Shops and hotels in Amharic
Open, closed, a bag, the wifi password: the checkout and the front desk. Play the ten Amharic words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Amharic phrases in this lesson
- ...แ แ?A-le
- Do you have...?
- ...แจแต แแ?YET new
- Where is...?
- แญแแตKIFT
- Open
- แแZIG
- Closed
- แแตแณแ?fes-TAL
- A bag?
- แ แฃแ แแต แแBE-tam WUD new
- Too expensive
- แชแแญแฌแฝแ แ แแri-zer-VE-shin a-LEGN
- I have a reservation
- แแญแต แญแจแแซแ?KURS yi-chem-RAL
- Is breakfast included?
- แจแแญแแญ แแตแแญแต แแแตแ แแ?ye-WAI-fai PAS-word MIN-din new
- What's the wifi password?
- ...แฅแฝแแแ?i-chi-LA-le-hu
- Can I...?
Literally "is there...?": "แณแฆ แ แ?" (DA-bo A-le), is there bread? The answer is "แ แ" (there is) or "แจแแ" (YE-lem), there isn't.
The place goes first: "แฃแแฉ แจแต แแ?" (BAN-ku YET new), where is the bank?
On shop signs. "แญแแต แแ?" (KIFT new) asks if it is open.
Many shops close on Sunday mornings for church and on major religious holidays.
The everyday word for a plastic bag. Shops will hand one over without asking.
Literally "it is very expensive". Fine to say at markets, where bargaining is expected.
Hotels use the English loanword. "แฆแณ แ แตแญแฃแแ" (BO-ta as-yi-ZHA-le-hu), I have reserved a place, is the Amharic version.
Literally "does it include breakfast?". Hotel breakfasts often include แแ (fool), stewed fava beans.
Everyone uses the English words. Mobile data is often more reliable than hotel wifi.
The verb comes first: "แแแแฅ แฅแฝแแแ?" (me-ke-MET i-chi-LA-le-hu), can I sit?