Language/Amharic/Grammar/Amharic-Slang-and-Colloquialisms

Amharic → Grammar → Amharic Slang and Colloquialisms

As a long-time Amharic language teacher, one of the most exciting parts of learning and teaching language is learning the colorful, unique slang and colloquial expressions used by native speakers in their day-to-day conversations.

In this lesson, I'll be taking you on a journey through some of the most commonly used Amharic slang expressions and colloquialisms, giving you the opportunity to expand your vocabulary, and get a sense of the cultural context in which the language is spoken.

But before we get started, it's important to note that while slang expressions are a fun and engaging way to learn and practice new language, they are typically less formal and sometimes inappropriate to use in more professional settings like business meetings, academic presentations, or job interviews.

Now, with that in mind, let's dive in!

With the completion of this lesson, consider investigating these related pages: Simple Past Tense Forms of Other Verbs (Negative) & The Present Future Tense.

Everyday Slang Expressions

Here are some of the most commonly used and widely understood slang expressions used by native Amharic speakers in their day-to-day conversations.

1. የደረሰ

This expression can be used to describe a situation or experience that is absolutely terrible or unbearable. For example, "በቀለበት አስተዳደር የደረሰ ስልክ ያንቁ።" translates to "The phone was terrible and absolutely not functioning when I picked it up."

2. ለማንም ታሪክ

This expression means "whatever," and is similar to the English expression "whatever floats your boat." It's often used to indicate a lack of preference or a willingness to go along with any option presented. For example, "ጋሽ እንዴት ማለት ነው?" "ለማንም ታሪክ" "How do you feel about going for coffee?" "Whatever."

3. ወንድሜ ወልድ

This expression can be used to refer to someone's boyfriend. It's often used between friends and is not considered offensive. For instance, "እኔ ልጄ ደሞ ነው፣ የአባትህ ወንድሜ ወልድ የመምሬ ነው።" translates to "I am your son's friend, and your boyfriend is really handsome."

4. አንቺ ብቀል

This expression is used to compliment someone's beauty. It can be used to describe both men and women, but more commonly used for women. For instance, "አንቺ ብቀል ጠላት ነህ, አይቼህም በዳይር ቀማር ሥር እየበዛ ነው እራሳቹህም." translates to "You are extremely beautiful, and the dress you are wearing today complements your beauty."

Etiquette and Manners Expressions

5. እኔ እንደምትያዝ አስቀምጥልኝ

This expression translates to "Like a guest, please advise me." It's commonly used when you are in someone else's home and are not sure what to do or how to behave. It's a polite way of asking for advice or guidance.

6. ውደት ይሰረዘኛል

This expression means "I appreciate it." It's commonly used to express gratitude or appreciation for something that has been done for you or given to you. For instance, "ከምንወደድ ነው ስለሚል ውደት ይሰረዘኛል" translates to "I really appreciate your kindness and help."

Summary

Learning Amharic slang and colloquial expressions is a fun and exciting way to expand your vocabulary, gain a deeper understanding of native speakers' cultural norms and practices, and immerse yourself in the language. In this lesson, we've touched on just a few of the many Amharic slang expressions and colloquialisms, but I hope you'll see these as an invitation to keep exploring and learning more.

Remember, while slang expressions can be a lot of fun to use, it's important to use them appropriately and in the right context. It's also important to remember that some expressions might be considered inappropriate or offensive, so it's always a good idea to check with a native speaker or language teacher before using them in public.

As always, happy learning!

Keywords	Amharic Grammar, Amharic Slang Expressions, Amharic Colloquialisms
Description	In this lesson, you will learn the meanings and usage of commonly used slang words and expressions in Amharic.
Level	Beginner to A1
Prerequisites	None
Learning objectives	The students will learn the meanings and usage of some common slang expressions and colloquialisms. They will also get a sense of the cultural context in which these expressions are used.
Example	የደረሰ (terrible), ለማንም ታሪክ (whatever), ወንድሜ ወልድ (boyfriend), አንቺ ብቀል (beautiful), እኔ እንደምትያዝ አስቀምጥልኝ (please guide me), ውደት ይሰረዘኛል (I appreciate it)

Other Lessons

• Direct and Indirect Object Affixes
• Simple Sentence
• Using Prepositional Phrases
• Noun Gender and Articles
• bästä prefix
• Expressing Obligation or Necessity
• Conditional Mood
• Expressions Using the Relative Past
• The Possessive Forms (second method)

Sources

• 5 Amharic words I wish we had in English – The Seattle Globalist
• Learn Amharic (Ethiopian) Online - Write or Speak in Amharic ...
• Colloquial Amharic - by polygloterin - Memrise