such as puma, condor, llama, and quinoa.
The Incas had no writing system, but modern Quechua does, and many books are written in Quechua. Also, there are some internet sites in Quechua. In past years many people were ashamed to speak Quechua, but now many people proudly speak it.
Example of text written in Quechua
