Greetings

1. ሰላም

   Selam

   Hello

   Usage

   The most basic greeting - fine for anyone in Eritrea or Tigray, Christian or Muslim.

   Grammar Note

   Also means "peace" (cognate with Arabic salām and Amharic selam); the same spelling covers both.

2. ከመይ ኣለኻ?

   Kemey alekha?

   How are you?

   Usage

   "How are you?" to a man. To a woman say "ከመይ ኣለኺ?"; to several people or politely, "ከመይ ኣለኹም?".

   Grammar Note

   ከመይ = "how"; ኣለኻ = "you (m.) are/exist" (2nd-person masculine of the stative ኣሎ). The ending -ኻ marks the addressee's gender.

3. ደሓን እየ፣ የቐንየለይ

   Dehan iye, yeqhenyeley

   I am fine, thank you

   Usage

   The standard reply to "how are you?". Same form for a male or female speaker.

   Grammar Note

   ደሓን = "well / safe"; እየ = "I am" (1st-person copula, written as a separate word).

4. የቐንየለይ

   Yeqhenyeley

   Thank you

   Usage

   The standard "thank you". "የቐንየልና" ("to us") also occurs; a more formal plural-addressee thank-you is not attested - do not invent one.

   Grammar Note

   A verb with the "to me" suffix -ለይ. Wiktionary flags the entry as needing an expert (rfe); the spelling agrees in Zecarias, Wiktionary and Tatoeba.

5. በጃኻ

   Bejakha

   Please

   Usage

   "Please" to a man. To a woman: "በጃኺ". The more formal "ብኽብረትካ" (lit. "with your honour") also exists.

   Grammar Note

   The ending -ኻ addresses a man; for a woman it becomes -ኺ.

6. ሽምካ መን እዩ?

   Shimka men iyu?

   What is your name?

   Usage

   "What is your name?" to a man. To a woman: "ሽምኪ መን እዩ?".

   Grammar Note

   Literally "your name, who is it". ሽም ("name") takes a possessive suffix -ካ (m.) / -ኪ (f.); "who" (መን) is used for names.

7. ሽመይ ... እዩ

   Shimey ... iyu

   My name is ...

   Usage

   Put your own name in place of "...". The form is the same for a male or female speaker.

   Grammar Note

   ሽም ("name") + the possessive suffix -ይ ("my") = ሽመይ; the copula እዩ closes the sentence.

8. ከመይ ሓዲርካ?

   Kemey hadirka?

   Good morning (how did you sleep?)

   Usage

   The morning greeting, said to a man. To a woman: "ከመይ ሓዲርኪ?"; to several people: "ከመይ ሓዲርኩም?".

   Grammar Note

   Literally "how did you spend the night?". The ending -ካ of ሓዲርካ marks a male addressee.

9. ከመይ ውዒልካ?

   Kemey wi'ilka?

   Good afternoon (how did you spend the day?)

   Usage

   A greeting for the daytime, said to a man. To a woman: "ከመይ ውዒልኪ?".

   Grammar Note

   Literally "how did you spend the day?". The singular form comes from Wikivoyage; the dictionary lists only a plural, spelled ዊዕልኩም.

10. ከመይ ኣምሲኻ?

    Kemey amsikha?

    Good evening (how was your evening?)

    Usage

    The evening greeting, said to a man. To a woman: "ከመይ ኣምሲኺ?".

    Grammar Note

    Literally "how did you reach the evening?". The verb shares its root with ምሸት ("evening").

11. ደሓን ኩን

    Dehan kun

    Goodbye (stay well)

    Usage

    A parting phrase, said to a man. To a woman: "ደሓን ኩኒ"; to several people: "ደሓን ኩኑ".

    Grammar Note

    ደሓን = "safe, well"; ኩን = "be" (imperative), so literally "be well". The dictionary lists it as "farewell".

12. ደሓን ሕደር

    Dehan hider

    Good night

    Usage

    Said before sleeping, to a man. To a woman: "ደሓን ሕደሪ"; to several people: "ደሓን ሕደሩ".

    Grammar Note

    ሕደር = "spend the night" (imperative); literally "spend the night safely".

13. ኣመስግነካ ኣለኹ

    Amesgineka alekhu

    I thank you

    Usage

    A more formal way to thank a man. To a woman: "ኣመስግነኪ ኣለኹ".

    Grammar Note

    ኣመስግነ = "thank"; the suffix -ካ means "you (m.)" as the object; ኣለኹ marks "I am doing it".

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