100 Amharic Phrases for Tourists

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1. Greetings & Polite Expressions Basic

Use these to greet people and be polite anywhere in Ethiopia.

English	Amharic	Transliteration	Voice
Hello	ሰላም	selam
Good morning	ጤና ይስጥልኝ	tena yistilign
Good afternoon	እንደምን አደርክ	endemin aderik
Good evening	እንደምን አመሽህ	endemin ameshih
Welcome	እንኳን ደህና መጣህ	enkwan dehna metah
How are you?	እንዴት ነህ?	endet neh?
I'm fine	ደህና ነኝ	dehna nen
Thank you	አመሰግናለሁ	amesegenallo
Thank you very much	በጣም አመሰግናለሁ	betam amesegenallo
You're welcome	እንኳን ደህና መጡ	enkwan dehna metu
Please	እባክህ	ebakih
Excuse me	ይቅርታ	yiqirta
Sorry	ይቅርታ	yiqirta
Nice to meet you	ስለ ተያየሁ ደስ ብሎኛል	sile teyayehu des bilognal
Goodbye	ደህና ሁን	dehna hun

2. Introductions & Personal Info

English	Amharic	Transliteration	Voice
What is your name?	ስምህ ማን ነው?	simih man new?
My name is…	ስሜ … ነው።	sime … new
Where are you from?	ከየት መጣህ?	keyet metah?
I am from…	ከ… መጣሁ	ke … metahu
I like Ethiopia	ኢትዮጵያን እወዳለሁ	ityopiyan ewedalew
Beautiful country	ቆንጆ አገር	qonjo ager

3. Understanding & Language

English	Amharic	Transliteration	Voice
I don’t understand	አልተረዳሁም	alteredahum
Do you speak English?	እንግሊዝኛ ትችላለህ?	inglizinya tichilaleh?
Speak slowly	ቀስ ብለህ ተናገር	qes bileh tenager
Repeat please	እባክህ ደግመህ ተናገር	ebakih degmeh tenager

4. Directions & Transportation

English	Amharic	Transliteration	Voice
Where is the bus station?	የባስ ጣቢያ የት ነው?	yebas tabiya yet new?
Where is the airport?	አየር ማረፊያ የት ነው?	ayer marefiya yet new?
Where is the hotel?	ሆቴል የት ነው?	hotel yet new?
Where is the market?	ገበያ የት ነው?	gebeya yet new?
Where is the bathroom?	መታጠቢያ የት ነው?	metatabiya yet new?
I need a taxi	ታክሲ እፈልጋለሁ	taksi efilegalew
Stop here	እዚህ አቁም	ezih aq’um
Go straight	ቀጥ ብለህ ሂድ	qet bileh hid
Turn right	ቀኝ ዘወር	keny zawer
Turn left	ግራ ዘወር	gra zawer
Where are you going?	ወዴት ትሄዳለህ?	wedet t’hedaleh?
I want to walk	መራመድ እፈልጋለሁ	meramed efilegalew
Call me a taxi	ታክሲ ጥሩልኝ	taksi t’rulign
Wait here	እዚህ ቆይ	ezih qoy

5. Accommodation & Hotel

English	Amharic	Transliteration	Voice
I need a room	ክፍል እፈልጋለሁ	kifl efilegalew
One night	አንድ ሌሊት	and lelit
Two people	ሁለት ሰዎች	hulet sewotch
I am checking in	እገባለሁ	egebalew
I am checking out	እወጣለሁ	ewotalew
I need WiFi	ዋይፋይ እፈልጋለሁ	wifi efilegalew
What is the password?	የይለፍ ቃል ምንድነው?	ye yilef qal min denew?

6. Food & Restaurant

English	Amharic	Transliteration	Voice
I am hungry	ተራራብኝ	terarabign
I am thirsty	ተጠማሁ	tetemahu
Water please	ውሃ እባክህ	wuha ebakih
I’m vegetarian	ተኳሽ ነኝ	tek’wash nen
No spicy	በርበሬ አይደለም	berbere aydelem
Very delicious	በጣም ጣፋጭ ነው	betam t’afach new
What is this food?	ይህ ምግብ ምንድነው?	yih migib min denew?
I like it	እወዳዋለሁ	ewedawalehu
I don’t like it	አልወደድኩትም	alwededkutim
I want coffee	ቡና እፈልጋለሁ	buna efilegalew
Where is the restaurant?	ምግብ ቤት የት ነው?	migib bet yet new?
Do you have menu?	ሜኑ አለ?	menu ale?
I’m allergic	አለርጂ አለብኝ	alergi alebign

7. Shopping & Money

English	Amharic	Transliteration	Voice
How much is this?	ይህ ስንት ነው?	yih sint new?
Too expensive	ውድ ነው	wud new
Can you lower the price?	ዋጋውን ቀንስልኝ	wagawn qeneslign
I want this	ይህን እፈልጋለሁ	yihen efilegalew
I don’t want	አልፈልግም	alfelegm
Where is the ATM?	ኤቲኤም የት ነው?	ATM yet new?
Money exchange	ምንዛሬ መቀየሪያ	minzare meqeyeriya
I need change	ቀሪ ገንዘብ እፈልጋለሁ	qeri genzeb efilegalew
Receipt please	ደረሰኝ እባክህ	deresegn ebakih

8. Health, Safety & Emergency

English	Amharic	Transliteration	Voice
I need help	እርዳታ ይፈልጋለሁ	erdata yifeligalew
Call the police	ፖሊስ ይጥሩልኝ	polis yit’rulign
I am lost	ተሳስቻለሁ	tesasichalehu
Is it safe?	ደህና ነው?	dehna new?
I feel sick	ደንገጥ አለብኝ	dengit alebign
I need a doctor	ሐኪም እፈልጋለሁ	hakim efilegalew
Pharmacy	መድሃኒት ቤት	medihanit bet
Be careful	ተጠንቀቅ	tetenqeq
Emergency	አስቸኳይ	asichequay
Danger	አደጋ	adega
Fire	እሳት	esat
Help me!	ርዳታ!	erdata!
Stop!	ቆመ!	qome!

9. Communication, Time & Phone

English	Amharic	Transliteration	Voice
What time is it?	ስንት ሰዓት ነው?	sint seat new?
Five minutes	አምስት ደቂቃ	amsit deqika
I am in a hurry	እቸግራለሁ	echegiralew
I need information	መረጃ እፈልጋለሁ	mereja efilegalew
What is your phone number?	ስልክ ቁጥርህ ምንድነው?	silk qutrh min denew?
Here is my number	ይህ ቁጥርዬ ነው	yih qutraye new
I will come back	እመለሳለሁ	emelesalew
Where can I buy SIM card?	ሲም ካርድ የት እገዛለሁ?	sim card yet egezalew?
Internet is slow	ኢንተርኔት ዝቅ ነው	internet ziq new

10. Sightseeing & General Travel

English	Amharic	Transliteration	Voice
Where is the museum?	ሙዚየም የት ነው?	muziyem yet new?
What is this place?	ይህ ቦታ ምንድነው?	yih bota min denew?
Where is the embassy?	ኤምባሲ የት ነው?	embassy yet new?
I’m looking for this	ይህን እፈልጋለሁ	yihen efilegalew
Open	ክፈት	kifet
Closed	ዝግ	zig
Go!	ሂድ!	hid!
Come!	ና!	na!
I feel tired	ደክሜ ነው	dekme new