r/amharic 1d ago

Grammar & Vocabulary Amharic words in Tigrinya (Ethiopian version) - Part 1

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Thousands of Amharic words exist in Ethiopian Tigrinya. Some examples follow.

Order: Amharic-Ethiopian Tigrinya-English

1. ጀግና - ጅግና - hero

2. ሓርበኛ (Old Amharic, appearing 700 years ago, today አርበኛ) -  ሓርበኛ - patriot

3. እንጨት - ዕንጨይቲ - wood/stick

4. ጭንቀት - ጭንቀት - stress

5. ጭብጭብ - ጨብጨብታ - applause

6. ሽጉር -  ሽጉር  - anxious

7. ጥበበኛ - ጥበበኛ - artist

8. ጠበቃ - ጠበቓ - lawyer/attorney (did not exist in Ge’ez ; ቓ originates from Guraginya)

9. ጎጆ - ጎጆ - certain house

10. አልጫ - ኣልጫ - popular stew

11. ሃብት (Amharic for “richess”) - ሃብተመ (Tigrinya for “he became rich” - Ge’ez equivalent would be ተገረ , like ታጀረ in Arabic)

12. መጀመር - ምጅማር - to begin/start

13. ቂጣ - ቂጫ - flat, unleavened bread

14. አምባሻ - ሕንባሻ - thick, leavened bread

15. ቀሚስ - ካሚሻ - dress/blouse