Food – Mikhuna

Many Quechua words for food have been borrowed from Spanish and are spelled here with the Quechua alphabet and denoted with a *. For these words you’ll almost always have success with the Spanish word.

Generic Food Words

Quechua English Español
mikhuna food; meal comida
unu q'uñi breakfast desayuno
almusay lunch almuerzo *
sina dinner cena *
wayk'u boiled food alimentos cocinados en agua
papa wayk'u boiled potato (dish) papa hervida

Food Adjectives

Quechua English Español
t'inpusqa boiled hervido
chayasqa cooked cocido
kharka dirty sucio
? clean limpio
q'uñi hot caliente
hanku raw crudo
kachisapa salty salado
k'arku / p'usqu sour amargo
haya spicy picante
misk'i sweet dulce
thaka thick denso

Meats

Quechua English Español
challwa fish pescado
aycha meat carne
waka aycha beef carne de vaca *
wallpa aycha chicken pollo
llama aycha llama carne de llama
patu aycha duck carne de pato *
kabra aycha goat carne de cabra *
uwiha aycha lamb cordero *
khuchi aycha pork cerdo
quwi aycha guinea pig carne de cuy
tripe ch'unchul mondongo
waqta aycha ribs costillas
ch'arki dried meat cecina
challwa fish pescado

Vegetables

Quechua English Español
papa potato papa
sanurya carrot zanahoria *
kulis cabbage repollo
chuqllu corn on the cob choclo
hawas fava beans habas *
ahu garlic ajo *
uchu hot pepper aji
lichuga lettuce lechuga *
sapallu squash zapallo *

Grains and Pulses

Quechua English Español
t'anta bread pan
siwara barley cebada
sara corn maíz
triyu wheat trigo
kinwá quinoa quinoa
arus rice arroz *
yuyu wild turnips nabo

Last Updated: Apr 21, 2012