Getting around
Metropolitano
Próxima estación.
Next station.
You hear this when the doors close or the next stop is called. It is written down too, so a missed word does not end the ride.
Lima
Peru
Lima sits on the Pacific coast, with a colonial centre inland from the cliffs of Miraflores.
How the language is used
Spanish is the language of daily public life, and Quechua, also official in Peru, is heard in the city.
In this city
- Language
- Spanish
- Also heard
- Quechua
- A local word
- Combi — A shared minibus.
- Writing
- the Latin alphabet
What people say
Ordinary lines from this city: the ride, the counter, the food, and the greeting.
Food
Cevichería
Un ceviche, por favor.
One ceviche, please.
The order is built in short pieces like this one.
The counter
Combi
¡Bajan!
Getting off.
This line is a whole order. You do not need a longer sentence.
The street
Calle
Buenos días.
Good morning.
People keep this line short. It is enough for the moment.
The language through the day
Spanish is the language of the ride, the shop, and the street.
In Barranco, Miraflores, Centro, you also hear Quechua.
A first day in Lima can run on four lines: “Próxima estación.”, “Un ceviche, por favor.”, “¡Bajan!”, and “Buenos días.”. Each one is already a complete moment.
If you are new here
- Stops, prices, and shop signs are written in the Latin alphabet.
- In a shop, usted is a safe polite you. Tú is warmer, with people your own age.
- If a spoken line goes past you, read the screen or the board. In Lima, the stop and the price are written down.
One local word: Combi. It means A shared minibus..
Places you can see
- Plaza Mayor — The old main square, with the cathedral and the government palace around it.
- Miraflores — A cliff-top district above the ocean, with a malecón and parks along the edge.
- Huaca Pucllana — A large adobe pyramid of the Lima culture, standing among the streets of Miraflores.
Food
Ceviche houses and markets serve ceviche and causa, and chifa kitchens cook Chinese-Peruvian food.
Getting around
The Metropolitano busway and a metro line run north to south, with combis on side streets.
Daily life
You leave the damp historic centre for a cliff-top district above the ocean.
A few everyday phrases
Spanish
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hola | Hello |
| Gracias | Thank you |
| Buenos días | Good morning |
| Me llamo… | My name is… |
