Language/Amharic/Grammar/Using-Phrasal-Verbs-in-Amharic
As an Amharic language teacher for more than 20 years, I have been teaching students at all levels, from complete beginners to advanced learners. In this lesson, my aim is to introduce you to the concept of phrasal verbs in Amharic and help you understand how to use them in sentences.
Phrasal verbs are multi-word verbs that consist of a verb and one or more particles (prepositions or adverbs). They are an essential part of spoken English and are used extensively in everyday communication. Similarly, phrasal verbs are widely used in Amharic, and their meanings can be quite different than the individual meanings of the verb and particles.
As a beginner, learning phrasal verbs can be challenging, but with time and practice, it can become easier. My advice is to try and use them whenever possible, and you will gradually get familiar with them.
Consider broadening your understanding by checking out these related lessons: The Present Perfect Tense & Negative Imperatives.
Common Phrasal Verbs in Amharic
Here is a list of common phrasal verbs in Amharic, along with their meanings and examples of use:
| Amharic | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| መለከት (melk'et) + አዝራር (az'zara) | mel-ket azzara | to plan, organize |
| ተስማ (tes'ama) + ድርት (dir-ut) | tes-ama dir-ut | to inherit |
| የተኛሁት (ye-ta-nag-uh-tu) + ነገር (ne-gar) | ye-ta-nag-uh-tu ne-gar | to remember |
| የተኛሁት (ye-ta-nag-uh-tu) + እየስጠኝ (ye-ya-ste-ngn-a) | ye-ta-nag-uh-tu ye-ya-ste-ngn-a | to remind |
Using Phrasal Verbs in Sentences
Using phrasal verbs in Amharic sentences is relatively easy once you understand their meanings. Here are some examples of using phrasal verbs in sentences:
- መለከት አዝራር የኔ ህንድ ነው (Melk'et az'zara ye-ne he-nd nenew) - Planning is my favorite hobby.
- ተስማ ድርት ባለመመለስ መሸነት ይጠበቅላችኋል (Tes'ama dir-ut ba'le ma-meles me-shen-ut yitbeqellachew) - Inheriting a property means taking responsibility.
- የተኛሁት ነገር ይህ ነው (Ye-ta-nag-uh-tu ne-gar yih nenenew) - This thing reminds me of something.
- የተኛሁት እየስጠኝ ይጠቀማል (Ye-ta-nag-uh-tu ye-ya-ste-ngn-a yitke-mek-amlal) - It reminds me of something.
Tips for Using Phrasal Verbs in Amharic
- Understand the verb and particle separately before using the phrasal verb. - Practice using them in simple sentences before trying to use them in more complex ones. - Learn the most common phrasal verbs in everyday communication to increase your vocabulary.
In conclusion, phrasal verbs are an essential part of Amharic, and understanding them is crucial for effective communication in Amharic. My advice to all beginners is to take some time and effort to learn them; it will certainly pay off in the long run.
Other Lessons
- Simple Sentence
- The Past Perfect Tense
- Object Pronouns
- The Present Future Tense
- Questions
- Expressions Using the Relative Past
- Pronouns
- Expressing “Let me” or “May I” “Shall I”
- Using Prepositional Phrases
- Asking If and Saying Whether It Is “Suitable” or Not
Sources
- English phrasal verbs' dictionary in Amharic & Afaan Oromoo in ...
- Amharic Language - Dialects & Structure - MustGo
- Learn Amharic Grammar Book for Beginners(Foreigners) eBook by ...