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

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

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

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

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

now

ሕጂ(hiji)

later

ደሓር ( )

before

( )

morning

ንጉሆ ( )

afternoon

መዓልቲ ( )

evening

ምሸት ( )

night

ለይቲ ( )

Clock time

one o'clock AM

( )

two o'clock AM

( )

noon

( )

one o'clock PM

( )

two o'clock PM

( )

midnight

( )

Duration

_____ minute(s)

_____ ደቒቕ ( )

_____ hour(s)

ሰዓት ( )

_____ day(s)

_____ መዓልቲ ( )

_____ week(s)

_____ ሰሙን ( )

_____ month(s)

_____ ወርሒ ( )

_____ year(s)

_____ ዓመት ( )

Days

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

January

ጥሪ ( )

February

ለካቲት ( )

March

መጋቢት ( )

April

ሚያዝያ ( )

May

ግንቦት ( )

June

ሰነ ( )

July

ሓምለ ( )

August

ነሓሰ ( )

September

መስከረም ( )

October

ጥቅምቲ ( )

November

ሕዳር ( )

December

ታሕሳስ ( )

Colors

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

Bus and train

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

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

Taxi!

( )

Take me to _____, please.

( )

How much does it cost to get to _____?

( )

Take me there, please.

( )

Lodging

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

( )