Essential Amharic Phrases


Sometimes you don't have time to learn long lists of words and phrases. All you want to know are the bare essentials for communicating to get what you need, or where you need to go.

Here are the bare minimum of Amharic words and phrases you need to know to survive.

Learn the Top 10 Phrases if you only have time for the barest minimum. If you need or want more, then take a look at the Top 20 Phrases, Top 30 Phrases and the Extra Phrases.

If you need help with pronunciation, please see the Pronunciation Guide below. Here are ten easy phrases to get you started ... The Top 10 ... sälam. tadiyass. t'ena yist'əlləñ. Hello. chau. däna hun. (man) däna huñi. (woman) Goodbye. ənglizəña təchəlalläh? (man) ənglizəña təchiyalläsh? (woman) Do you speak English? algäbañəm. I don't understand. tənnish tənnish. A little. au/əshi. ai dälläm. Yes. No. sənt no? How much is it? wədd no. əshi. Too expensive. OK. əbakəh. (man) əbakəsh. (woman) Please. (bät'am) amäsägənallo. Thank you (very much).

Here are ten more phrases that will help you make new friends and ask for directions ... The Top 20 ...
	səməh man no? (man) səməsh man no? (woman) What is your name? səme ... no. My name is ... däna näh? (man) däna näsh? (woman) How are you? däna näñ. Fine. ... yät no? Where is ...? shənt bet yät no? yäwänədoch/yäsetoch Where is the toilet? Men/Women aznallo. yik'ərta. Sorry. Excuse me. chiggər yälläm. No problem. əfälləgallo ... I want ... alfälləgəm ... I don't want ...

Here are another ten phrases to help you make a little more conversation and to get around ... The Top 30 ...

kä yät agär näh? (man) kä yät agär näsh? (woman) Where are you from? kä awstraliya näñ.* I am from Australia. hisab əbakəh. (man) hisab əbakəsh. (man) The bill, please. mängäd t'äftobəñal. I'm lost. k'um! k'oy! Stop! Wait! əzzi, əzziya. Here, there. taksi. hotel. airoplan maräfiya. babur t'abiya. Taxi. Hotel. Airport. Station. əwäddallo ... I like ... alwäddəm ... I don't like ... and, hulätt, sost, arat, aməst. one, two, three, four, five. sədəst, säbat, səmənt, zät'äñ, assər. six, seven, eight, nine, ten. *Or choose your country: amerika - America kanada - Canada əngliz - England aiyrland - Ireland niwə ziland - New Zealand

Here are some extra words and phrases you might find useful, especially if you have dietary needs or allergies ... Useful Extras ...

lät'enachən! Cheers! t'əru / mät'fo good / bad təllək' / tənnish big / small at'ägäb / ruk' near / far yanäsä / yibält' less / more lela / bäk'i another / enough səga albälam. I am vegetarian. səga albällam. I don't eat meat. doro ... ... chicken. asa ... ... fish. gäwz aismamañəm. I am allergic to nuts. ocholoni ... ... peanuts. asa ... ... fish. yäbahər məgəb ... ... seafood. ənk'ulal ... ... eggs.