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Tigrinya phrasebook Voyage Tips and guide

You can check the original Wikivoyage article Here

    Tigrinya (ትግርኛ) is spoken in Eritrea and Ethiopia by the Tigrinya people. It is the lingua franca of Eritrea, and the first language of the vast majority of people in the Tigray region of Ethiopia.

    Phrase list

    [edit]

    Some phrases in this phrasebook still need to be translated. If you know anything about this language, you can help by plunging forward and translating a phrase.

    Basics

    [edit]
    Hello.
    ሰላም (selam)
    How are you?
    ከመይ ኣለኻ/Kemay al'eka? (to men) ከመይ ኣለኺ/Kemay al'eki? (to women)
    Fine, thank youእየ. (Dehan-iye, yekenyelay)
    What is your name?
    መን ሽምካ/Men'shimka (for men) መን ሽምኪ/Men'shimki (for women)
    My name is ______ .
    ሽመይ ___ እዩ(Shimay ___ iyu)
    Nice to meet you.
    ጽቡቕ ሌላ(Tsubu leyla)
    Please.
    በጃኻ/bejakha (to men) በጃኺ/bejakhi (to women)
    Thank you.
    የቐኔለይ(yekenyeley)
    You're welcome.
    ገንዘብካ (to men) ገንዘብኪ (to women) ( )
    Yes.
    እወ. ('Eweh)
    No.
    ኣይኮነን. (No )
    Excuse me. (getting attention)
    ይቅሬታ ግበረለይ! (to men) ይቅሬታ ግበርለይ! (to women) ( )
    I'm sorry.
    ይቕሬታ! (to men) ኣይትሓዘለይ (to women) ( )
    Goodbye
    ደሓን ኹን (Dehan-koon)
    Where are you from? (country of origin)
    ካበይ መጺኻ  ? (to men) ካበይ መጺኺ ? (to women) ( )
    I can't speak Tigrinya.
    ትግርኛ ኣይፈልጥን. ( [ ])
    Do you speak English?
    ኢንግልዘኛ ትዛረብዶ/inglizenya tzarebdo (for men) ኢንግልዘኛ ትዛረቢዶ/inglizenya tzarebido(for women)
    Is there someone here who speaks English?
    እንግሊዝኛ ዝዛረብ ሰብ ይርከብዶ? ( ?)
    Help!
    ሓግዘኒ!(Hagezeni!)
    Good morning.
    Dehando(!?) kemay'haderka/ደሓንዶ/ከመይ ሓዲርካ (to men) Dehando(!?) kemay haderki/ደሓንዶ/ከመይ ሓዲርኪ(for women)
    Good afternoon.
    ከመይ ውዒልካ (to men) ከመይ ውዒልኪ (to women) ( )
    Good evening.
    ከመይ ኣምሲኻ (to men) ከመይ ኣምሲኺ (to women) ( )
    Good night.
    ልዋም ለይቲ ('Buruk leyti)
    I understand.
    ተረዲኡኒ (Teredi-uni)
    I don't understand.
    ኣይተረድኣኒን (ayteredianin)
    Where is the toilet?
    ሽቓቅ ኣበይ ኣሎ፧/ሽንቲ ቤት ኣበይ ኣሎ(sha'ah abeylo?)

    Problems

    [edit]
    Leave me alone.
    Gedefenaግደፈኒ! (to men) በይነይ ግደፍGedefeni! (to women)
    Don't touch me!
    ኣይቲተኒኪፈኒ. Aytetenikifeni
    I'll call the police.
    ፖሊስ ጸውዕ! (to men) ፖሊስ ጸውዒ! (to women) ( .)
    Police!
    ፖሊስ ! ( !)
    Stop! Thief!
    ( ! !)
    I need your help.
    ሓገዝካ(for male) ሓገዝኪ(for female) የድልየኒ ዩ። Hagezika yediliyeni yu(speaking to male) / Hageziki yediliyeni yu(speaking to female).
    It's an emergency.
    . ( ህጹጽ ኵነታት እዩ. Hidsu...)
    I'm lost.
    መንገዲ ጠፊእኒ። Megedi teFieni. ( .)
    I lost my bag.
    ሳንጣይ ጠፊእኒ. SanTay tefieni.
    I lost my wallet.
    . ( .)
    I'm sick.
    ተጸሊእኒ ኣሎ፣ ሓሚመ. TseliEni alo/ Hamime.
    I've been injured.
    ማህሰይቲ ኣሎኹ ( .)
    I need a doctor.
    (ኣነ) ሓኪም የድሊየኒ ኣሎ ( .)
    Can I use your phone?
    ሰሊኪኪ ካ ተለፎንኪ ካ ኣጥቅመኒ። Silkiki / Telefoniki AteQimeni (toward female), Silkika AtetiQimeni(toward male)

    Numbers

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    1
    ሓደ (hade)
    2
    ክልተ (kilitey)
    3
    ሰለስተ (seleste)
    4
    ኣርባዕተ (arbaete)
    5
    ሓሙሽተ (hamushte)
    6
    ሽዱሽተ (shudushte)
    7
    ሸውዓተ (shewa'ate)
    8
    ሸሞንተ (shemonte)
    9
    ትሽዓተ (tishe'ate)
    10
    ዓሰርተ ('aserte)
    11
    ዓሰርተ ሓደ (aserte hade)
    12
    ዓሰርተ ክልተ (aserte kilitey)
    13
    ዓሰርተ ሰለስተ ( )
    14
    ዓሰርተ ኣርባዕተ ( )
    15
    ዓሰርተ ሓሙሽተ ( )
    16
    ዓሰርተ ሽዱሽተ ( )
    17
    ዓሰርተ ሸውዓተ ( )
    18
    ዓሰርተ ሸሞንተ ( )
    19
    ዓሰርተ ትሽዓተ ( )
    20
    ዕስራ (esra)
    21
    ዕስራን ( )
    22
    ዕስራን ( )
    23
    ዕስራን ( )
    30
    ዕስራን (selasa)
    40
    ኣርባዓ (arba'a)
    50
    ሓምሳ (hamsa)
    60
    ስሳ (susa)
    70
    ሰብዓ (seb'a)
    80
    ሰማንያ (semanya)
    90
    ተስዓ (tes'a)
    100
    ሚእቲ (meetee)
    200
    ክልተ ሚእቲ ( )
    300
    ሰለስተ ሚእቲ ( )
    1,000
    ሽሕ (sheh or elfi)
    2,000
    ክልተ ሽሕ ( )
    1,000,000
    ሚልዮን ( )
    1,000,000,000
    ቢልዮን ( )
    1,000,000,000,000
    ( )
    number _____ (train, bus, etc.)
    ( )
    half
    ፍርቂ ( )
    less
    ዝወሓደ ( )
    more
    ዝበዝሐ ( )

    Time

    [edit]
    now
    ሕጂ(hiji)
    later
    ደሓር ( )
    before
    ( )
    morning
    ንጉሆ ( )
    afternoon
    መዓልቲ ( )
    evening
    ምሸት ( )
    night
    ለይቲ ( )

    Clock time

    [edit]
    one o'clock AM
    ( )
    two o'clock AM
    ( )
    noon
    ( )
    one o'clock PM
    ( )
    two o'clock PM
    ( )
    midnight
    ( )

    Duration

    [edit]
    _____ minute(s)
    _____ ደቒቕ ( )
    _____ hour(s)
    ሰዓት ( )
    _____ day(s)
    _____ መዓልቲ ( )
    _____ week(s)
    _____ ሰሙን ( )
    _____ month(s)
    _____ ወርሒ ( )
    _____ year(s)
    _____ ዓመት ( )

    Days

    [edit]
    today
    ሎሚ (lomi)
    yesterday
    ትማሊ ( )
    tomorrow
    ጽባሕ ( )
    this week
    ( )
    last week
    ( )
    next week
    ኣብ ዝመጽእ ሰሙን ( )
    Sunday
    ሰንበት ( )
    Monday
    ሰኑይ ( )
    Tuesday
    ሰሉስ ( )
    Wednesday
    ረቡዕ ( )
    Thursday
    ሓሙስ ( )
    Friday
    ዓርቢ ( )
    Saturday
    ቀዳም ( )

    Months

    [edit]
    January
    ጥሪ ( )
    February
    ለካቲት ( )
    March
    መጋቢት ( )
    April
    ሚያዝያ ( )
    May
    ግንቦት ( )
    June
    ሰነ ( )
    July
    ሓምለ ( )
    August
    ነሓሰ ( )
    September
    መስከረም ( )
    October
    ጥቅምቲ ( )
    November
    ሕዳር ( )
    December
    ታሕሳስ ( )

    Writing time and date

    [edit]

    Colors

    [edit]
    black
    ጸሊም (ts’eleme )
    white
    ጻዕዳ (tsa'ada)
    gray
    ሕሙኽሽታይ ( )
    red
    ቀይሕ ( )
    blue
    ሰማያዊ ( )
    yellow
    ቢጫ ( )
    green
    ሓምላይ ( )
    orange
    ሓምላይ ( )
    purple
    ሊላ ( )
    brown
    ቡናዊ ( )

    Transportation

    [edit]

    Bus and train

    [edit]
    How much is a ticket to _____?
    ( )
    One ticket to _____, please.
    ( )
    Where does this train/bus go?
    ( )
    Where is the train/bus to _____?
    ( )
    Does this train/bus stop in _____?
    ( )
    When does the train/bus for _____ leave?
    ( )
    When will this train/bus arrive in _____?
    ( )

    Directions

    [edit]
    How do I get to _____ ?
    ከመይ ገይረ ናብ ... ይኸይድ ? ( )
    ...the train station?
    ( )
    ...the bus station?
    መዕረፊ ኣውቶቡስ ( )
    ...the airport?
    መዕረፊ ነፋሪት ( )
    ...downtown?
    ( )
    ...the youth hostel?
    ( )
    ...the _____ hotel?
    ሆተል _____? ( )
    ...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate?
    ( )
    Where are there a lot of...
    ( )
    ...hotels?
    ሆተላት ( )
    ...restaurants?
    ቤትምግቢታት ( )
    ...bars?
    ቤት መስተታት ( )
    ...sites to see?
    ( )
    Can you show me on the map?
    ( )
    street
    ( )
    Turn left.
    ንጸጋም ተጠወ ( )
    Turn right.
    ንየማን ተጠወ ( )
    left
    ( )
    right
    ( )
    straight ahead
    ( )
    towards the _____
    ( )
    past the _____
    ( )
    before the _____
    ( )
    Watch for the _____.
    ( )
    intersection
    መራኽቦ መንገዲ ( )
    north
    ሰሜን ( )
    south
    ደቡብ ( )
    east
    ምብራቅ ( )
    west
    ምዕራብ ( )
    uphill
    ( )
    downhill
    ( )

    Taxi

    [edit]
    Taxi!
    ( )
    Take me to _____, please.
    ( )
    How much does it cost to get to _____?
    ( )
    Take me there, please.
    ( )

    Lodging

    [edit]
    Do you have any rooms available?
    መደቀሲ ክፍሊ ኣሎኻ ዶ? ( )
    How much is a room for one person/two people?
    ንሓደ / ንክልተ ሰብ ክንደይ ይክፍል? ( )
    Does the room come with...
    ኣብ እዚ ክፍሊ ... ይረክብዶ ( )
    ...bedsheets?
    ( )
    ...a bathroom?
    ባኞ ( )
    ...a telephone?
    ተለፎን ( )
    ...a TV?
    ቲቪ ( )
    May I see the room first?
    ( )
    Do you have anything quieter?
    ( )
    ...bigger?
    ( )
    ...cleaner?
    ( )
    ...cheaper?
    ( )
    OK, I'll take it.
    ( )
    I will stay for _____ night(s).
    ( )
    Can you suggest another hotel?
    ( )
    Do you have a safe?
    መቐመጥ ገንዘብ ኣሎካ ዶ፧
    ...lockers?
    ( )
    Is breakfast/supper included?
    ( ቀርሲ /ድራር የጠቓልል ድዩ፧)
    What time is breakfast/supper?
    ( )
    Please clean my room.
    ( )
    Can you wake me at _____?
    ( )
    I want to check out.
    ( )

    Money

    [edit]
    Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars?
    ( )
    Do you accept British pounds?
    (ባጤራ ብርጣንያ ክትቅበል ትኽእል ዶ፧ )
    Do you accept euros?
    (ዩሮ ክትቅበል ትኽእል ዶ፧ )
    Do you accept credit cards?
    ( )
    Can you change money for me?
    ( )
    Where can I get money changed?
    (ቅያር ገንዘብ ኣበይ እረክብ፧ )
    Can you change a traveler's check for me?
    ( )
    Where can I get a traveler's check changed?
    ( )
    What is the exchange rate?
    ( )
    Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?
    ( )

    Eating

    [edit]
    A table for one person/two people, please.
    ( )
    Can I look at the menu, please?
    ( )
    Can I look in the kitchen?
    ( )
    Is there a house specialty?
    ( )
    Is there a local specialty?
    ( )
    I'm a vegetarian.
    ( )
    I don't eat pork.
    ( )
    I don't eat beef.
    ( )
    I only eat kosher food.
    ( )
    Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard)
    ( )
    fixed-price meal
    ( )
    a la carte
    ( )
    breakfast
    ቁርሲ (kursi )
    lunch
    ምሳሕ ( )
    supper
    ድራር ( drar )
    I want _____.
    ደልየ ("_____ deliye")
    I want a dish containing _____.
    ( )
    chicken
    ደርሆ ( )
    beef
    ስጋ ከብቲ ( )
    fish
    ዓ("asa")
    ham
    ስጋ ሓሰማ ( )
    sausage
    ግዕዝም ( )
    cheese
    ፎርማጆ ( )
    eggs
    እንቋቑሖ ( )
    salad
    ሳላጣ ( )
    (fresh) vegetables
    ኣሕምልቲ ( )
    (fresh) fruit
    ፍሩታ ( )
    bread
    (bani )
    toast
    ጥቡስ ባኒ ( )
    pasta
    ማካሮኒ ( )
    spaghetti
    ስፓገቲ ( )
    rice
    ሩዝ ( )
    beans
    ዓተር ( )
    Hamburger
    ሃምበርገር ( )
    Orange
    ኣራንሺ ( )
    Apple
    ቱፋሕ ( )
    Banana
    ባናና ( )
    Pineapple
    ኣናናስ ( )
    Grapes
    ወይኒ ( )
    May I have a glass of _____?
    ጥርሙዝ ... ሃበኒ በጀኹም ( )
    May I have a cup of _____?
    ኩባያ ... ሃበኒ በጀኹም ( )
    May I have a bottle of _____?
    ጥርሙዝ ... ሃበኒ በጀኹም ( )
    coffee
    ቡን (boon )
    tea (drink)
    ሻሂ ("shahi")
    milk
    ጸባ ("tsaba")
    juice
    ጽማቝ ( )
    (bubbly) water
    ማዕድናዊ ማይ ( )
    (still) water
    ማይ(mai)
    beer
    ቢራ ( )
    wine
    ነቢት ( )
    May I have some _____?
    ( )
    salt
    ( )
    black pepper
    ( )
    butter
    ( )
    Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)
    ( )
    I'm finished.
    ( )
    It was delicious.
    (du'um )
    Please clear the plates.
    ( )
    The check, please.
    ( )

    Bars

    [edit]
    Do you serve alcohol?
    ( )
    Is there table service?
    ( )
    A beer/two beers, please.
    ( )
    A glass of red/white wine, please.
    ( )
    A pint, please.
    ( )
    A bottle, please.
    ( )
    _____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please.
    ( )
    whiskey
    ( )
    vodka
    ( )
    rum
    ( )
    water
    ( )
    club soda
    ( )
    tonic water
    ( )
    orange juice
    ( )
    Coke (soda)
    ( )
    Do you have any bar snacks?
    ( )
    One more, please.
    ( )
    Another round, please.
    ( )
    When is closing time?
    ( )
    Cheers!
    ( )

    Shopping

    [edit]
    Do you have this in my size?
    ( )
    How much is this?
    ክንደይ’ዩ ዋግኡ እዚ? ( )
    That's too expensive.
    ( )
    Would you take _____?
    ( )
    expensive
    ክቡር ( )
    cheap
    ሕሱር ( )
    I can't afford it.
    ( )
    I don't want it.
    እዚ ኣይደልን ( )
    You're cheating me.
    ( )
    I'm not interested.
    (..)
    OK, I'll take it.
    ( )
    Can I have a bag?
    ( )
    Do you ship (overseas)?
    ( )
    I need...
    ኣነ .... የድሊየኒ ኣሎ ( )
    ...toothpaste.
    መሕጸብ ስኒ ( )
    ...a toothbrush.
    ( )
    ...tampons.
    . ( )
    ...soap.
    ሳሙና ( )
    ...shampoo.
    ሻምፑ ( )
    ...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen)
    ኣስፕሪን ( )
    ...cold medicine.
    ( )
    ...stomach medicine.
    ... ( )
    ...a razor.
    መላጸ ( )
    ...an umbrella.
    ጽላል ( )
    ...sunblock lotion.
    ( )
    ...a postcard.
    ( )
    ...postage stamps.
    ቲምብር ( )
    ...batteries.
    ( )
    ...writing paper.
    ወረቐት ( )
    ...a pen.
    ፕሮ ( )
    ...English-language books.
    ( )
    ...English-language magazines.
    ( )
    ...an English-language newspaper.
    ( )
    ...an English-English dictionary.
    ( )

    Driving

    [edit]
    I want to rent a car.
    ( )
    Can I get insurance?
    ( )
    stop (on a street sign)
    ( )
    one way
    ( )
    yield
    ( )
    no parking
    ( )
    speed limit
    ( )
    gas (petrol) station
    ( )
    petrol
    በንዚን ( )
    diesel
    ( )

    Authority

    [edit]
    I haven't done anything wrong.
    ( )
    It was a misunderstanding.
    ( )
    Where are you taking me?
    ( )
    Am I under arrest?
    ( )
    I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen.
    ( )
    I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate.
    ( )
    I want to talk to a lawyer.
    ( )
    Can I just pay a fine now?
    ( )
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