User:Paine Ellsworth/Amharic

Learned to speak Amharic while in the Peace Corps in 1973–75. Some memories for posterity:

Amharic → English

alocum. (ah-lo-koom) → Don't know.

Inay alocum. → I don't know.

amasiganalew (ah-mah-sig-ah-nahl-oh) → thank you (everyday common usage)

see also: exeristaleyn (ex-air-stal-leen), betam exeristaleyn

anchi (ahn-chee) → you (fem.)

anti (ahn-tee) → you (masc.)

bet (bate) → house

betam → very much

betam exeristaleyn (ex-air-stal-leen) → thank you very much

cijara (see-jah-rah) → cigarette

conjo (kone-joe) → beautiful

Anchi conjo nesh. → You are beautiful.

efalegalew (eh-fahl-ay-gah-lo) → want

Ina cijara efalegalew. → I want a cigarette. (Ina can be absent/understood, as in "Cijara efalegalew.")

ehun (uh-hoon) → now (present moment)

enjera ena wot → staple food^[2]

exeristaleyn (ex-air-stal-leen) → thank you (higher level)

see also: amasiganalew (ah-mah-sig-ah-nal-loh)

ina (in-nay) → I

ishi (ish-ee) → okay

min albot → perhaps, maybe

nesh → is/are (fem.)

new (no) → is/are (masc.)

owo → yes

yillem → no

!Puagme^[1] (!poo-ahg-may) → calendar's 13th month (of Sunshine) that has only five days, and in leap year it has six days

shintobet → bathroom/restroom

tamare (tah-mah-ree) → student

tamarebet (tah-mah-ree-bate) → school (student house)

tefelegalesh (teh-fel-ay-gah-lesh)? → (you) want? (fem.)

tefelegale (teh-fel-ay-gah-lay)? → (you) want? (masc.)

!tej^[1] → honey wine

tella → beer

wede (weh-day) → go

woha (woh-hah) → water

wat (waht) → sauce^[2]

yi (yih) → this

salam guad abal → peace corps volunteer

salam guad abaloch → peace corps volunteers (pl.)

Yi nebber new. → This is ?

"Thirteen Months of Sunshine" (in tourist brochures)

^ ^a ^b ^c The "!" denotes an "explosive" letter that follows. Put a lot of emphasis on the "t" or "p" sound.
^ ^a ^b tba