Phrasebook

MP3 About the book

20 [twenty]

Small Talk 1

20 [ዕስራ] 20 [‘isira]	ንዕሽቶ ዝርርብ 1 ni‘ishito ziriribi 1

Choose how you want to see the translation:

Language and writing

Each language is used for communication between people. When we speak, we express what we are thinking and feeling. In doing so, we don't always stick to the rules of our language. We use our own language, our vernacular. It's different in written language. Here, all the rules of our language are displayed. Writing is what enables a language to become a real language. It makes language visible. Through writing, thousands of years' worth of knowledge is passed on. This is why writing is the foundation of every sophisticated culture. The first form of writing was invented more than 5,000 years ago. It was the cuneiform writing of the Sumerians. It was carved into slabs of clay. This cuneiform was used for three hundred years. The hieroglyphics of the ancient Egyptians existed for about as long. Countless scientists have devoted their studies to it. Hieroglyphics represent a relatively complicated writing system. However, it was probably invented for a very simple reason. The Egypt of that time was a vast kingdom with many inhabitants. Everyday life and above all the economic system needed to be organized. Taxes and accounting needed to be efficiently managed. For this, the ancient Egyptians developed their graphic characters. Alphabetic writing systems, on the other hand, go back to the Sumerians. Each writing system reveals a great deal about the people who use it. Furthermore, each country shows its own characteristics through its writing. Unfortunately, the art of handwriting is disappearing. Modern technology makes it almost superfluous. So: Don't just speak, keep writing too!

Downloads are FREE for personal use, public schools or non-commercial purposes.
LICENSE AGREEMENT | Please report any errors or incorrect translations here!
Imprint | © Copyright 2007 - 2025 Goethe Verlag Starnberg and licensors.
All rights reserved. Contact

Make yourself comfortable!	ከ_ ዝ_ች_ኩ_ ግ_ሩ_ k_m_ z_m_c_i_a_u_i g_b_r_። ከም ዝምችኣኩም ግበሩ። kemi zimichi’akumi giberu። ከ_ ዝ_____ ግ___ k___ z____________ g______ ከም ዝምችኣኩም ግበሩ። kemi zimichi’akumi giberu። __ ______ ____ ____ _____________ _______ ከም ዝምችኣኩም ግበሩ። kemi zimichi’akumi giberu።
Please, feel right at home!	ከ_ ግ_ኹ_ ር_ይ_[_ሰ_ዕ_ም_! k_m_ g_z_h_u_i r_’_y_w_[_i_e_a_i_u_i_! ከም ግዛኹም ርኣይዎ[ይሰማዕኩም]! kemi gizaẖumi ri’ayiwo[yisema‘ikumi]! ከ_ ግ___ ር____________ k___ g________ r______________________ ከም ግዛኹም ርኣይዎ[ይሰማዕኩም]! kemi gizaẖumi ri’ayiwo[yisema‘ikumi]! __ ____ _____________ ____ _________ _______________________ ከም ግዛኹም ርኣይዎ[ይሰማዕኩም]! kemi gizaẖumi ri’ayiwo[yisema‘ikumi]!
What would you like to drink?	እ_ታ_ ኢ_ም ት_ት_? i_i_a_i ī_̱_m_ t_s_t_y_? እንታይ ኢኹም ትሰትዩ? initayi īẖumi tisetiyu? እ___ ኢ__ ት____ i______ ī_____ t________ እንታይ ኢኹም ትሰትዩ? initayi īẖumi tisetiyu? ____ ___ _____ _______ ______ _________ እንታይ ኢኹም ትሰትዩ? initayi īẖumi tisetiyu?

Do you like music?	ሙ_ቃ ት_ት_ ዲ_ም_ m_z_k_a t_f_t_w_ d_h_u_i_ ሙዚቃ ትፈትዉ ዲኹም? muzīk’a tifetiwu dīẖumi? ሙ__ ት___ ዲ___ m______ t_______ d_______ ሙዚቃ ትፈትዉ ዲኹም? muzīk’a tifetiwu dīẖumi? ___ ____ ____ _______ ________ ________ ሙዚቃ ትፈትዉ ዲኹም? muzīk’a tifetiwu dīẖumi?
I like classical music.	ኣ_ ክ_ሲ_ ሙ_ቃ እ_ ዝ_ቱ_ a_e k_l_s_k_ m_z_k_a i_e z_f_t_። ኣነ ክላሲክ ሙዚቃ እየ ዝፈቱ። ane kilasīki muzīk’a iye zifetu። ኣ_ ክ___ ሙ__ እ_ ዝ___ a__ k_______ m______ i__ z______ ኣነ ክላሲክ ሙዚቃ እየ ዝፈቱ። ane kilasīki muzīk’a iye zifetu። __ ____ ___ __ ____ ___ ________ _______ ___ _______ ኣነ ክላሲክ ሙዚቃ እየ ዝፈቱ። ane kilasīki muzīk’a iye zifetu።
These are my CD’s.	ኣ_ዚ ና_ይ ሰ_ታ_ ኣ_ው_ a_i_ī n_t_y_ s_d_t_t_ a_e_i_ ኣብዚ ናተይ ሰድታት ኣለው። abizī nateyi seditati alewi። ኣ__ ና__ ሰ___ ኣ___ a____ n_____ s_______ a_____ ኣብዚ ናተይ ሰድታት ኣለው። abizī nateyi seditati alewi። ___ ___ ____ ____ _____ ______ ________ ______ ኣብዚ ናተይ ሰድታት ኣለው። abizī nateyi seditati alewi።

Do you play a musical instrument?	ሓ_ ኢ_ስ_ሩ_ን_ ት_ወ_ ዲ_ም_ h_a_e ī_i_i_i_u_e_i_i t_t_’_w_t_ d_h_u_i_ ሓደ ኢንስትሩመንት ትጻወቱ ዲኹም? ḥade īnisitirumeniti tits’awetu dīẖumi? ሓ_ ኢ_______ ት___ ዲ___ h____ ī______________ t_________ d_______ ሓደ ኢንስትሩመንት ትጻወቱ ዲኹም? ḥade īnisitirumeniti tits’awetu dīẖumi? __ ________ ____ ____ _____ _______________ __________ ________ ሓደ ኢንስትሩመንት ትጻወቱ ዲኹም? ḥade īnisitirumeniti tits’awetu dīẖumi?
This is my guitar.	ኣ_ዚ ና_ይ ጊ_ር ኣ_። a_i_ī n_t_y_ g_t_r_ a_o_ ኣብዚ ናተይ ጊታር ኣሎ። abizī nateyi gītari alo። ኣ__ ና__ ጊ__ ኣ__ a____ n_____ g_____ a___ ኣብዚ ናተይ ጊታር ኣሎ። abizī nateyi gītari alo። ___ ___ ___ ___ _____ ______ ______ ____ ኣብዚ ናተይ ጊታር ኣሎ። abizī nateyi gītari alo።
Do you like to sing?	ም_ራ_ ት_ት_ ዶ_ m_d_r_f_ t_f_t_w_ d_? ምድራፍ ትፈትዉ ዶ? midirafi tifetiwu do? ም___ ት___ ዶ_ m_______ t_______ d__ ምድራፍ ትፈትዉ ዶ? midirafi tifetiwu do? ____ ____ __ ________ ________ ___ ምድራፍ ትፈትዉ ዶ? midirafi tifetiwu do?

Do you have children?	ቆ_ዑ ኣ_ው_ም ዶ_ k_o_i_u a_e_i_̱_m_ d_? ቆልዑ ኣለውኹም ዶ? k’oli‘u alewiẖumi do? ቆ__ ኣ____ ዶ_ k______ a_________ d__ ቆልዑ ኣለውኹም ዶ? k’oli‘u alewiẖumi do? ___ _____ __ _______ __________ ___ ቆልዑ ኣለውኹም ዶ? k’oli‘u alewiẖumi do?
Do you have a dog?	ከ_ቢ ኣ_ኩ_ ዶ_ k_l_b_ a_e_u_i d_? ከልቢ ኣለኩም ዶ? kelibī alekumi do? ከ__ ኣ___ ዶ_ k_____ a______ d__ ከልቢ ኣለኩም ዶ? kelibī alekumi do? ___ ____ __ ______ _______ ___ ከልቢ ኣለኩም ዶ? kelibī alekumi do?
Do you have a cat?	ዱ_ ኣ_ኩ_ ዶ_ d_m_ a_e_u_i d_? ዱሙ ኣለኩም ዶ? dumu alekumi do? ዱ_ ኣ___ ዶ_ d___ a______ d__ ዱሙ ኣለኩም ዶ? dumu alekumi do? __ ____ __ ____ _______ ___ ዱሙ ኣለኩም ዶ? dumu alekumi do?

These are my books.	መ_ሓ_ተ_ ኣ_ዚ ኣ_ው_ m_t_’_h_a_i_e_i a_i_ī a_e_i_ መጽሓፍተይ ኣብዚ ኣለው። mets’iḥafiteyi abizī alewi። መ_____ ኣ__ ኣ___ m______________ a____ a_____ መጽሓፍተይ ኣብዚ ኣለው። mets’iḥafiteyi abizī alewi። ______ ___ ____ _______________ _____ ______ መጽሓፍተይ ኣብዚ ኣለው። mets’iḥafiteyi abizī alewi።
I am currently reading this book.	ኣ_ መ_ሓ_ የ_ብ_ ኣ_ኹ_ a_e m_t_’_h_a_i y_n_b_b_ a_o_̱_። ኣነ መጽሓፍ የንብብ ኣሎኹ። ane mets’iḥafi yenibibi aloẖu። ኣ_ መ___ የ___ ኣ___ a__ m__________ y_______ a______ ኣነ መጽሓፍ የንብብ ኣሎኹ። ane mets’iḥafi yenibibi aloẖu። __ ____ ____ ____ ___ ___________ ________ _______ ኣነ መጽሓፍ የንብብ ኣሎኹ። ane mets’iḥafi yenibibi aloẖu።
What do you like to read?	እ_ታ_ ም_ባ_ ደ_ ይ_ል_ም ? i_i_a_i m_n_b_b_ d_s_ y_b_l_k_m_ ? እንታይ ምንባብ ደስ ይብልኩም ? initayi minibabi desi yibilikumi ? እ___ ም___ ደ_ ይ____ ? i______ m_______ d___ y_________ ? እንታይ ምንባብ ደስ ይብልኩም ? initayi minibabi desi yibilikumi ? ____ ____ __ _____ _ _______ ________ ____ __________ _ እንታይ ምንባብ ደስ ይብልኩም ? initayi minibabi desi yibilikumi ?

Do you like to go to concerts?	ና_ ኮ_ሰ_ት ም_ድ ደ_ ይ_ል_ም ዶ ? n_b_ k_n_s_r_t_ m_h_a_i d_s_ y_b_l_k_m_ d_ ? ናብ ኮንሰርት ምኻድ ደስ ይብልኩም ዶ ? nabi koniseriti miẖadi desi yibilikumi do ? ና_ ኮ____ ም__ ደ_ ይ____ ዶ ? n___ k_________ m______ d___ y_________ d_ ? ናብ ኮንሰርት ምኻድ ደስ ይብልኩም ዶ ? nabi koniseriti miẖadi desi yibilikumi do ? __ _____ ___ __ _____ _ _ ____ __________ _______ ____ __________ __ _ ናብ ኮንሰርት ምኻድ ደስ ይብልኩም ዶ ? nabi koniseriti miẖadi desi yibilikumi do ?
Do you like to go to the theatre / theater (am.)?	ና_ ተ_ተ_ ም_ድ ደ_ ይ_ል_ም ዶ ? n_b_ t_’_t_r_ m_h_a_i d_s_ y_b_l_k_m_ d_ ? ናብ ተኣተር ምኻድ ደስ ይብልኩም ዶ ? nabi te’ateri miẖadi desi yibilikumi do ? ና_ ተ___ ም__ ደ_ ይ____ ዶ ? n___ t_______ m______ d___ y_________ d_ ? ናብ ተኣተር ምኻድ ደስ ይብልኩም ዶ ? nabi te’ateri miẖadi desi yibilikumi do ? __ ____ ___ __ _____ _ _ ____ ________ _______ ____ __________ __ _ ናብ ተኣተር ምኻድ ደስ ይብልኩም ዶ ? nabi te’ateri miẖadi desi yibilikumi do ?
Do you like to go to the opera?	ና_ ኦ_ራ ም_ድ ደ_ ይ_ል_ም ዶ ? n_b_ o_i_a m_h_a_i d_s_ y_b_l_k_m_ d_ ? ናብ ኦፕራ ምኻድ ደስ ይብልኩም ዶ ? nabi opira miẖadi desi yibilikumi do ? ና_ ኦ__ ም__ ደ_ ይ____ ዶ ? n___ o____ m______ d___ y_________ d_ ? ናብ ኦፕራ ምኻድ ደስ ይብልኩም ዶ ? nabi opira miẖadi desi yibilikumi do ? __ ___ ___ __ _____ _ _ ____ _____ _______ ____ __________ __ _ ናብ ኦፕራ ምኻድ ደስ ይብልኩም ዶ ? nabi opira miẖadi desi yibilikumi do ?

Phrasebook

Language and writing

Menu

Links

Download our App