Language/Amharic/Vocabulary/Colors
Main Colors in Amharic[edit | edit source]
አማርኛ | English | |
ቡኒ : buni, (ቡናማ , ብናማ : bunama) | brown, coffee-colored | |
ጥቁር : T'əqur | black | |
ግራጫ : giracha, (ሸበቶ : shebeto) | grey, gray | |
ነጭ : näCH', (ሀጫ : heCHa) | white | |
ቢጫ : biCH'a | yellow | |
ሮዝ : rose, (ብሩህ ቀይ : bruh qey) | pink | |
ብርቱካን : bərətukanə, (ብርቱካናማ : bərətukanama) |
orange | |
ቀይ : qäy | red | |
ሐምራዊ : hämrawi, ሃመር : hamer |
purple | |
ሰማያዊ , (ውሃማ) : sämayawi, (wuhama) | blue | |
አረንጓዴ : arängwade | green |
Colors and Culture[edit | edit source]
Colors can have different meanings and associations across different cultures and languages, and this is certainly true for the Amharic language spoken in Ethiopia.
In Amharic, the word for the color "red" is "qey" (ቀይ), which is associated with blood, danger, and passion. It is often used in religious and cultural contexts, such as in the Ethiopian flag and in traditional clothing worn during celebrations.
The color "white" is known as "ləbb" (ልብስ) in Amharic and is associated with purity, innocence, and peace. It is commonly used in traditional Ethiopian clothing, particularly in the shamma (a large piece of cotton cloth worn as a shawl or wrap) worn by both men and women.
"Black" in Amharic is "barya" (ባርያ) and can be associated with mourning, grief, and sadness. However, it can also be seen as a color of strength and power, particularly in reference to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian monarchy.
Other colors in Amharic include "yellow" (zer) which is associated with the sun and warmth, "green" (yeqinṭo) which is associated with nature and growth, and "blue" (birqu) which can represent the sky, water, and the Holy Trinity in Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.
It is important to note that these associations and meanings can vary depending on the context and individual interpretations. Additionally, as with any language and culture, there may be regional and individual differences in how colors are perceived and used.
Sources[edit | edit source]
- https://www.livelingua.com/peace-corps/Amharic/Amharic%20Peace%20Corps%20Language%20Manual-2015.pdf
- https://feasalanguages.wordpress.com/2017/02/06/colors-in-amharic/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO8RJXJcm_Q
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhgTXuBzzpk
- http://amharic.ethiopien.free.fr/index_uk.php
Videos[edit | edit source]
ቁ.004 የቀለማት ስም | Colors | Amharic Vocabulary| Amharic words ...[edit | edit source]
Amharic Lesson - Colors in Amharic - Ethiopian Colors (Vocabulary ...[edit | edit source]
Learn Colors In Amharic (Ethiopian Language) - YouTube[edit | edit source]
Amharic vocabulary colors የቀለማት አይነት 1 - YouTube[edit | edit source]
Amharic vocabulary colors የቀለማት አይነት 2 - YouTube[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
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