Travel Spanish for Bolivia

What Spanish is spoken here?

People here speak an Andean Spanish that sounds relatively clear and slow and is easy for learners to follow. Alongside Spanish, Quechua and Aymara are official languages and widely spoken in the highlands. Many everyday words come from Quechua/Aymara, such as 'wawa' (baby/child). Voseo is barely used here; people mostly use 'tú'.

Country & culture

Bolivia is a landlocked country in the heart of the Andes at staggering altitude: La Paz sits at around 3,600 m, and El Alto higher still. Backpacker highlights include the Salar de Uyuni, Lake Titicaca and the Death Road near La Paz. It's one of the cheapest destinations in South America.

History in brief

Before colonial times, the highlands were part of the Inca Empire, and before that the Tiwanaku culture flourished by Lake Titicaca. From the 16th century the Spanish exploited the silver mines of Potosí, which underpinned colonial wealth. In 1825 Bolivia became independent and was named after Simón Bolívar. Today the country has one of the highest proportions of indigenous people in South America and sees itself as a plurinational state.

Country & people

• Around 12.4 million inhabitants (2025).
• A plurinational presidential republic with two capitals (Sucre and La Paz); in 2025 nearly 20 years of socialist MAS government came to an end.
• One of the poorest economies in South America, heavily dependent on commodities.
• Natural gas, mining (tin, silver, lithium), agriculture (soya, quinoa) and coca.

Food & drink

• Salteña — A juicy stuffed pasty with meat, egg and broth, the typical mid-morning snack.
• Pique a lo macho — A hearty plate of beef, sausages, chips, onions and a spicy sauce.
• Silpancho — Thinly pounded breaded meat on rice and potatoes, with a fried egg.
• Sopa de maní — A creamy peanut soup with meat and potatoes, a classic.
• Singani — A Bolivian grape brandy, the national spirit, often served as a 'Chuflay' with ginger ale.
• Chicha — A fermented corn drink with a long indigenous tradition, mildly alcoholic.
• Mate de coca — A tea made from coca leaves, helps with altitude sickness (soroche).

Useful words & slang

• „wawa" — baby/toddler (from Quechua/Aymara)
• „chango/a" — boy/girl, young person
• „¡qué macana!" — how annoying! / what a pain!
• „cholita" — indigenous woman in traditional dress
• „yapa" — a free extra thrown in when you buy something
• „ch'aki" — hangover (from Quechua)

Example sentences from the app

• „Hola, ¿dónde tomo un taxi del aeropuerto de El Alto?" — Hi, where do I find a taxi from El Alto airport?
• „Lléveme al centro de La Paz, por favor." — Take me to the centre of La Paz, please.
• „¿Cuánto me cobra hasta el hostal?" — How much do you charge to the hostel?
• „Me afecta la altura. ¿Tiene mate de coca?" — I feel the altitude. Do you have coca tea?
• „Tengo mareo por la altura." — I feel dizzy because of the altitude.
• „Buenas tardes, ¿cómo está?" — Good afternoon, how are you?
• „¡Kamisaraki!" — Hello! (greeting in Aymara)
• „Waliki, gracias." — I'm fine, thanks. (reply in Aymara)
• „¿Dónde puedo sacar bolivianos?" — Where can I withdraw bolivianos?
• „¿Me puede cambiar dinero?" — Can you change money for me?
• „¿Cómo llego a El Alto en el teleférico?" — How do I get to El Alto by cable car?
• „¿Qué línea del teleférico va al centro?" — Which cable-car line goes to the centre?
• „¿Este minibús va al Mercado de las Brujas?" — Does this minibus go to the Witches' Market?
• „¿Dónde para el trufi a San Pedro?" — Where does the trufi to San Pedro stop?

Travel tip

When you arrive in La Paz or Uyuni, allow a quiet day or two to acclimatise to the altitude and drink coca tea to fend off altitude sickness.