In Peru, almost everyone speaks Spanish (Castellano). Peruvian Spanish is considered one of the clearest and most understandable on the continent — good news for Spanish learners! Some peculiarities:
- “Pe” — the quintessential Peruvian filler word: “¿Cómo estás, pe?” (So, how are you?)
- “Che” is NOT used (that's Argentine)
- “Ceviche” is pronounced “Se-wi-tsche,” not “Se-wi-tsche”
- Peruvians are polite — “Usted” (formal you) is more common than in Spain
Greetings & Politeness
| German | Spanish | Pronunciation |
|---|
| Hello | Hola | O-la |
| Good morning | Buenos días | Bue-nos di-as |
| Good afternoon/evening | Buenas tardes/noches | Bue-nas tar-des/no-tsches |
| Goodbye | Chau / Adiós | Tschau / A-di-os |
| Thank you | Gracias | Gra-si-as |
| Please | Por favor | Por fa-wor |
| Yes / No | Sí / No | Si / No |
| Excuse me | Disculpe / Perdón | Dis-kul-pe / Per-don |
| How are you? | ¿Cómo está? | Ko-mo es-ta? |
| I'm fine | Estoy bien, gracias | Es-toi bien, gra-si-as |
| My name is... | Me llamo... | Me ja-mo... |
| I'm from Germany | Soy de Alemania | Soi de A-le-ma-nia |
Useful Phrases
| German | Spanish |
|---|
| How much does it cost? | ¿Cuánto cuesta? |
| Too expensive! | ¡Muy caro! |
| Where is...? | ¿Dónde está...? |
| I don't understand | No entiendo |
| Do you speak English? | ¿Habla inglés? |
| No problem | No hay problema |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favor |
| Where is the toilet? | ¿Dónde está el baño? |
| I need help | Necesito ayuda |
| Call a doctor! | ¡Llame un médico! |
Peruvian Peculiarities
| Peruvian | Meaning |
|---|
| Chévere | Cool, super, great |
| Bacán | Awesome, brilliant |
| Pata | Buddy, friend (informal) |
| Causa | Buddy (address among friends in Lima) |
| Jato | Home, apartment |
| Chamba | Work, job |
| Añañau | Quechua: Ouch! / That hurts |
| Ñaño/a | Brother/Sister (affectionate) |
| Ya pe | Alright / Okay / Let's go |
| Al toque | Immediately (theoretically...) |
Numbers
| Number | Spanish | Number | Spanish |
|---|
| 1 | Uno | 6 | Seis |
| 2 | Dos | 7 | Siete |
| 3 | Tres | 8 | Ocho |
| 4 | Cuatro | 9 | Nueve |
| 5 | Cinco | 10 | Diez |
| 20 | Veinte | 100 | Cien |
| 50 | Cincuenta | 1000 | Mil |
In the Restaurant
| German | Spanish |
|---|
| A table for two | Una mesa para dos |
| The menu, please | La carta, por favor |
| What do you recommend? | ¿Qué me recomienda? |
| No spice, please | Sin picante, por favor |
| Very tasty! | ¡Muy rico! / ¡Riquísimo! |
| Water (still) | Agua sin gas |
| A beer, please | Una cerveza, por favor |
In the Hotel
| German | Spanish |
|---|
| I have a reservation | Tengo una reserva |
| A double room | Una habitación doble |
| Is there hot water? | ¿Hay agua caliente? |
| Is there Wi-Fi? | ¿Hay wifi? |
| Do you have coca tea? | ¿Tiene mate de coca? |
Emergency
| German | Spanish |
|---|
| Help! | ¡Ayuda! |
| Police! | ¡Policía! |
| I'm sick | Estoy enfermo/a |
| I'm nauseous (altitude sickness) | Tengo soroche / Me siento mal |
| Where is the hospital? | ¿Dónde está el hospital? |
| I need oxygen | Necesito oxígeno |
Quechua Basic Words
In the highlands, you often hear Quechua. Some words have found their way into everyday Peruvian life:
| Quechua | Meaning |
|---|
| Allillanchu? | How are you? |
| Allillanmi | I'm fine |
| Sulpayki | Thank you |
| Pachamama | Mother Earth |
| Inti | Sun |
| Mama Qucha | Mother Lake (Lake Titicaca) |
