User:Paine Ellsworth/Amharic

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


 * Amharic → English


 * Words remembered
 * !tenayistaleyn (!ten-aye-stah-leen) → greeting, hello


 * 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


 * 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 (!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 → honey wine


 * tella → beer


 * wede (weh-day) → go


 * woha (woh-hah) → water


 * wat (waht) → sauce


 * yi (yih) → this


 * Phrases/sentences
 * Ina wede tamarebet efalegalew. → I want to go to school.


 * 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)