Language/Amharic/Grammar/Expressing-“Let-me”-or-“May-I”-“Shall-I”

Expressing “Let me” or “May I?”/“Shall I?” in Amharic

Extending an invitation or offering something involves another form of the jussive. This form is represented in the dialog by:

• ልጋብዝሽ lïgabïzïš? May I invite you?

You also saw some verbs of this type in the previous unit:

• ልለካው lïläkaw? Can I try it?
• ልግዛልሽ lïgïzalïš? Shall I buy for you (♀)?
• ላምጣልህ lamt’alïh. Let me bring for you (♂)

When phrased as a question, this form of the jussive indicates either, “Shall I?” or “May I?”As a statement, the sense is, “Let me” (i.e. allow me to). These sorts of phrases are formed as follows:

Rule

ል lï + imperative verb form for male person

Examples:

• ልቆይ lïk’oy Let me wait. / Shall I wait?
• ልሂድ lïhid Let me go./ Shall I go?
• ላንብብ lanbїb Let me read./ Shall I read?
• ላምጣ lamїt’a Let me bring./ Shall I read?

Common uses:

• ልጋብዝህ lïgabïzïh? (♂)/ልጋብዝሽ lïgabïzïš? (♀) / ልጋብዛችሁ lïgabïzaččïhu (pl)? May I invite you?
• ልርዳህ lïrdah? (♂)/ልርዳሽ lïrdaš? (♀)/ልርዳችሁ lïrdaččïhu (pl)? Shall I help you?

Note

Notice that these verbs attach the indirect object suffix –ህ-ïh (♂)/-ሽ-ïš? (♀) / -አችሁ- aččïhu (pl) to express to whom the action refers. Object suffixes are always attached to the end of the jussive verb.

Source

https://www.livelingua.com/peace-corps/Amharic/Amharic%20Peace%20Corps%20Language%20Manual-2015.pdf

Related Lessons

• The Present Future Tense
• “to be” and “to have”
• The Possessive Adjectives
• Conjugation of the verb መኖር “to live” (present tense)
• Simple Sentence
• Questions
• Asking If and Saying Whether It Is “Suitable” or Not
• Complex Sentence
• Expressing Obligation or Necessity
• Personal pronouns