Amharic for children
The fidel, first words with their sound, and where to ask about weekend classes — for children growing up here, and the parents teaching them.
First words
Say the word, then find its first letter in the fidel.
Greetings9 words
- ሰላምselamHello / peace
- እንደምን አደርክendemin aderkGood morning (to a boy)
- እንደምን አደርሽendemin adershGood morning (to a girl)
- አመሰግናለሁameseginalehuThank you
- እባክህ / እባክሽibakih / ibakishPlease (to a boy / to a girl)
- ይቅርታyiqirtaSorry / excuse me
- ደህና ሁን / ሁኚdehna hun / hunyiGoodbye (to a boy / to a girl)
- አዎawoYes
- አይayNo
Family8 words
Numbers10 words
Food and drinks8 words
Home and places7 words
Colours and animals11 words
My body10 words
- ራስrasHead
- ፀጉርtsegurHair
- ዓይንayinEye
- ጆሮjoroEar
- አፍንጫafinchaNose
- አፍafMouth
- ጥርስtirsTooth
- እጅijHand
- እግርigirFoot / leg
- ሆድhodTummy
At school8 words
- አስተማሪastemariTeacher
- ተማሪtemariStudent
- ደብተርdebterExercise book
- እርሳስirsasPencil
- ብዕርbi'irPen
- ወረቀትwereqetPaper
- ቦርሳborsaBag
- ጠረጴዛterepezaTable / desk
Which one?
A picture and three words. Tap the word that matches — a game a child can play alone.
Ten pictures. Tap the Amharic word for each one.
How this course is built
The order follows published Amharic courses and children's readers: the seven vowel forms and a few letter families at a time, reading only words made from letters already taught (FSI Amharic Basic Course; University of Wisconsin); short stories and folk tales followed by questions, as in Ethiopia's Grade 1–3 readers and its national early-grade reading check; English beside the Amharic, as the bilingual diaspora books do; and questions to ask at home, as heritage classes give. The Amharic is drafted and is being checked by a native speaker.