Quechua facts for kids

Quechua is a word that can mean a few different things, mainly related to a group of people and their languages in South America. Most often, it refers to the Quechua people or the Quechuan languages.

The Quechua People

The Quechua people are several groups of Indigenous people who live in South America. They are mostly found in countries like Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and parts of Argentina, Chile, and Colombia. These groups share a common history and often speak one of the Quechuan languages.

Many Quechua people are descendants of the ancient Inca Empire. The Inca Empire was a very large and powerful civilization in South America before the arrival of Europeans. The Quechua language was the main language of the Inca Empire.

Today, Quechua people live in various ways. Some live in traditional farming communities in the Andes mountains. Others have moved to cities. They work in different jobs and keep their culture alive through their language, music, clothing, and traditions.

The Quechuan Languages

The Quechuan languages are a family of languages spoken by millions of people in South America. They are the most widely spoken Indigenous language family in the Americas. These languages come from a single ancient language.

The Quechuan languages are mainly spoken in the Andes mountains. This mountain range stretches along the western side of South America.

Main Quechua Languages

There are many different types of Quechua, but some are more widely spoken than others:

• Southern Quechua: This is the most common Quechua language. About 6.9 million people speak it. It is spoken in Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina.
• North Bolivian Quechua: This is a specific type of Southern Quechua spoken in northern Bolivia.
• South Bolivian Quechua: This is another type of Southern Quechua. It is spoken in Bolivia and northern Argentina.

The Quechua Alphabet

The Quechua languages are usually written using an alphabet based on the Latin alphabet. This is the same alphabet used for English and many other languages. However, some sounds in Quechua are different from English, so special letters or combinations of letters are used to represent them.

Other Meanings of Quechua

The word "Quechua" can also refer to other things:

• Quechua (brand): This is a French company that sells outdoor and sporting goods, like tents and hiking gear.
• Quechua (geography): In Peru, "Quechua" is also the name of a natural region. This region is found in the Andes mountains, usually between 2,300 and 3,500 meters (about 7,500 to 11,500 feet) above sea level.
• Quechua (plant): There is also a type of plant called Quechua. It is a genus of plants in the orchid family.

See also

In Spanish: Quechua para niños