Grammer Concepts
This basic past tense is used for actions that happened once at a specific moment in time (e.g., Yo fui).
What is the preterite tense? (El pretérito)
This ancient Incan citadel, perched high in the Andes Mountains, is Peru's most famous tourist attraction.
What is Machu Picchu?
Peru's national dish features fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices (usually lime) and spiced with chili peppers.
What is ceviche?
Celebrated from October 31 to November 2, this Mexican holiday honors deceased loved ones with altars and marigolds.
What is Dia de los Muertos? (Day of the Dead)
This domesticated South American camelid is prized for its soft wool and is an iconic symbol of the Andes.
What is a llama? (or alpaca)
Unlike ser, this verb meaning "to be" is used to describe temporary states, emotions, and locations.
What is estar?
This is the capital and largest city of Peru, located on the country's Pacific coast.
What is Lima?
Peru cultivates over 4,000 varieties of this tuber, which originally domesticated in the Andean region.
What is the potato?
This traditional celebration marks a girl's transition into womanhood on her 15th birthday.
What is a quinceañera?
This is the currency used in Peru.
What is the Sol?
In Spanish, these pronouns (like me, te, lo, la) usually go directly before a conjugated verb.
What are direct object pronouns?
Shared with Bolivia, this body of water is the highest navigable lake in the world.
What is Lake Titicaca?
This popular stir-fry dish blends Peruvian and Chinese traditions, combining strips of beef, onions, tomatoes, and french fries.
What is lomo saltado?
In Cusco, Peru, this "Festival of the Sun" is celebrated every June to honor the Incan winter solstice.
What is Inti Raymi?
This vibrant, fast-paced partner dance is the national dance of Peru, representing a courtship ritual.
What is the Marinera?
This mood (not tense) is used to express doubts, wishes, emotions, or recommendations.
What is the subjunctive mood? (El subjuntivo)
These mysterious, massive geoglyphs etched into the Peruvian desert soil depict animals and plants.
What are the Nazca Lines?
This bright yellow, mildly spicy chili pepper is considered the most important ingredient in Peruvian cooking.
What is ají amarillo?
On January 6, many Spanish-speaking cultures celebrate El Día de los Reyes, which honors these biblical figures.
What are the Three Kings? (or Three Wise Men)
Meaning "He who can speak," this ancient language of the Inca Empire is still spoken by millions in the Andes today.
What is Quechua?
This is the grammar rule where a verb changes its vowel in the stem (like e to ie or o to ue) in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
What is a stem-changing verb? (or "boot verb")
Before the Spanish conquest, this city served as the historic capital of the Inca Empire.
What is Cusco?
This traditional Andean dish consists of meat and vegetables cooked underground using overheated stones.
What is pachamanca?
This week-long festival leading up to Easter features massive street processions across Spain and Latin America.
What is Semana Santa? (Holy Week)
This specific punctuation mark must be placed at the very beginning of an exclamation or question in written Spanish.
What is an inverted (or upside-down) exclamation/question mark?