Language/Amharic/Vocabulary/How-to-Say-Hello-and-Greetings
α€α αα΅α₯αα! Amharic Learners! π
β‘ Do you want to learn how to say βHelloβ in Amharic?
Greetings are an important part of any language because they allow you to connect and communicate with others.
If youβre planning a trip to the country or are trying to learn Amharic, keep reading to discover some of the most important greetings.
Greeting plays a critical role in speeding up your assimilation to the community. Even though the way Ethiopians greet each other might differ slightly from region to region or place to place, it is always an important part of social interaction. Sometimes the greeting may extend to asking after families, cattle, sheep, crop yield, weather conditions, etc. It is also common, particularly in the countryside, to greet someone who you donβt know.
While greeting and taking leave, bowing, shaking hands and removing hats are common. Kissing one anotherβs cheeks is also practiced, especially upon meeting after an extended period of time. Using both hands when shaking hands with elders and officials indicates respect (the left hand to support the right forearm OR put both hands on the elderβs hand). Young people in Ethiopia will typically greet each other by shaking hands and bumping shoulders.
Raising the eyebrows is sometimes used to greet someone in a situation in which someone doesnβt want or is unable to talk, or in a situation in which the two people are very familiar with one another.
Upon the entry or arrival of elders or officials, it is customary to stand and say, nor (signifying welcome and respect). The person arriving would respond, α ααα bΓ€gzer (lit. βby Godβ). Not leaving a seat for respected or elder people shows disrespect. Also, putting hands in your pockets while talking with elders shows disrespect.
Greetings can be replied to by saying α₯ααα α₯αα ααα΅αα Γ―gziabher yΓ―mmΓ€sgΓ€n. A person will be happy if you call her or him by name while greeting.
Letβs get started! π€
Greetings
| English | Amharic script | Latin script |
|---|---|---|
| general greeting | α€α αα΅α₯αα | teanastΓ«llΓ«n |
| informal greeting | α³α²α«α΅ | tadiyaas |
| informal greeting | α°αα | selam |
| morning greeting (respectful) | α αα°ααα‘α α°α© | indemin adderu |
| morning greeting, spoken to a man | α₯αα°ααα‘α α°αα | indemin adderk |
| morning greeting, spoken to a woman | α₯αα°ααα‘α α°αα½ | indemin addersh |
| indet adderk: morning greeting, spoken to a man | α₯αα΄α΅α‘α α°αα? | indet adderk |
| morning greeting, spoken to a woman | α₯αα΄α΅α‘α α°αα½? | indet addersh |
| afternoon greeting (respectful) | α αα°ααα‘αα? | indemin walu |
| afternoon greeting, spoken to a man | α₯αα°ααα‘ | indemin walk |
| afternoon greeting, spoken to a woman | α₯αα°ααα‘αααΈ? | indemin walsh |
| afternoon greeting, spoken to a man | α₯αα΄α΅α‘ααα? | indet walk |
| afternoon greeting, spoken to a woman | α₯αα΄α΅α‘αααΈ? | indet walsh |
| evening greeting (respectful) | α αα°ααα‘α ααΉ | indemin ameshu |
| evening greeting, spoken to a man | α αα°ααα‘α ααΈα ? | indemin amesheh |
| evening greeting, spoken to a woman | α αα°ααα‘α ααΈαΈ? | indemin ameshesh |
| evening greeting, spoken to a man | α₯αα΄α΅α‘α ααΈα ? | indet amesheh |
| evening greeting, spoken to a woman | α₯αα΄α΅α‘α ααΈαΈ? | indet ameshesh |
| how are you? spoken to a man | α₯αα°ααα‘α αα α§ | indemin alleh |
| how are you? spoken to a woman | α₯αα°ααα‘α ααΈα§ | indemin allesh |
| how are you? spoken to a group | α₯αα°ααα‘α αα½αα§ | indemin allachihu |
| reply to α₯αα°αα α αα α§, α₯αα°αα α ααΈα§, and α₯αα°αα α αα½αα§ | α°α αα‘αα | dehna nenye |
| thank you | α αα°αααα | ameseginalehugn |
| thank you very much | α£α α αα°ααααα | betam ameseginalehugn |
| how are you? spoken to a man | α°α αα‘? | dehina neh |
| how are you? spoken to a woman | α°α αα‘ααΈ? | dehina nesh |
| how are you? spoken to a group | α°α αα‘? | dehina newot |
| how are you? informal, spoken to a man | α₯αα°ααα‘αα ? | indemin neh |
| how are you? informal, spoken to a woman | α₯αα°ααα‘ααΈ? | indemin nesh |
| how are you?, informal | α₯αα΄α΅α‘αα ? | indet neh |
| welcome greeting spoken to a man | α₯αα³αα‘α°α αα‘αα£α | inkuan dehna metah |
| welcome greeting spoken to a woman | α₯αα³αα‘α°α αα‘αα£αΈ | inkuan dehna metash |
| welcome greeting spoken to a group of people | α₯αα³αα‘α°α αα‘αα‘ | inkuan dehna metachu |
| name | α΅α | sΙm |
| My name is ... | α΅α ... αα | |
| madam | α₯αα΄ , α₯αα€α΅ | ΙmΓ€bet |
| miss | ααααͺα΅ | wΓ€yzΓ€rit |
| mister, sir | αα³α¬ , α αΆ | ato |
| goodbye | α°α α ααα , α»α | chaw |
| best wishes | ααα«α ααα΅ | |
| kiss | α³α | samΓ€ |
| kiss | αα³α | mΓ€sam |
| please [for male] | α₯α£αα (α) | ehbakahen |
| please [for female] | α₯α£αα½ | ehbakesh |
| thanks | αα΅αα | amesegenalehu |
| yes | α α , α αα | awon |
| no | α α | ay |
| sorry | αα αα³ | yΙqΙrΙta |
Videos
How to greet someone in Amharic
Learn Amharic - General Greetings!