Language/Amharic/Vocabulary/Family-and-Relationships

Amharic → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Family and Relationships

Introduction

In this lesson, we will learn about the Amharic words for family members and relationships, including pronouns. Family and relationships are essential in Ethiopian culture, where family ties are highly valued. Therefore, it is important for us to learn how to address and refer to family members and understand the vocabulary related to relationships.

Amharic Words for Family Members

Family members play a crucial role in Ethiopian culture, and the Amharic language reflects this importance. In the table below, you will find the Amharic words for various family members, along with their pronunciation and English translations.

Amharic	Pronunciation	English
አባት	'abat	Father
እናት	'enat	Mother
ልጅ	lij	Child (son)
ልጆች	lijoch	Children (sons)
ልዩ	layu	Child (daughter)
ልዩነት	layunet	Children (daughters)
እናት ልጅ	'enat lij	Brother
እናት ልዩ	'enat layu	Sister
አውቶ	awto	Grandfather
አውድ	awdi	Grandmother
ልጅ እናት	lij 'enat	Son-in-law
ልዩ እናት	layu 'enat	Daughter-in-law
ወንድ	wend	Husband
ሰብ	seb	Wife

Example Sentences Using Family Vocabulary

To practice family vocabulary, let's look at some example sentences with translations:

• በእንደዚህ ምን ታክሲ አለህ? (B'en'deh män taq'si aläsh?) - "Do you have any children?"
• እሱ ወንድም ሚስትም በቤተሰቦቹ ትላለች። (Esu wondimim mistim b'e'teseboch tälläch) - "He has both a wife and children at home."
• እስክስተርስቱ መድረክ መጥለቂያ የተሰራ. (Eskistiritu mederik mat'aleqiya yätesera) - "The secretary's son is a university student."
• የተባዛው እናት በአውቶ ያደረገችው ምን እንደሆነ ነው? (Yätibazazew 'enat b'awto yaderägäw män en'dehonnä new?) - "What does the favorite granddaughter of grandpa do?"

Relationships Vocabulary

In Amharic, there are various words and phrases to describe relationships between people. Here are some of the most commonly used ones, along with their translations:

• ልዩ (layu) - daughter
• ልጅ (lij) - son
• የመጀመሪያው ልዩ (yämäjjämmariyaw layu) - eldest daughter
• የመጀመሪያው ልጅ (yämäjjämmariyaw lij) - eldest son
• ልዩነት (layunet) - daughters
• ልጆች (lijoch) - sons
• ጉልበት (gulbet) - sibling
• አያት (ayat) - aunt (father's sister)
• እናት (enat) - mother
• ቤተሰብ (beteseb) - family
• ወንድ (wend) - husband
• ሰብ (seb) - wife
• እናት ልጅ (enat lij) - brother
• እናት ልዩ (enat layu) - sister
• የአባትው እናት (yä'abat'ew 'enat) - aunt (father's sister)
• ባህል (bahil) - relative
• የባህል ምሽት (yäbahil mishit) - family meeting

Example Sentences Using Relationships Vocabulary

Let's look at some example sentences with translations using the relationships vocabulary:

• በጣም ልጅዋ ተባዝነች። (Bät'am lijewa täbazänech) - "The son smartened up in time."
• ልጇ በአውቶ ላይ ስላስቀለዋለት። (Lijju b'awto lay saläskelälwach) - "The son looks like his father."
• እስከሚቀጥለው ቀን በአንተ ላይ ተደርሷል። (Eskistu kämiq'tälwäu qän bäantä lay tedäräshäl) - "Until the day I die, I will be in your care."
• ምክንያቱም ወንድወረድ አልሆነም። (Mik'natum wendweredh alonähonäm) - "The husband doesn’t seem to be pleased."

Amharic Pronouns

In Amharic, as in other languages, pronouns take the place of nouns when referring to someone or something. Here are the Amharic subject pronouns and object pronouns, along with their translations:

Subject Pronouns

Subject pronouns are used before a verb to indicate who or what is performing the action.

Amharic	Pronunciation	English
እኔ	'enä	I
ነኝና	neggnä	We
እልልታ	ellila	You
እራስ	'äräs	He
ነህ	näh	She
እስከ	äskä	It (neutral)

Object Pronouns

Object pronouns are used after a verb to indicate who or what is receiving the action.

Amharic	Pronunciation	English
ወይስ	wayish	Me
ነኝና	neggnä	Us
አንቺን	anchin	You (singular)
የልጅህን	yälijihun	Him (son)
የልዩነትህን	yälayunetihun	Her (daughter)
የራስህን	yärashihun	Him (husband)
የሴትህን	yäsetihun	Her (wife)
የእስከሚቀጥልውን	yäeskämik'tälwinyiwän	It (neutral)

Example Sentences Using Pronouns

Here are some example sentences featuring subject and object pronouns:

• ከአንድ ወደ ሁለት ወዲያ፣ እነሱ ናቸው ፣ እኔም ለእናንተም. (Käand we'da hulet wediya, änässu nächäwu, enämä lä'ennatum) - "From one to

  Table of Contents - Amharic Course - 0 to A1

  • Course Presentation

    ---

  
  Introduction to Amharic Alphabet

  • Fidel and Syllables
  • Pronunciation and Phonetics

    ---

  
  Basic Vocabulary

  • Greetings and Introductions
  • Numbers and Counting
  • Days of the Week and Months
  • Colors and Shapes
  • Family and Relationships

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  Basic Sentence Structure

  • Nouns and Pronouns
  • Verbs and Tenses
  • Adjectives and Adverbs
  • Prepositions and Conjunctions

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  Everyday Vocabulary

  • Food and Drinks
  • Clothing and Accessories
  • Weather and Seasons
  • Travel and Transportation
  • Hobbies and Leisure

    ---

  
  Intermediate Sentence Structure

  • Negation and Questions
  • Imperatives and Requests
  • Expressing Possession
  • Comparatives and Superlatives

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  Advanced Vocabulary

  • Professions and Work
  • Health and Body
  • Education and Learning
  • Nature and Environment
  • Technology and Communication

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  Ethiopian Culture and Traditions

  • Ethiopian Holidays and Festivals
  • Ethiopian Cuisine
  • Ethiopian Music and Dance
  • Ethiopian History and Heritage

Related Lessons

• Saying You Are Injured
• Phrases to Reject Sexual Advance
• Greetings
• Games
• Travel and Transportation
• Telephone Conversations
• Environment
• Days of the Week
• Body