What Language Do They Speak in Peru? Spanish, Quechua, and More

Peru is a multilingual country that most visitors experience through one language. Spanish dominates in cities, tourist zones, and national media - but travel into the Andes or the Amazon and the picture shifts dramatically. Understanding what languages are spoken where, and having a handful of useful phrases in the right language, changes how you experience the country.

The Official Languages of Peru

Peru has three official languages:

1. Spanish - the national language, spoken by 84% of the population as their primary language
2. Quechua - an indigenous language family with approximately 4 million speakers in Peru, concentrated in the Andean highlands
3. Aymara - spoken primarily around Lake Titicaca and in the Puno region, with around 300,000–400,000 speakers in Peru

Spanish became the administrative language during the colonial period (1532–1821) and has remained dominant since. Quechua and Aymara were designated co-official languages in regions where they are spoken, meaning government documents, education, and public services can officially be conducted in these languages in those areas.

Spanish in Peru

Peruvian Spanish is often cited by language learners as among the easiest Latin American Spanish accents to understand. The pronunciation is clear and measured, the pace is moderate, and regional slang is less dominant than in countries like Chile or Argentina.

Regional variation:

• Coastal Spanish (Lima, Trujillo, Chiclayo): Neutral accent, fast paced in larger cities, highly intelligible
• Andean Spanish (Cusco, Arequipa, Puno): Slower pace, some influence from Quechua in vocabulary and cadence, particularly clear for learners
• Amazonian Spanish (Iquitos, Pucallpa): Softer consonants, some indigenous language influence

You will find Spanish-speaking staff in virtually all tourist-facing businesses in Peru’s major destinations. In Cusco, Aguas Calientes, and Miraflores/Barranco in Lima, English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants, and tour offices. Outside these zones, Spanish is essential.

Quechua: The Language of the Inca Empire

Quechua predates the Inca civilisation - the Inca adopted it as their empire’s administrative language from around 1400 AD, spreading it across a vast territory from present-day Colombia to Argentina. At its peak, an estimated 8–12 million people spoke Quechua across South America.

Today approximately 7–10 million speakers remain across the continent, with around 4 million in Peru. The Peruvian government has invested in Quechua education and media in recent decades, though the language faces ongoing pressure from Spanish.

Where you’ll encounter Quechua in Peru:

• Rural communities in the Cusco, Ayacucho, Apurímac, and Puno regions
• Place names throughout the Andes - Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu, Ollantaytambo, Urubamba, Cusco (Qosqo), Titicaca are all Quechua words
• Markets in Andean towns, where vendors between themselves will often speak Quechua
• Traditional ceremonies and festivals

A few Quechua words you already know without realising: quinoa (a grain), coca (as in coca leaves), puma (the cat), condor (the bird), llama, alpaca, and vicuña are all Quechua in origin.

Aymara

Aymara is spoken primarily around Lake Titicaca - on both the Peruvian and Bolivian sides of the lake - and in the Puno region of southern Peru. It has around 2–3 million speakers continent-wide (including Bolivia’s significant Aymara-speaking population) and roughly 300,000–400,000 in Peru.

Aymara is distinct from Quechua, though the two have coexisted and borrowed vocabulary from each other over centuries. If you’re visiting Puno or the islands on Lake Titicaca, you may hear Aymara spoken in communities there, though Spanish is the functional language for tourism.

Amazonian Languages

Peru’s Amazon basin is one of the world’s most linguistically diverse regions. More than 40 distinct indigenous languages are spoken across the Peruvian Amazon, including Awajún/Aguaruna, Shipibo-Conibo, Asháninka, and Yine, among many others. Most speakers are also bilingual in Spanish.

For travellers visiting the Amazon, all guide services operate in Spanish and (for lodge-based tourism) in English. Indigenous languages of the Amazon are not something visitors typically encounter functionally, though community-based tourism projects sometimes include cultural introductions to local languages.

How Much English Is Spoken in Peru?

English proficiency varies significantly by location:

Location	English availability
Miraflores / Barranco, Lima	Widely spoken in hotels, restaurants, and tour offices
Cusco city centre	Good coverage in tourist-facing businesses
Aguas Calientes	Most staff in hotels and restaurants speak basic English
Machu Picchu citadel	Official guides speak English; audio guides available in English
Sacred Valley towns	Variable - more in Ollantaytambo, less in smaller villages
Arequipa	Good in main tourist areas
Smaller Andean towns	Rare; Spanish essential
Rural communities	Extremely rare; Spanish and Quechua dominate

Useful Spanish Phrases for Peru

Learning even a handful of Spanish phrases transforms the travel experience in Peru. Peruvians respond warmly to any effort in Spanish - and the clear accent makes it one of the most learnable Spanish-speaking destinations.

English	Spanish	Pronunciation guide
Hello	Hola	OH-lah
Good morning	Buenos días	BWAY-nos DEE-as
Good afternoon	Buenas tardes	BWAY-nas TAR-des
Thank you	Gracias	GRA-see-as
Please	Por favor	por fah-VOR
How much does it cost?	¿Cuánto cuesta?	KWAN-toh KWES-tah
Where is…?	¿Dónde está…?	DON-de es-TAH
The bill, please	La cuenta, por favor	lah KWEN-tah, por fah-VOR
I don’t understand	No entiendo	no en-TYEN-doh
Do you speak English?	¿Habla inglés?	AH-blah een-GLES
I would like…	Quisiera…	kee-SYER-ah
One ticket to…	Un boleto para…	oon bo-LE-toh PAH-rah
Is it safe?	¿Es seguro?	es se-GOO-roh
Where is the bathroom?	¿Dónde está el baño?	DON-de es-TAH el BAN-yo
Help!	¡Ayuda!	ah-YOO-dah

Basic Quechua Phrases

In the Andean highlands, a few words in Quechua earn immediate goodwill from locals - far more so than English or even Spanish. You don’t need fluency; a greeting in Quechua signals respect for local culture.

English	Quechua (Cusco dialect)	Pronunciation
Hello	Rimaykullayki	ree-my-koo-YAY-kee
Thank you	Yusulpayki	yoo-sul-PIE-kee
Yes	Arí	ah-REE
No	Mana	MAH-nah
How are you?	Imaynallan kashanki?	ee-my-NAH-yan kah-SHAN-kee
Beautiful	Sumaq	SOO-mahk
Machu Picchu	(means “old mountain” in Quechua)	-
Cusco / Qosqo	(means “navel of the world”)	-

Language Tips for Travellers

Use Spanish, not English, as your default. Even if your Spanish is basic, attempting Spanish in a non-tourist context shows respect and typically gets a more helpful response than defaulting immediately to English.

Download an offline translator before you go. Google Translate’s offline Spanish pack works well in Peru even when you don’t have a data connection. The camera translation feature handles menus, signs, and market stalls effectively.

Don’t worry about accent. Peruvians are patient with non-native speakers. Unlike in some Spanish-speaking countries, a foreign accent doesn’t draw judgment - the effort is what counts.

Quechua on the Inca Trail. Your guide will almost certainly speak Quechua as well as Spanish, and may speak it with porters. If you learn a few Quechua words before the trek, you’ll have something genuine to talk about on the trail.