Learning a new language is not easy. But The small effort you take to memorize and try to say the basic greetings pays off a long way in the eyes of the locals and mostly guarantee to receive a welcoming smile. We compiled some of the most basic Ethiopia’s language Amharic, words and phrases for greetings, meetings, questions, directions, Numbers, Shopping, etc that get You along while you travel in Ethiopia.
Basic Amharic phrases for greetings and meeting People
· Hello = Selam
· Awo = yes
· No = aydelem
· Thank you = Ameseginalew (Ame-Segi-Nalew)
· Sorry = Aznalehu
· I don’t understand= Alegebagnim
· You are Welcome = Minim Aydel
· How are you? = Dehina not/ to older dehna neh/ male dehna nesh/ female
· I’m fine = Dehina Negni
· I’m not well = Dehina Aydelehum
· Good Morning = Dehina Aderu /older – Endemin Aderk / male -Endemin Adersh/female
· Good Afternoon = Dehina Walu/ to older- Dehina WalK/male- Dehina Walsh/female
· Good Evening = Dehina Ameshu/ older- Dehina Amshe/male- Dehina Ameshesh/ female
· Good By = Dehina Hunu/ older – Dehina Hun/Male – Dehina Higni/ female
· What country are you from? = Yet Hager Neh ?
· I come from (Mexico) = Ke (Mexico) New Yemetahut
· Excuse me. = Yikirta
· Please = Ebakih -male Ebakish =female
· Goodnight | Dehina Eder Male – Dehina Ederi–female
· No problem = Chigr Yelem
· Good bye = Dehina Hun Male – Dehina Hugni Female
· Do you speak English? = Englizegna Tichilaleh / male – Englizegna Tichiyalesh / female
· I don’t Speak Amharic = Amharigna Menager Alichilm
· What is your name? = Simih Manew? (male) / Simish Manew (Female_
· My name is __ = Sime __ New.
Basic Amharic words for questions
· Where? = Yet?
· What? = Mini?
· When? = Meche?
· How? = Endet?
· Why? = Lemin?
Traveling Words and phrasese
· Where is ____? ____ Yet New
· hotel= Hotel
· airport = Awroplan marefiya
· market = Gebeya
· Church = Bete Kirstian
· Museium = Musiume
· Police station = Police Tabiya
· bus station = Awtobus Tera
· bathroom = Mestedaja / Metatebiya
· restaurant = Migb Bet
· post office =Posta Bet
· immigration =Imigration
Time word
· Now =Ahun
· Today =Zare
· Tommorow =Nege
· Morning =Tewat
· fternoon= Ke seat
· Mata =Night
· Rain = Zinab
· Sun = Stehay
· Rainy season = Kiremt
· Dry season = Bega
Basic Amharic phrases for addressing people
· I = Ene
· You = Ante
· He= Esu
· She= esua
· Senior = Esachew
· They = Enesu
· Female = Set
· Male = Wend
· Baby = Lij
· Father = Abat
· Mother = Enat
· Person = Sew
· king= Nigus
· Boy Friend = Ye wend Guadegna
· Girl Friend = Ye Set Guadegna
· Lover = Fikregna
· Wife = Mist
· Husband = Bal
Basic Amharic phrases for directions (taxis, buses, airport, etc.)
· Speak slowly = Kes Bileh Tenager
· Nearby = Kirb
· Go straight = Ketita Hid
· Go left = Wede Gira Hid
· Go right = Wede Kegni Hid
· Stop = Kum
· Go to the airport = Wede Airport Hid
· Station = Tabiya
· Bus stop = Autobis Makomia
· Bus = Autobis/Bus
· Metro Train= Babur
· Airplane = Auroplan( Plane)
· Minibus = Minibus
· Car = Mekian
· Bicycle = Bisklet/ Cycle
· Motorcycle = Motorcycle
· Boat = Jelba
· Soap = Samuna
· Spoon= Mankia
· Taul = fota
· Cold= Kezkaza
· Hot = Muk
Basic Amharic phrases for shopping
· How much is this? = Sint New
· Very expensive = Wid New
· Can you reduce the price? = Kenis
· I want this one = Yihen Efeligalehu
· Change (money) = Melis
· It’s too small.= Tinish new
· It’s too big.=Tilk New
· That’s cheap. = Erikash New
· I like it. = Weedjewalehu
· I don’t like it. = Alwededkutim
· I don’t want a plastic bag= Festal Alfeligim
· Just a moment, please.= Yikrta, and Gize
Basic Amharic numbers
· 1 = And
· 2 = Hulet
· 3 = Sost
· 4 = Arat
· 5 = Amist
· 6 = Sidist
· 7 = Sebat
· 8 = Simint
· 9 = Zetegni
· 10 = Asir
· 11 = Asra And
· 10 = Asira Hulet….
· 20 = Haya
· 21 = Haya And
· 22 = Haya Hulet….
· 30 = Selasa
· 40 = Arba
· 50 = Hamsa
· 60 = Silsa
· 70 = Seba
· 80 = Seania
· 90 = Zetena
· 100 = Meto
· 500 = Amist Meto
· 1,000 = And Shi
Basic Amharic phrases for restaurants or cafes
· Restaurant = Mig Bet/ Restaurant
· Café = Cafe
· Excuse me = Yikirta
· Bathroom = Shint Bet/ Mestedaja
· What is this? = Yihe Mindnew
· Hungry = Erabegni
· May I have the menu = Menu Mayet Efelgalehu
· Would you like a drink = Metetat Tiflgaleh
· I’m drunk = Sekrealhu
· Cheers = LeTenachin
· Drink = Metet
· Vegetarian = Atkilt Bicha Temegabi
· Water = Wiha
· Beer = Birra
· Egg Enkulal
· Chicken = Doro
· Meat = Siga
· Rice = Ruz
· Cold = Kezkaza
· Hot = Muk
· No ice = Bered yelelew
· No sugar = Sikuar Yelelew / Bado
· 1 more please = Andi Techemari
· I like spicy = Kimem yalew Ewedalehu/ emiyakatil migb ewedalehu
· Not spicy = Alicha
· No ——- , please. ——- Yelelew , Ebakih
· Salt= Chew
· Oil = Zeit
· sugar: Sikuar
· fish sauce = Asa sos
· Tomato= Timatim
· immigration: Imigration
· I’m allergic to _____[food]. ______ Yamegnal
· peanuts = Lewiz
· gluten = Gluteen
· milk = Wetet
Basic Amaharic phrases for an emergency
· Hurts = Gudat
· Where is the police station? = Police Tabiya yet new?
· Where is the hospital? = Hospitalu Yet new?
· Call an ambulance = Ampulance Dewil
· I’m lost = Tefabigni / Tefahu
· Can you help ? = Erdata Efelgalhu ?