This is a comprehensive, nonformal description of a Quechua language of central Peru, incorporating both structural and functional insights. Topics include: the demographic situation, an introduction to the syntax, word and suffix classes, morphology, case relations, passives, substantive phrases, relative clauses, complements, adverbial clauses, reduplication, question formation, negation, conjunction, evidential suffixes, the topic marker, idioms and formulaic expressions, phonology, and loan processes.