Home/Detail

Basic Amharic phrases

The phrases you will use most in Amharic: greetings, polite words, small talk and travel. Tap the speaker to hear each one, tap a phrase to see how to say it.

Greetings

Amharic	Pronunciation	Meaning
ሰላም	selami	Hello
ሰላም	selami	Hi
እንደምን አደሩ	inidemini ādaru	Good morning
እንደምን ዋሉ	inidemini walu	Good afternoon
እንደምን አመሹ	inidemini āmeshu	Good evening
ደህና እደር	dehina ideri	Good night
ደህና ሁን	dehina huni	Goodbye
በኋላ እንገናኝ	bihuwala inigenanyi	See you later
ነገ እንገናኝ	nege inigenanyi	See you tomorrow
እንኳን ደህና መጡ	inikwani dehina met’u	Welcome
ስለተገናኘን ደስ ብሎኛል	siletegenanyeni desi bilonyali	Nice to meet you

Conversation

Amharic	Pronunciation	Meaning
እንዴት ነዎት?	inidēti newoti?	How are you?
ደህና ነኝ፣ አመሰግናለሁ	dehina nenyi, āmeseginalehu	I am fine, thank you
ስምዎ ማን ነው?	simiwo mani newi?	What is your name?
ስሜ አና ነው	simē āna newi	My name is Anna
ከየት ነዎት?	keyeti newoti?	Where are you from?
እንግሊዝኛ ይናገራሉ?	inigilīzinya yinageralu?	Do you speak English?
አልገባኝም	āligebanyimi	I do not understand
እባክዎ ደግመው ይናገሩ	ibakwo degimewu yinageru	Can you repeat that?
እባኮትን ቀስ ብለው ይናገሩ	ibakotini k’esi bilewi yinageru	Please speak slowly

Polite words

Amharic	Pronunciation	Meaning
አመሰግናለሁ	āmeseginalehu	Thank you
በጣም አመሰግናለሁ	bet’ami āmeseginalehu	Thank you very much
ምንም አይደል	minimi āyideli	You are welcome
እባክዎ	ibakwo	Please
ይቅርታ	yik’irita	Sorry
ይቀርታ	yik’erita	Excuse me
አዎ	āwo	Yes
አይ	āyi	No

Travel

Amharic	Pronunciation	Meaning
ድረሱልኝ!	diresulinyi!	Help!
መጸዳጃ ቤት የት ነው?	metsedaja bēti yeti newi?	Where is the bathroom?
ይህ ስንት ነው?	yihi siniti newi?	How much is this?
ሂሳቡን እባክዎ	hīsabuni ibakwo	The bill, please
ትንሽ ውሃ እፈልጋለሁ	tinishi wiha ifeligalehu	I would like some water

Feelings & celebrations

Amharic	Pronunciation	Meaning
አፈቅርሃለሁ	āfek’irihalehu	I love you
እንኳን ደስ አለዎት	inikwani desi ālewoti	Congratulations
መልካም ልደት	melikami lideti	Happy birthday
ቺርስ!	chīrisi!	Cheers!

Practise Amharic with real lessons

Read, listen, speak and write at your level. Every lesson is free.