Basic Words

1. ይቕሬታ

   Yiqreta

   Excuse me / Sorry

   Usage

   Used to get attention, to apologise, or to interrupt politely.

   Grammar Note

   A noun meaning "pardon". Spellings vary: ይቕሬታ (Tatoeba), ይቕረታ (dictionary), ይቅሬታ (Wikivoyage). Do not confuse ቕ (U+1255) with ቅ (U+1245).

2. እወ

   Iwe

   Yes

   Usage

   The basic affirmative answer.

   Grammar Note

   The Tigrinya equivalent of Amharic አዎ (awo) - note the different spelling.

3. ኣይፋል

   Ayfal

   No

   Usage

   The basic negative answer. For "it is not so" use ኣይኮነን.

   Grammar Note

   The dictionary lists "no" as እምቢ (= "refuse"); real usage is ኣይፋል (Tatoeba), which this card follows.

4. ብኽብረትካ

   Be-khibretka

   Please (formal)

   Usage

   A polite "please" to a man. To a woman: "ብኽብረትኪ"; to several people: "ብኽብረትኩም".

   Grammar Note

   Literally "with your honour": ብ- ("with") + ክብረት ("honour") + -ካ ("your", m.").

5. ኣይተረድኣኒን

   Ayteredanin

   I don't understand

   Usage

   Use when you did not follow what was said.

   Grammar Note

   The verb ተረድአ ("understand") inside the negative frame ኣይ…ን, with the object suffix -ኒ ("to me").

6. ተረዲኡኒ

   Teredi'uni

   I understand

   Usage

   Use when you understood what was said.

   Grammar Note

   The verb ተረድአ ("understand") with the "to me" suffix -ኒ. The form is from Wikivoyage; the stem is confirmed in the dictionary.

7. ሓደ ደቒቕ

   Hade deqhiq

   Just a moment

   Usage

   Asks someone to wait a moment.

   Grammar Note

   ሓደ ("one") + ደቒቕ ("minute"): literally "one minute".

8. ብኽብረትካ ደግም

   Be-khibretka degim

   Once more, please

   Usage

   To ask a man to repeat. To a woman: "ብኽብረትኪ ደግሚ".

   Grammar Note

   ደግም is the imperative of ደገመ ("repeat"); ብኽብረትካ is put in front, as Tatoeba does with ንገረኒ.

9. ብኽብረትካ ብቐስ ተዛረብ

   Be-khibretka be-qhes tezareb

   Please speak slowly

   Usage

   Said to a man. To a woman: "ብኽብረትኪ ብቐስ ተዛረቢ".

   Grammar Note

   ብቐስ = "slowly"; ተዛረብ is the imperative of ተዛረበ ("speak"). The imperative is formed regularly from the dictionary verb.

10. ቁሩብ ትግርኛ እዛረብ

    Qurub Tigrinya izareb

    I speak a little Tigrinya

    Usage

    Tells people you are still learning. The form is the same for a male or female speaker.

    Grammar Note

    ቁሩብ = "a little"; እዛረብ is the 1st-person imperfect of ተዛረበ ("speak").

11. ትግርኛ ኣይፈልጥን እየ

    Tigrinya ayfeltin iye

    I don't speak Tigrinya

    Usage

    Tells people you do not know Tigrinya.

    Grammar Note

    ኣይፈልጥን is the negative of ፈለጠ ("know"); literally "I do not know Tigrinya".

12. እንግሊዘኛ ትዛረብ ዲኻ?

    Inglizenya tzareb dikha?

    Do you speak English?

    Usage

    To a man. To a woman: "እንግሊዘኛ ትዛረቢ ዲኺ?"; to several people: "እንግሊዘኛ ትዛረቡ ዲኹም?".

    Grammar Note

    Same frame as Tatoeba's "ትግርኛ ትዛረብ ዲኻ?". ዲኻ is the question particle with "you (m.) are".

13. እንግሊዘኛ ዝዛረብ ሰብ ይርከብዶ?

    Inglizenya zi-zareb seb yirkebdo?

    Is there someone here who speaks English?

    Usage

    Ask this of people around you when you need help.

    Grammar Note

    ዝዛረብ is a relative clause ("who speaks"), ይርከብ means "is found", and -ዶ makes it a question. The shape is from Wikivoyage.

14. እዚ

    Izi

    This

    Usage

    Used when pointing at something.

    Grammar Note

    A demonstrative for something close; እቲ is "that" (the far one).

15. ኣብዚ

    Abzi

    Here

    Usage

    Used to say "here".

    Grammar Note

    A merger of ኣብ ("at") and እዚ ("this").

16. ኣብኡ

    Abu

    There

    Usage

    Used to say "there".

    Grammar Note

    ኣብ ("at") plus -ኡ ("that").

17. ኣነ

    Ane

    I / me

    Usage

    Used to stress "I". It is usually dropped because the verb already shows the person.

    Grammar Note

    The first-person singular pronoun.

18. ንስኻ

    Niskha

    You (m.)

    Usage

    "You" to a man. To a woman: "ንስኺ"; to several people: "ንስኻትኩም".

    Grammar Note

    The 2nd-person masculine singular pronoun, used for emphasis.

19. ሕጂ

    Hiji

    Right now

    Usage

    Used to say "now".

    Grammar Note

    An adverb of time.

20. ሓደ ሰብ

    Hade seb

    One person

    Usage

    Used to give a headcount, for example in a restaurant.

    Grammar Note

    The noun after a number stays singular.

21. ክልተ ሰብ

    Kilte seb

    Two people

    Usage

    Used to give a headcount.

    Grammar Note

    ክልተ ("two") + ሰብ ("person").

22. ሰለስተ ሰብ

    Seleste seb

    Three people

    Usage

    Used to give a headcount.

    Grammar Note

    ሰለስተ ("three") + ሰብ ("person").

23. ሽግር የለን

    Shigir yelen

    No problem

    Usage

    Used to say "it is fine, no problem".

    Grammar Note

    ሽግር = "trouble, problem"; የለን = "there is none" (negative existence).

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