Argentina, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador: Quechua Quechua is the language of the Incas. The Incan Empire was born in the Peruvian coast and extended to Ecuador, parts of Colombia, Bolivia, Northern Argentina and part of Chile. Today Quechua is spoken by some 12 million people in Ecuador, Perú, Bolivia, and part of Argentina. There are some Quechua speakers in Colombia, too.
Argentine Quechua is called Quichua Santiagueño, because it is spoken in the province of Santiago del Estero, in Northwestern Argentina. Notably, it is similar to Ecuadorian Quichua. For historical reasons, the Ecuadorian and Argentine varieties are spelled and pronounced Quichua, rather than Quechua.
Quechua is pronounced |'ke chwa|. Quichua is pronounced |'kee chwa|.
Imaynalla kasanki? (ee my 'na ya kah 'sahn kee?) is a common greeting in Peruvian and Bolivian Quechua. It literally means “How are you being?” or simply, “How are you?” Some people say imayna kasanky? (ee 'my nah kah 'sahn kee?).
In Quichua Santiagueño, hello is said imayna purinki? (ee 'my na poo 'reen kee), which literally means “How are you going?” Some people say qué talta purinki? (keh 'tahl tah poo 'reen kee?), which is a hybrid from Spanish ¿qué tal? (How are you?) and Quichua imayna purinki? In Peruvian and Bolivian Quechua, goodbye is said paqarinkama (pah kha reen 'kah mah), which literally means “until tomorrow.” Some people also say sumaq risuchun ('soo mahx ree 'soo choon), which literally means “Let things go nice with you,” or simply “Good luck”. In Quichua Santiagueño, you say qonqayllakama (khon khy shah 'kah mah) or minchakama (meen chah 'kah mah), which both mean “Until any moment”.
Hello in Quechua Goodbye in Quechua (Bolivia, Peru) (Bolivia, Peru)
Hello in Quichua Goodbye in Quichua Santiagueño Santiagueño
Gabriel Torem was born in Santiago del Estero, Argentina, in the countryside. He speaks and teaches Argentinian Quichua. Now, he lives in Buenos Aires, where he runs a translation bureau. He has two kids, with whom he speaks both Quichua and Spanish. Hello in Quichua Santiagueño
(how are you going?) imayna purinki?
Goodbye in Quichua Santiagueño
(until any moment)
Qonqayllakama
Hello in Quechua
(how are you?) Imaynalla kasanki?
Goodbye in Quechua
(until tomorrow)
Paqarinkama