ማይ
Mai
Water
Usage
The basic word for asking for drinking water.
Grammar Note
Confirmed in the dictionary and Wiktionary. Not the Amharic word ውሃ.
ምግቢ
Migbi
Food
Usage
A general word for food and meals.
Grammar Note
Frequent in Tatoeba; the dictionary also spells it መግቢ.
ገንዘብ
Genzeb
Money
Usage
The general word for money, used when paying or exchanging.
Grammar Note
ናቕፋ (Eritrean nakfa) and ብር (Ethiopian birr) are the specific currencies.
ሳንጣ
Santa
Bag
Usage
Any bag, from a handbag to a sack.
Grammar Note
Attested in Tatoeba (airport context) and the dictionary.
መድሃኒት
Medhanit
Medicine
Usage
Used when asking for medicine at a pharmacy or clinic.
Grammar Note
The dictionary glosses it as "remedy, cure".
ኣቑሑ ጉዕዞ
Aqhuhu gu'zo
Luggage
Usage
Travel luggage in general.
Grammar Note
Literally "travel goods"; a dictionary entry.
መፍትሕ
Meftih
Key
Usage
Used at a hotel when asking for a key.
Grammar Note
The dictionary gives "key"; the related መፍትሒ means "solution".
ቲከት
Tiket
Ticket
Usage
A ticket for transport or entry.
Grammar Note
A loanword listed in the dictionary; Tatoeba also writes it ቲኬት.
ፓስፖርት
Pasport
Passport
Usage
Asked for at airports and hotels.
Grammar Note
A loanword; the spelling is the one attested in Tatoeba.
ተለፎን
Telefon
Phone
Usage
Used when asking to borrow a phone.
Grammar Note
A loanword; spelled as in the dictionary.
መደብር ባቡር
Medebir babur
Train station
Usage
Used to ask where the station is.
Grammar Note
Tatoeba spells it both መደብር ባቡር and መደበር ባቡር.
ሆስፒታል
Hospital
Hospital
Usage
Used in an emergency to find a hospital.
Grammar Note
A loanword, confirmed in the dictionary and Tatoeba.
ፖሊስ
Polis
Police
Usage
Used to call for or look for the police.
Grammar Note
A loanword (Italian/English).
ድኳን
Dikwan
Shop
Usage
Used to look for a shop.
Grammar Note
Confirmed in the dictionary and Tatoeba.
ክፍሊ
Kifli
Room
Usage
Used when talking about a hotel room.
Grammar Note
Besides "room" it also means "department" or "section".
መንገዲ
Mengedi
Road
Usage
Used when asking about a road or way.
Grammar Note
Spelled as in the dictionary.
ስድራ ቤት
Sidra bet
Family
Usage
Used to talk about one's family.
Grammar Note
A dictionary entry; literally "children of the house".
ሽም
Shim
Name
Usage
Used to give or ask a name.
Grammar Note
The counterpart of Amharic ስም, but with ሽ.
ርእሲ
Ri'isi
Head
Usage
Used to describe where it hurts.
Grammar Note
Spelled as in the dictionary.
ዓይኒ
Ayni
Eye
Usage
Used to describe where it hurts.
Grammar Note
Starts with ዓ, the pharyngeal letter, not ኣ.
ስኒ
Sini
Teeth
Usage
Used to describe tooth pain.
Grammar Note
The dictionary lists it as "teeth".
ጎሮሮ
Gororo
Throat
Usage
Used to describe a sore throat.
Grammar Note
Spelled as in the dictionary ("throat, neck").
ከብዲ
Kebdi
Belly
Usage
Used to describe stomach trouble.
Grammar Note
The dictionary glosses it as "belly, stomach, liver".
ሕቆ
Hiqo
Back
Usage
Used to describe back pain.
Grammar Note
Spelled as in the dictionary.
እግሪ
Igri
Foot
Usage
Used to describe foot or leg pain.
Grammar Note
The same word covers foot and leg.
ኢድ
Id
Hand
Usage
Used to describe hand pain.
Grammar Note
The dictionary also lists the spelling ኡድ.
ኣፍልቢ
Afilbi
Chest
Usage
Used to describe chest pain.
Grammar Note
The dictionary also splits it as ኣፍ ልቢ.
ሆቴል
Hotel
Hotel
Usage
Used to look for or book a hotel.
Grammar Note
A loanword, confirmed in the dictionary and Tatoeba.
መዕረፊ ነፋሪት
Me'refi nefarit
Airport
Usage
Used to ask how to get to the airport.
Grammar Note
From Wikivoyage; the dictionary has መዕረፍ ነፈርቲ, and Tatoeba also uses ኤርፖርት.
መዕረፊ ኣውቶቡስ
Me'refi autobus
Bus stop
Usage
Used to find where buses stop.
Grammar Note
From Wikivoyage.
ባንክ
Bank
Bank
Usage
Used to look for a bank.
Grammar Note
A loanword confirmed in the dictionary.
ኣውቶቡስ
Autobus
Bus
Usage
Used when talking about buses.
Grammar Note
Tatoeba treats it as feminine ("እታ ኣውቶቡስ").
ባቡር
Babur
Train
Usage
Used when talking about trains.
Grammar Note
Tatoeba treats it as feminine ("እታ ባቡር").
መኪና
Mekina
Car
Usage
Used when talking about cars.
Grammar Note
Confirmed in the dictionary and Tatoeba.
ነፋሪት
Nefarit
Airplane
Usage
Used when talking about airplanes.
Grammar Note
Tatoeba treats it as feminine ("እታ ነፋሪት").
ባሕሪ
Bahri
Sea
Usage
Used when talking about the sea.
Grammar Note
ቀይሕ ባሕሪ is the Red Sea.
ዕዳጋ
Idaga
Market
Usage
Used to look for a market.
Grammar Note
The dictionary glosses it as "bazaar, fair".
ሓኪም
Hakim
Doctor
Usage
Used to ask for a doctor.
Grammar Note
Confirmed in the dictionary and Tatoeba.
More Tigrinya phrases
- Basic Words
- Basic Verbs
- Adjectives
- Question Words
- Greetings
- Food & Drinks
- Transportation
- Shopping
- Numbers
- Hotel
- Emergency
- Sightseeing
- Flirting
- Nightlife
- Massage & Spa
- Compliments
- Contacts & SNS
- Beach & Activities
- Places & Areas
- Useful Phrases
- Airport & Customs
- Weather & Climate
- Pharmacy & Health
- Directions
- Money & Exchange
- Health & Hospital
- Internet & WiFi
- Nature & Outdoors
- Religion & Temples
- Café & Drinks
- Schedule & Booking
- Culture & Etiquette
- Traveling with Kids
- Sports & Activities
- Public Transport
- Accommodation
- Banking & ATM
- Business & Work
- School & Education
- Cooking & Markets
- Music & Entertainment
- Art & Museums
- Festivals & Events
- Photography
- Laundry
- Post Office
- Language Learning
- Sustainability & Eco
- Fruits
- Colors
- Dietary & Allergies
- Markets & Souvenirs
- Time & Dates
- Fashion & Clothing
- Signs
- Body Parts
- Animals
- Vehicles
- Electronics
- Feelings
- Local Dishes
- Local Drinks
- Indulgences