WanderingTrader

Learning How to Speak Amharic in Ethiopia (basic expressions)

Curious about what language they speak in Ethiopia? Have no fear, WanderingTrader is here to teach how you everything you need to know.  Along with Hebrew, Amharic is one of the oldest written languages in the world.  Whenever I travel to a country I always try to at least learn all of the basic expressions to make sure that the local hustlers don’t try to rip me off.  I found a long time ago that when you say something in their language they will back off a lot faster than when you just look like a tourist.

Watch full video on Youtube (click link) –> Learning To Speak Amharic in Ethiopia

How Do You Say That In Amharic?

  • Hello- Salam
  • Goodbye – Ironically I use the Spanish Ciao and everyone understands
  • How are you – Salamnu
    • For a Girl – Salamnesh or Endem-nesh
    • For a Man- Salamnu
  • I am good: Indem-ne-nay
  • Thank you – Amah-Sigah-Nalu
  • Please, Your Welcome – Manalk
  • Yes: Ah-Ow
  • No: I
  • Okay: Eeshee
  • My brother: When-dem-neh
  • Oh My God!: Weigh-Neh
  • How Much (Does it Cost) – Seenta-No
  • Whats your name (male) – Sigh-meh-mah-no
  • Whats your name (female) – SIH-mesh-mah-no?
  • Pretty – Conjo
  • You Are Beautiful – Betam Conjo
  • My Beauty – Ene Conjo

106 Comments

    1. Actually, Ciao is a international word. Orgins may be traced to Venice but that’s beside the point. Ciao /Chau in Spanish is used for goodbyes only.

      1. Please help me when it makes a difference between male and female is it based on whether a male or female is talking or whether you are speaking to or about a male or female?

      1. Gin is but ene is I. The person is trying to say I love you for a girl which is ewedeshalew. This is not Romantic love. Afikirshalew is i love you in a special way for a girl. Like I’m in love with you.

    1. Can you rent a car over there?
      Thanks if you help me
      I’m going over there may 27th in a week from now and I want to make sure

    2. Ene means” I “and ewodishslehu is I love you for female ewodihalehu is for male
      So generally ene ewodishslehu is I love you. There is a redundancy of pronoun “I” which you can only say Ewodishalehu which it has I in it but just to make it strong you will say ene ewodishslehu

  1. Gina Aweddashalehu means I love you. enae eewoudeshalloh is a wierd spelling but yup that’s what it means lol 🙂 If a guy said this to you say Aweddahallehu (Ah-wud-da-ha-leooh) back. Its how you say I love you to men or boys.

  2. just got an Ethiopian friend and language is a bit of a problem, so I’m trying to learn basic words to communicate with him. This actually helps

      1. I think it means something like “girl, please, ——–, okay? sorry I’m a heritage speaker so I know only some from my family.

  3. Eddie, it’s not a complete sentence so won’t make sense but literal meaning is ‘you haven’t got closer, ok’ addressed to a female. The way it’s said suggests the addressee thought they got too close to something (or were actually not close enough to something and being advised to get closer).

  4. Guys ewedhalew means i like u not i love u.afekerhalew means ilove u(male) but for female afkershalew.:)i like amharic language its intresting,amharic harif kwankwa

  5. Josselyn I think gena new means its not ready yet and ere endeze sew mezgate yawatale means what do you get from ignoring people lol I think

      1. Ameseganelaw.
        Enem. Ewedeshalew.

        Can you please tell me what this means? My fiancé told me this….thanks so much……Audrey

  6. @ Josselyn Gena new = not now
    “ere enedezi sewene mezegate yawattale” is away of saying “long time no see” or in a more playful manner something like “is it cool to ignore me for so long?”

  7. hey josselyn I don’t think you spelled the words right but it means”will giving the silent treatment to people get you where ever you want?”so it means that,it looks like the person saying this is mad/annoyed I wonder where you heard it?

    1. Anchi malet hulu lene negere nesh for girl
      ante malet hulu negere neh for boy
      Sorry i don’t know how to write it correctly but i think it’s almost the same

    1. It is but only to female friend or family member – it’s Ewedeshalehu. To romantic partner (girlfriend, wife) I love you would be – Afekirshalehu.

    1. Hey guys I’m a South African and there are so many different races here speaking different languages but i’d like to start with Amharic learning these languages help out… How do I say “I like what you are doing” in Amharic?

      1. Am from akenyan samburu n tribe. This is avery nice and admirable language bt very hard to understand. I would like to know bt i dont know how. Cant i got help?

  8. So nice to understand other language- can you tell me the meaning of this “-baxam echilo ate endeti hawkii”

    1. I know the first word of that means I love you, but only in romantic context. the nest is my —– sorry i hope it helps some

  9. Salamnu.. is to sound like gangster. Lol. Andemna or andemnish sound less like cool guy , just to play it safe. Though, Salamnu, still acceptable. We say it to friends.

    1. Had to add. Andemna is like, “how are you?”. A typical response would be denna, which you could reply with dennana. Salamnu is more like. .. “Sup?”..? I think that word is close to the same?
      ?? Salamnu = Sup ??

  10. Oww u guys z way u write z spelling’s (z Amharic) its so funny any hu here iz right hand if u need help!!

  11. Thx for d effort, however how you spell d words is funny! what does: Lemacho Becha ayedelem Merechawoten Yegelxulgn Le Megabez zegeju Negn. mean?

  12. Hello I was wondering how you spell “Family is Forever” and “Family, Its deeper than blood” in Amharic characters.Thank you for your time

  13. Hi ! Can somebody -urgently- help to translate a text from Ahmaric to English?
    I need to send you a picture of this writing though!
    Let me know your email address!
    Bye – Giulia

    1. The two mean I love you, but ewedeshaleu (f) can be said to a family member or friend, the other is to only be used with a significant other or lover.

  14. Hello i like to know AMHARIC because i have an Ethiopian friend, so that we can understand each other better.

Post a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *