| Consonants | | |
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IPA | Quechua alphabet (Peru - Ministry of Education) | Examples | English approximation |
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h | h | huñuy, muhu | house | j | y | yana, ayni | yes | k | k | kuntur, puka | scat | k̚ ~ɣ ~x | -k (syllable ending) | waktay, rikra | doctor | kʰ ~kx ~x | kh | khuyay | cat | kʼ | k' | k'ispa | like scar but with a restriction of air | l | l | layu, phalay | lamp | ʎ | ll | llapa, allqu | billion | m | m | marka, pampa | map | n | n | nina | none | ɲ | ñ | wiñay | similar to canyon | p | p | pirqa | spat | β ~ɸ | -p (syllable ending) | rapra, qhichipra | | pʰ ~pɸ ~ɸ | ph | phiña,phatay | pan, sphere | pʼ | p' | p'unchaw | like spat but with a restriction of air | q | q | qam, nuqa | similar to scat but deeper in the throat | ɢ ~χ | -q (syllable ending) | paqta, aqllay | | qʰ ~χ | qh | qhapaq | similar tocat but deeper in the throat | qʼ | q' | q'isa | similar to the /q/ sound but with a restriction of air | ɾ | r | runtu, yawar | atom in American English | s | s | sunqu, wasi | son | ʃ | sh | mishi | shave | t | t | tinku, pata | stunt | tʰ ~ts ~θ | th | thamay,thanta | top | tʼ | t' | t'utura,t'uqyay | liketop but with a restriction of air | tʃ | ch | chunka, pacha | church | tʃʰ ~ʃ | chh | chhalla,chhulla | church | tʃʼ | ch' | ch'aska | like church but with a restriction of air | w | w | wañuy, kawsay | water |
| Vowels | | |
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IPA | Quechua alphabet (Peru - Ministry of Education) | Examples | English approximation |
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æ | a | karu | trap | ɑ | a (near uvular consonants) | yuraq | father | ɪ | i | nina | lip | ɛ | i (near uvular consonants) | qichwa, qullqi, yachachiq | pet | ʊ | u | kusi | hook | ɔ | u (near uvular consonants) | qusqu, q'umir, atuq | off |
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