Language of the Inca Empire: Quechua at Machu Picchu

The language spoken at Machu Picchu and throughout the Inca Empire was Quechua (Runasimi). It was the administrative lingua franca of Tawantinsuyu. Today, Quechua remains the most widely spoken Indigenous language family in the Americas, with 8‑10 million speakers across Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, and Chile. It holds official status in Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador.