Language in Peru

1.- INTRODUCTION TO LANGUAGE IN PERU

Before we begin to answer the question about, What language is spoken in Peru? It is important that we explain what makes Peru one of the countries with more linguistic culture than another, although in the coastal region it is common that people only speak Spanish, which by the way is also the Peru official language, the reality is that the diversity of language in Peru is centered in the Andes as rural areas and remote places, also in the jungle region due to the aboriginal tribes that have no contact with society.

The Spanish language (Castellano) is currently the Peru official language, however there is also another group of native languages that also have a similar status and these are Quechua, Aymara, Jaqary and Kawki. Of course, in other regions such as the Amazon region, the number of languages is much larger with Ashaninka and Aguaruna as the main ones. In any case, the Language in Peru is still one of the most representative and varied in the world.

After a census conducted in 2017 it was identified that there are about 84 variants of the Language in Peru having a distribution in its users as follows:

• 82% of the people speak the Peru official language, Spanish (Castellano).
• 13% of the people speak another Language in Peru as their mother tongue, Quechua.
• 1% practice the use of the Aimara language.
• The remaining 4% use aboriginal languages or a foreign language.

2.- LEARN WITH US!

“Everything starts with a first step and now we invite you to begin to better understand the Quechua language, some of the words that you can use in your daily life are:

• Añay: Thank you
• Haika: How much is it?
• Ari: Yes
• Manan: No
• Tayta: Dad
• Mantay: Mom

“Quechua language….You will be able to use them during your next trip to the beautiful Sacred Valley or other areas within the Andes.”

Click here to learn more

3.- WHAT LANGUAGE IS SPOKEN IN PERU?

Spanish, Peru official language

The official language of Peru is Spanish, it was imposed by the Spaniards who arrived in the year 1532 and since then it was one of the most used for the expansion of the colony, naturally this language in Peru was varying according to the area in which people lived and resulted in 3 main variants: Coastal, Andean and jungle (Peruvian Amazon), in each case makes the words change meaning and commonly confuse other people.

3.1.- Andean Spanish

This variant of the Peru official language is mainly used in cities located in high Andean areas such as Cusco, Ayacucho, Puno, Huancavelica, Junin, Pasco, Ancash and Apurimac. It is said that when the Spaniards arrived in Peru they established their command center in Cusco initially and then moved it to the capital Lima, but as they spent a long time in the Inca capital the language was taught in a purer way for that reason the Language in Peru that is found in the city does not have such a strong accent. It is normal to see how the citizens of Cuzco can pronounce complete syllables with the correct stresses and their intonation is slower, including that of the S.

3.2.- Coastal Spanish

One Language in Peru that is practiced mainly in the cities near the sea such as Tacna, Lima, Arequipa, Moquegua, Ilo, Ica, Pisco and others. The clearest difference in this variant of the Peru Official Language is that the intonation is higher and with a higher speed, also a slight sound is attributed to the “h” that being mute gets an intonation similar to the “j” and as for the “ll” sounds like a “sh”.

3.3.- Selvatic Spanish (Peruvian Amazon)

This variant of the Language in Peru is the most marked in intonation, it can be said that the people of this area speak singing, of course each word is clearly intoned and has a great strength of voice, it joins some words of the native dialects for its easy understanding among the people who live there.

3.4.- Quechua

Since not long ago Quechua has also received the status of Peru official language due to the fact that its users increased in great percentage, this is one of the languages that were inherited in the Peruvian Andes from the Inca culture. The language as such was mainly taught in a spoken style due to this there is no written record, however this Language in Peru contains wonderful and unique sounds that make its use a melodious sensation for its user, however it has a very high usage category being complicated to learn. Commonly in some cities you can see how Quechua and Spanish come together to create fun and curious word formations that naturally only the locals understand.

As expected, during the Spanish imposition of power over the Andean people, they tried to eradicate the use of this language, but the Andean population refused to do so and inherited this Language in Peru for generations. Nowadays it is considered as a native Language in Peru, widely spoken by the population after Spanish, it can definitely be considered that this Language in Peru has evolved and adapted to a current society.

3.5.- Aymara

We already know the main languages but there is still the question, What language is spoken in Peru? Another of the languages that you can find in Peru is the Aymara, regularly is the most used in the South, mainly in border areas as is the case of Puno, it is like a see how in the city and in spaces within Lake Titicaca many people practice it as the main language, although many people try to associate it somehow with the Quechua language the reality is that it is a much more complicated language so if you have the opportunity to meet an Aymara speaker will be a unique moment in your trip.

It is known that it is not only Peru who uses this language, but also Chile, Argentina and Bolivia, although in a smaller percentage, because of this many linguists consider that in some way the Aymara tends to make a subdivision of Quechua and that at some point in history they were related in a much closer way, in the same way it does not have a written record.

3.6.- THE USE OF JARGONS

The Language in Peru is so varied and multiple that it has come to create a criollismo with it, it is also known as slang and is a hilarious pronunciation of some words that have a different meaning, some of these words are:

3.7.- WHY IS THE LANGUAGE IN PERU SO VARIED?

Peru is one of the most culturally traditional countries in the world, this is due that multiple cultures developed over time. Because each one developed in a different way, each one had a different way of dealing with their beliefs, religion, festivities and more, for this reason Peru becomes a paradise for many scholars looking to learn more about history. Each of these cultural, geographical and social aspects caused each culture to have a different way of communicating, resulting in the great linguistic diversity that exists today, during the XVI century the Jesuits were able to identify the presence of more than 150 native languages, currently only 84 are still alive.

Although the Language in Peru is set up with Spanish, there is always a way to customize your experience. In Auri Peru we have polyglot specialists that will be able to give you the best advice in your own language making the experience you are looking for become a reality, contact us now to take the first step.

“One of the nicest things you find when traveling is the friendliness of the people.”