Question Words

1. እንታይ?

   Entay?

   What?

   Usage

   The question word for "what".

   Grammar Note

   Question words stay in place in the sentence; they are not moved to the front.

2. ኣበይ?

   Abey?

   Where?

   Usage

   The question word for "where".

   Grammar Note

   The question word for place.

3. መኣስ?

   Me'as?

   When?

   Usage

   The question word for "when".

   Grammar Note

   The question word for time.

4. መን?

   Men?

   Who?

   Usage

   The question word for "who"; it is also used to ask a name.

   Grammar Note

   The question word for people.

5. ስለምንታይ?

   Selemintay?

   Why?

   Usage

   The question word for "why".

   Grammar Note

   An adverb meaning "for what reason".

6. ከመይ?

   Kemey?

   How?

   Usage

   The question word for manner or condition.

   Grammar Note

   The same word opens the greeting ከመይ ኣለኻ? ("how are you?").

7. ክንደይ?

   Kinday?

   How many? How much?

   Usage

   The question word for quantity or price.

   Grammar Note

   Used for number, amount and price.

8. እዚ እንታይ እዩ?

   Izi entay iyu?

   What is this?

   Usage

   Point at something to ask what it is.

   Grammar Note

   እዚ ("this") + እንታይ ("what") + እዩ ("is").

9. ዋጋ ክንደይ እዩ?

   Waga kinday iyu?

   How much is the price?

   Usage

   Use when asking a price.

   Grammar Note

   ዋጋ ("price") + ክንደይ ("how much") + እዩ ("is"). Each word is attested; the exact sentence is composed rather than found in a source.

10. ባኞ ኣበይ ኣሎ?

    Banyo abey alo?

    Where is the bathroom?

    Usage

    A polite way to ask for the toilet. ባኞ is the Italian-derived word for "bathroom", common in Eritrea.

    Grammar Note

    ባኞ ("bathroom") + ኣበይ ("where") + ኣሎ ("is there"). The crude ሽንቲ ቤት is deliberately avoided.

11. ሽቓቕ ኣበይ ኣሎ?

    Shiqhaq abey alo?

    Where is the toilet?

    Usage

    Another way to ask for the toilet.

    Grammar Note

    ሽቓቕ appears in Wiktionary and Wikivoyage only, so it is less well attested than ባኞ.

12. ሰዓት ክንደይ እዩ?

    Se'at kinday iyu?

    What time is it?

    Usage

    Asks the time. Some people in Tigray count hours from sunrise, so add a word like "afternoon" to be safe.

    Grammar Note

    ሰዓት ("hour, clock") + ክንደይ ("how many") + እዩ ("is"). Each word is attested; the sentence is composed.

13. ሓቂ ድዩ?

    Haqi diyu?

    Really?

    Usage

    Said in surprise or to check something.

    Grammar Note

    ሓቂ = "truth"; ድዩ is the question particle seen in Tatoeba's "…ድዩ?".

14. ርግጸኛ ኢኻ?

    Rigtsenya ikha?

    Are you sure?

    Usage

    To a man. To a woman: "ርግጸኛ ኢኺ?".

    Grammar Note

    ርግጸኛ = "sure"; ኢኻ = "you (m.) are".

15. ካበይ መጺኻ?

    Kabey metsikha?

    Where are you from?

    Usage

    Asks a man where he is from. To a woman: "ካበይ መጺኺ?".

    Grammar Note

    ካብ ("from") + ኣበይ ("where") + መጺኻ ("you (m.) came").

16. ደሓን ዲኻ?

    Dehan dikha?

    Are you OK?

    Usage

    To someone who looks unwell, if a man. To a woman: "ደሓን ዲኺ?".

    Grammar Note

    ደሓን ("safe, well") + ዲኻ (question particle with "you (m.)").

Browse all TravelPhrases languages