EASY GREETINGS
“Selam” — Tigrinya/Amharic
Pronunciation: seh-LAHM
Meaning: Hello / peace
“Bet” — Amharic
Meaning: House
Pronunciation: bet
“Buna” — Amharic
Meaning: Coffee
Pronunciation: BOO-nah
Tigrinya: Bun (BOON)
“Asmara” — Tigrinya (Eritrea)
Meaning: Capital city of Eritrea
Pronunciation: ahs-MAH-rah
“Zemenawi zena” — Both
Meaning: Modern news
Pronunciation: zeh-men-OW-ee ZE-nah
“Selam n’ley” — Tigrinya
Pronunciation: seh-LAHM en-LAY
Meaning: Hello to you
“Wusha” — Amharic
Meaning: Dog
Pronunciation: WOO-sha
“Injera” — Both
Meaning: Sourdough flatbread
Pronunciation: in-JEHR-uh
“Addis Ababa” — Amharic (Ethiopia)
Meaning: Capital city of Ethiopia (literally: “new flower”)
Pronunciation: AH-diss AH-bah-bah
Bale betu betam belay bila bela. Amharic
Meaning: “The man in the house ate a lot up high.”
Pronunciation: BAH-leh BEH-too BEH-tahm beh-LIE bih-LAH
“Kemey alekhum?” — Tigrinya
Pronunciation: keh-MAY ah-LEH-khoo
Meaning: How are you guys?
“Mesob” — Amharic
Meaning: Traditional woven serving table used for communal meals
Pronunciation: MEH-sohb
“Shiro” — Both
Meaning: Ground chickpea stew
Pronunciation: SHEE-roh
“Aksum / Axum” — Both
Meaning: Ancient kingdom & historical city
Pronunciation: AHK-soom
“Haki yibluka, haki yibluni, haki yibleka.” Tigrinya
Meaning: “Tell him the truth, tell me the truth, tell him the truth.”
Pronunciation: HAH-kee yi-BLOO-ka, HAH-kee yi-BLOO-nee, HAH-kee yi-BLEH-ka
“Dehna neh/nesh?” — Amharic
Pronunciation: DEN-ah neH / DEN-ah nesh
Meaning: Are you well? (male/female)
“Zemen” — Both
Meaning: Time / era
Pronunciation: ZEH-men
“Firfir” — Amharic
Meaning: Torn injera mixed with sauce
Pronunciation: FEER-feer
“Massawa” — Tigrinya (Eritrea)
Meaning: Major port city of Eritrea
Pronunciation: mah-SAH-wah
“Shorba shora shorash shorba shora shorash.”
Meaning: “The soup is stirring, the soup keeps stirring.”
Pronunciation: SHOR-bah SHOH-rah SHO-rahsh SHOR-bah SHOH-rah SHO-rahsh
“Enkwan dehna metah” — Amharic
Pronunciation: EN-kwahn DEN-ah meh-TAH
Meaning: Welcome back / glad you arrived safely
“Fikir” — Amharic
Meaning: Love
Pronunciation: FEE-keer
(Tigrinya: “Fukri” → love/ Afker - to love.)
“Himbasha” — Both
Pronunciation: him-BAH-sha
Meaning: Sweet celebratory bread
“Himbasha” — Both
“Adi Halo” — Tigrinya
Meaning: A major reservoir and development project site near Asmara
Pronunciation: AH-dee HAH-lo
“Zeyblu zeybluni zibleka” — Tigrinya
Meaning: “He didn’t tell me what he told you”
Pronunciation: ZAY-bloo ZAY-bloo-nee ZIB-leh-kah