Basic Amharic sentences and conversation Dialog .

In the following conversation dialog , Kebede, a native amharic speaker meets his new friend from america .

Kebede :

when did you come from america Mr. John ?

Ato yohannis , kamerika mache mettah ?

Note:

The English John is an Ethiopian Yohannis,

Other similar names include

Paul is to Paulos


Mariam isto mary

David is to Dawit

John :

I came to Ethiopia last month , I love it here .



Ethiopia balefew wer naew yemetahut, betam des yilal ,ezi .

Words & phrases Description :

Balefew wer can be directly translated as "Last Month"

yemetahut is to mean - "I came "

betam - "very"

Des yilal - "makes me feel good / feels good."

ezi - "here "

Kebede :

Are you planning to stay in ethiopia for a long time ?

ityopia wist bizu gize mekoyyet tassibaleh ?

Words & phrases Description :



wist - inside

bizu gize - a long time , bizu refers to "many" and gize -time or duration?

John :

Yes, I came here for 6 months .

Awo! le siddist wer new yemetahut .

Words & phrases Description :

Awo - "yes"

Siddist - 6 [see also Amharic number tutorial]

yemetahut - I came

 

John :

By the way, how many provinces are there in Ethiopia ?

Lemehonu , sint kifle-hageroch alu ?

Words & phrases Description :

Lemehonu - By the way

sint - how many

kifle- hager - Provice .

kifle-hageroch -Provinces .

Alu - exist.

Kebede :

Ethiopia has fourteen provinces . Their names are

begemidir,Gojam,Tigre, wallo, shoa , arusi , sidamo ,kafa,Illubabur , Gamo Gofa, wallaga & harrarge.

iythiopia asira-arat kifle-hager alat. Simachew begemidir,Gojam,Tigre, wallo, shoa , arusi , sidamo ,kafa,Illubabur , Gamo Gofa, wallaga ena harrarge.

Words & phrases Description :

Asra-arat - 14[see also Amharic number tutorial]

Alat - have (F) . She has a car - Mekina alat .

Alew - Have (M). He has a car . Mekina alew.

ena - and

 

John:

which one is the biggest ?

Tilqu manew ?

Words & phrases Description :

Tilq - Big

manew - which one

Useful food related Amharic words :

food = migib	tea = shy	vegitables= atkilk
lunch = misa	milk = wetet	fish = asa
dinner = irat	coffee = buna	salt = chew