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.

Here are ten easy phrases to get you started ... The Top 10 ... ə is pronounced as e in butter ' after a consonant indicates a ejective consonant (strong and "spat" out)
	sölam. tadiyass. t'ena yist'əlləñ. Hello. chau. döna hun. (man) döna huñi. (woman) Goodbye. ənglizəña təchəlallöh? (man) ənglizəña təchiyallösh? (woman) Do you speak English? algöbañəm. I don't understand. tənnish tənnish. A little. au/əshi. ai döllöm. Yes. No. sənt no? How much is it? wədd no. əshi. Too expensive. OK. əbakəh. (man) əbakəsh. (woman) Please. (böt'am) amösögənallo. 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 ... döna nöh? (man) döna nösh? (woman) How are you? döna nöñ. Fine. ... yöt no? Where is ...? shənt bet yöt no? yöwönədoch/yösetoch Where is the toilet? Men/Women aznallo. yik'ərta. Sorry. Excuse me. chiggər yöllöm. No problem. əfölləgallo ... I want ... alfölləgəm ... I don't want ...
Here are another ten phrases to help you make a little more conversation and to get around. The Top 30 ...
	kö yöt agör nöh? (man) kö yöt agör nösh? (woman) Where are you from? kö awstraliya nöñ.* I am from Australia. hisab əbakəh. (man) hisab əbakəsh. (man) The bill, please. möngöd t'öftobəñal. I'm lost. k'um! k'oy! Stop! Wait! əzzi, əzziya. Here, there. taksi. hotel. airoplan maröfiya. babur t'abiya. Taxi. Hotel. Airport. Station. əwöddallo ... I like ... alwöddəm ... I don't like ... and, hulött, sost, arat, aməst. one, two , three, four, five. sədəst, söbat, səmənt, zöt'öñ, 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 ...
	löt'enachən! Cheers! t'əru / möt'fo good / bad təllək' / tənnish big / small at'ögöb / ruk' near / far yanösö / yibölt' less / more lela / bök'i another one / enough səga albölam. I am vegetarian. səga alböllam. I don't eat meat. doro ... ... chicken. asa ... ... fish. göwz aismamañəm. I am allergic to nuts. ocholoni ... ... peanuts. asa ... ... fish. yöbahər məgəb ... ... seafood. ənk'ulal ... ... eggs.