Basic Verbs

15 phrases · Tigrinya with romanization, English and audio

  1. ክኸይድ ደልየ

    Kikheyd deliye

    I want to go

    Usage

    "I want to go." Put the destination in front as "ናብ …" ("to ...").

    Grammar Note

    ክኸይድ is the "to go" form of ከደ, and ደልየ means "I want". ክኸይድ is attested in Tatoeba.

  2. ክበልዕ ደልየ

    Kibel' deliye

    I want to eat

    Usage

    "I want to eat."

    Grammar Note

    ክበልዕ is the "to eat" form of በልዐ; the stem is in the dictionary and the inflection is regular.

  3. ማይ ደልየ

    Mai deliye

    I want water

    Usage

    A simple way to ask for something to drink.

    Grammar Note

    ደልየ is the "I want ___" form given by Wikivoyage.

  4. እዚ ደልየ

    Izi deliye

    I want this

    Usage

    Point at something and say you want it.

    Grammar Note

    ደልየ = "I want"; the object comes before the verb.

  5. እዚ ኣይደልን እየ

    Izi aydelin iye

    I don't want this

    Usage

    A short way to decline.

    Grammar Note

    ኣይደልን እየ is the negative of ደለየ ("want"), as in Tatoeba.

  6. እዚ የድልየኒ

    Izi yedliyeni

    I need this

    Usage

    Say it while pointing at what you need.

    Grammar Note

    የድልየኒ = "it is needed by me"; the Tatoeba original is "እዚ የድልየኒ እዩ".

  7. እደሊ ኣለኹ

    Edeli alekhu

    I am looking for it

    Usage

    Put the thing you are looking for in front.

    Grammar Note

    እደሊ is the 1st-person imperfect of ደለየ, and ኣለኹ marks the ongoing action, like Tatoeba's "ትደሊ ኣላ".

  8. ኣለኒ

    Aleni

    I have it

    Usage

    The answer when you have something.

    Grammar Note

    ኣሎ ("there is") with the "to me" suffix -ኒ; literally "there is to me".

  9. የብለይን

    Yebleyn

    I don't have it

    Usage

    The answer when you do not have something.

    Grammar Note

    The negative existence የብ with "to me" -ለይ and the negative -ን, as in Tatoeba's "ዓርኪ የብለይን".

  10. ክኸይድ ኣለኒ

    Kikheyd aleni

    I have to go

    Usage

    Used to leave politely.

    Grammar Note

    ኣለኒ ("I have") builds "I must", as in Tatoeba's "ክረክብ ኣለኒ".

  11. ክርኢ ደልየ

    Kiri'i deliye

    I want to see

    Usage

    Put the thing you want to see in front.

    Grammar Note

    ክርኢ is the "to see" form of ረኣየ and is attested in Tatoeba.

  12. እዚ ክዕድግ እየ

    Izi ki'dig iye

    I will buy this

    Usage

    Said when you decide to buy.

    Grammar Note

    The future frame ክዕድግ እየ on the verb ዓደገ ("buy"), like Tatoeba's "ክኸውን እየ".

  13. ብኽብረትካ ሓግዘኒ

    Be-khibretka hagzeni

    Please help me

    Usage

    Said to a man. To a woman: "ብኽብረትኪ ሓግዚኒ".

    Grammar Note

    ሓግዘኒ is the imperative of ሓገዘ ("help") with the object suffix -ኒ ("me").

  14. ብኽብረትካ ንገረኒ

    Be-khibretka negereni

    Please tell me

    Usage

    Said to a man. To a woman: "ብኽብረትኪ ንገርኒ".

    Grammar Note

    The exact frame of Tatoeba's "ብኽብረትካ … ንገረኒ": ንገረኒ is the imperative of ነገረ ("tell") plus "to me".

  15. ብኽብረትካ ሃበኒ

    Be-khibretka habeni

    Please give me

    Usage

    Point at what you want. Said to a man; to a woman: "ብኽብረትኪ ሃቢኒ".

    Grammar Note

    ሃበኒ is the imperative of ሃበ ("give") plus "to me"; it is attested in Tatoeba.

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