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Spanish Words you need to know before traveling to Peru

If you’re planning a trip to Peru or simply want to know more about the country, this small guide of useful peruvian words is for you :)

Bodega

Most of the grocery shops you will find in Peru, especially in small towns or villages, are not supermarket but bodegas. They mostly sell snacks, drinks and a few basic products such as rice or pasta. Some bigger ones might have some products such as a few fruits, tomato sauce, cheese… But don’t expect to find lots of products there, it’s honestly a lot better (and cheaper) to shop at local markets. But it’s still quite important to know what bodegas are when you travel to Peru because that’s where you can buy basic stuff to cook, as well as water (tap water is not drinkable in Peru)

Botica

They are basically the same thing as bodegas, except for the fact that they don’t sell food but basic health products. Here you can find things you might need like toothpaste, sunscreen, whatever you need for your period etc…

Inkafarma / Mifarma

These are not actual nouns but the name of two brands of pharmacies. Peruvian streets are full of pharmacies, but some of them are not actual ones and will sell you “fake” medecine. As there is a high chance you will get sick during your holiday in Peru (especially if you eat street food or at local market, which I really recommend anyway), I thought it would be useful to share the name of these two brands which you can find anywhere and are really reliable.

Combi

How do I even explain what a combi is? ^^ Basically there are mini buses with about 15 seats, they don’t really have a real schedule but they leave for their destination when they’re full. Let me tell you why they are at the same time the best and worst way of transportation in Peru. I say the worst because they are often crowed, you will be crushed against other passengers, you won’t always find a seat, the roof is not high enough for you to stand up, it’s always super hot (and sometimes very smelly) inside. Sometimes it will be so crowded that you will have to put other passenger’s stuff in your lap, and I’m not saying one of their bags, I’m saying something like a whole crate of fruits. You get it, crazy experience. But despite of all of this, combis are my favorite way to travel in Peru: they are cheap (at least a lot cheaper than getting a taxi), there are a lot of them and most of all you will meet a lot of people in combis, both locals intrigued by you and your big backpack, as well as other tourists. I was traveling alone and had a lot of nice chats in combis, and sometimes even shared a meal or visited something with the people I met there.

Cuy

Cuy means guinea pig. It’s a typical meal in Peru, especially in the Andes. The main reason why andean communities eat so much cuy is because they reproduce fast, but also because it’s easy to digest, and digestion works a lot slower when you are in high altitude. I personally did not try it but I saw restaurants offering it everywhere so if you’re a meat lover I guess this is something to try ^^

Choclo

Choclo means corn, or maiz in Spanish. Peruvian people sometimes use the word maiz too but you will mostly hear choclo. I can’t tell you how many times I had “choclo con queso” (corn with cheese) for lunch, which is cheap and tastes quite good, so I think it’s a word to learn :)

Palta

Palta is the Peruvian (latin american) word for avocado. If you want to buy some, don’t ask for avocados or aguacates, use the word palta!

Quechua / Aymara

These are two cultures you will find in Peru, mostly in the Andes / remote regions (which also includes some turistic places like Cusco). They both have their languages, traditions, typical clothes etc. Try to learn a bit about these cultures before going to Peru and once you’re there, get to know them, it will be worth it :)

Soroche

When you’ll be hiking up in the mountains or even visiting altitude towns such as Cusco or Arequipa, it’s possible that you may experience altitude sickness. Some people do, some people don’t. In Spanish you call that “mal de altitura”, but most Peruvians refer to it as “soroche”

Plata

If you’re learning Spanish, you probably already know this one, but in Latin America money is mostly refered to as “plata” and not “dinero”

I had an amazing time traveling in Peru and I love sharing thing about this country with you guys so if you have any question or suggestion about a post I could make about Peru let me know :) (I have a few more to come)