pores TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE... . 5 INTRODUCTION . . . Soups : Coxsoxanns. Pronunciation of the Ambario consonants. Rounding. Phonemes of Amhario. Gemination, Vownus. Meeting of vowels. Section 1 : The consonants with the vowel & Seotion 2: The consonants with the vowels u, é, ¢, a, 0 Section 3: The consonants with the vowels u, 3, ¢, a, 0 (continued) Section 4: The consonants with the vowels u, 4, (continued) . A Section 6 : The 6th order... Section 6 : The labio-velars. ‘The sa-symbol. Obser- vations on the alphabet. Punctuation marks. Ortho- graphy... Section 7 : Alphabst aocording to shape phat ‘according to traditional order... 4 a0 Lesson 1 7 Zl Pansoxat, Pxoxox. Independent personal pronoun. ‘Tar Vens ‘ro px’ oF Quatry on IDentity, INDEFINITE Arrioue. Apsnorive. [xTERROGATIVE. Lesson 2. Puonat, Plural marker. Usago of the plu Sorrixen -fj. Usace or rue SuPFIXED |. Usage ov Tax . NoMERALS, Lesson 8 Dernare Anricur. Usage of the article. xe Posrriosa, Retamios, THE ALTERNANCE ‘on’ IN A QUESTION. Tesson 4 ‘Vere ov Presence on Existence. Usage of AA and am. xv 16 eT 22 25 31 a ar 54vat AMHARIC TEXTBOOK Lesson 5 Review Lessox Lesson 6. " Punvsct. Triradical. The verb fig. Dinrcr Onrxot. ‘Worn onpzr. Lesson 7 Panvect o¥ Brmaprca. Venos. Verbal class Avo, Verbal class a9, Verbal class %@.. The verb AA ‘say’. Various Vanas, Posrriowat Retavioxs (continued). Lesson 8. . Penrsor ov Braapicat, Vaxns (continued). Verbal class 07. Verbal class 42. Ixomecr Onszor. Couwrsa axp ASKING YoR ine. Lesson 9 4 Hes Neoarive Penrzcr. Necanrve Exrarsstow ov 1xn Venn ‘pa’. Negative of the copula. Negative of the verb of presence, Lescon 10 ‘Review Lesson Lesson 11. Turzaricr. Types A and B, Structure of the imperfect. Meaning of the imperfect. Askina ror True (continued). Lesson 12 Inrznvacr (continued). Palatalization. Gpes. Lesson 13 : Terznrncr oF Brnabicais, Cass 47. Class 2. Clas ‘a PERSONAL PRONOUN IN THE EXPRESSION oY Possrssi0N, Lesson 4. Tursnrncr oF Binaproats (continued), Class Bam. Clas %L. Verbs im and aud. Verb AA ‘sey’. Observations on the imperfect bases of the biradicals. Series of actions 6 u 83 92 105 ut 123, 138 ERE SMRURESNTISOERES SE ‘TABLE OF CONTENTS in the present-future, Usns oF nue Ruzarrowat, EuEExr. Omission of @-, Blision of vowels. SeloetReR NR ke eek og Review Lussow. Teton 16... + Posauserv suvmx Proxooxs. Suffix pronouns with the rnoun-+088, Usage of the possessive suffix pronouns. Table of the poseessive suffix pronouns. Lesson 17. - ‘Tce nceut Inrunrecr. Tho usage of the simple imperfect ‘Tho main negative clause, Vans wir INrriat, h-. Tewon 18. Smaue Toeapecr o Brnantcars (Affirmative and negs- tive). lass \é), Class #2. Class av. Class am. Class ¥.- Verb jit ‘say’. Danoxsraanive Pronoun AxD ADIEOTIVE. Lesson 19 Siurce Iavenrect (continued). Svsoxpuvaré Chavsn. Tho affirmative subordinate clause. The negative subordinate clause. Subordinate imperfect of biradicals. Position, of the subordinate clause. Simple imperfect with 4ii¢ or Bad. Simple imperfect with -#. seo 0 He ea Ruview Lessow. Lesson 21 Tur Onvece SurMx Proxouns, Table ofthe object suffix ‘pronouns. Usage of the object suffix pronouns. Table of the object suffix pronouns with a verb, Lesson 22 E "Tur Onzncr Svrvix Puoxouss wrru tun Courovnn Vex ‘Fors. Table of the object suffix pronouns with the imper- fest. 45 151 163 4 187 200 209 25me AMHARIC TEXTBOOK Lewson 23. 2. eae ics any ‘Taz Expression or rae Vamp ‘ro nave’. Table for the expression ‘to have’ in the present. The expression of ‘not to have’. Onpivat, Nowaens. Teens ee ee Jossivs axp Iurenanive. Jussive. Affirmative jussive, ‘Negative jassive. Various usages ofthe jussive. Iapnattvs, ‘Vanpats. Vennat, Novy. Table of the verbal noun. Pani. ‘irux, Usage of the participle, Table of the partcipl Lesson 25... Saeed ee Cn aey Review Lusson, Taam ME GO eee art tae Jussivs_ ax Iurznanve or Breapicat, Vaan, Juscive Class A°7. Class 2. Class 4am, Class $ae. Class %P.. Class with initial. Negative jussve, Imperative. Panvostriomsn Svrrx Pnoxouns. The verb AA followed by () with prey sitional suffix pronouns, Fae Lesson 37 paren 3 - 28t Gueuwprve. Usage of the gerundive. Gerundive with object, suffix pronouns. Idiomatic usages of the gerundive. Gerundive + tile. Lesson 28 ee ae 299 Genuworve or THE Brrapicat Venns, Class (167. Class 42. Class am. Class am. Class ¥2. Gerundive of the class AA. Topensoxan Verns, Lesson 29... Se ma Coxroup Gznuspive, Compound gerundive with object suffix pronouns. Compound gerundive of tho biradical verbs. Compound gerundive of the class AA. Meaning and usage of the compound gerundive, Lesson 30... ee . 824 Review Lzsson, ‘TABLE OF CONTENTS Lesson 31 Su oops eae 6 caine Ratarve CLAvse. The relative element with the perfect. ‘The relative element with the imperfect. The clement of determination with the relative qualifier. Table of the article with relative qualifier. Omission of ¢. Expression of ewhom Lesson 32 Mee atc Ratative Cravse (continued). The ¢- clause} yam. The clause with conjunctions. Vans or PReseNce INTHE Past ayp Forons, Tar Vers op Ipextiry 1x rap Past AND Forure. Possession in Tae Past. Special Muaxixa oF £urGA. Tarmapicat Venss wrrm Snattar 2nd and 3rd Rapr- cats (1.2.2) Lesson 33, : : ne ‘Tax Ver AA ¢to sav. Various usages of Ai. Com rosrre Vans. Observations on some verbs of this class. ‘Vanss or Tyrer (. Unctassrep Vurns. Verb --q@, Verb WF. Insrevsexrat, Meaning and usage of the instrumental ‘Lesson 34 E i a Dunivep Sreqs, Exrernat, Denivan Srems. The a-stem, A partial list of the triradical verbs in the a-stem, Lesson 35 Review Lesson. Lesson 36 5 Breapicats 1 THE @-Srex. Exrnession oF Coxsuxcri- ‘ows : because, since, as; before; after; since (time); while, when. Lesson 37 5 ‘Tar ti-Srew, The té-stem with type C. The td-stom of lass ni Lesson 38 . a Birapicans 1 THE ti-SreM. EXPREssion oF coNTUNC- xI 332 345 309 st 389 390 408 a9xr AMHARIC TEXTBOOK ‘mons (continued) : till, until; while, all the time that; when, Lewon 39. 2 1. Semin oak ‘Tux as-Srem, The as-stem of verbs with initial a-, Tama MO eee ees: Revipw Leseow. Se Lesson 41 aoe . M8 Breaprcans 1 tHe as-Srem. Expression or ConsuNo- ‘Tons (continued) : a8 soon as, just as; as often as, every time; that; how; without; unless, if not Teac 0 ey on ae ae Stem ASBA. Exenessiox o¥ Coxsuxcrrows (continued): in order that, so that, in order to, Lesson 48... , st et carl Breapicats 1N THE ADLA-Stam, THe as(ti)-Srem. Ex- Panastox oF Coxsuxcrions (continued) : as, just as; but; even though, although; even if Lesson 44. ce ee 488 Quapzmaproan Vanivs. Basio stom, The a-stem. Compans- nave, Vanious Apsectives ano Pronouns : each, ‘each ‘one, everyone. Lesson 45 Ruvizw Lussoy. oO ae Lesson 46. ; ; - 002 Quapammavrcats (continued). The t#-stem. Tho as-stem. The ADRA-stom. Evanive, Surmmsatrvs. Oonprstowat, Lesson 47 on au - 516 Class Mes. Class AAR. Exreession or ¢ aut, WHOLE». Vanrous Apsmorivas ap Proxouns (continued) : every- one, everybody; everything, | REE ‘TABLE OF CONTENTS xr Tapa oi: aanat Oy we NED ie Of Tsrerwat Demivep Srews, Repuriicarive Ste (trira- dicals, biradicals, quadziradicals). Conjugation in the basic stem, Vamtous Apszcrives xp Proxouns (continued) = someone, somebody; anyone, anybody; some; nobody, no one; nothing, not anything. eet aes aye - AL Nowrwat, Parrenss. nr ee ees aa) Review Lesson. VOCABULARIES ‘Ambario-English vocabulary . : 062 English-Ambaric vocabulary. . ee tno TABLES Ns ce cae ese 08 cs Alphabet u. Numerals 7 TIL Copula a, ALLAP IV. Verb of presence ha; Pig y. Expression of «to haves VL Expression of «not to have» VIL, Possessive suffix pronouns VIII. Object suffix pronouns TX. Object suffix pronouns with the compound imperfect x Prepositional suffix pronouns XI, Perfect. Triradicals and biradioals XII, Simple imperfect. Triradicals and biredioals XI. Imperfect. Triradicals and biradicals XIV. _Jussive and imperative, Triradicals and biradicals XV. Simple gerundive. Triradicals and biradicals XVI. Compound gerundive, Triradicals and biradicals XVIT —Triradicals. Basic and derived stems XVIIL Type C. Basie and derived stemsxv AMHARIC TEXTBOOK ‘XIX. Class AA\d.. Basic and derived stems XX, Class (127. Basio and derived stems XI. Class #2. Basic and derived stems XXII. Class fam, Basic and derived stems XXII. Class Ba, Basio and derived stems PREFACE XXIV, Clase #2. Basio and derived stems ayer Ver nabety : “Ambatio is the national language of Ethiopia, Tt belongs to the See, Simeeprueeee: eps aos ar Veneta Semitic family of languages, the other Semitic languages of Ethiopia Aen Calla being the following : Geet (the language of liturgy, no longer spoken); XXVIII. Class An ‘Tigre and Tigrinya in the north; Gurage, Harari, Argobba and Gafat XXIX, | Reduplicative stem, ‘Triradiels, Basic and derived in the south. stems Another family of languages spoken in Bthiopia isthe Cushitie group, XXX. Reduplicative stem, Biradicals. Basic stom, ‘which includes Galla, Somali, Agan, Sidamo, Kafa, and many others. (Owing to politcal and social conditions, Amari is gaining ground INDEX OF GRAMMATICAL FEATURES... . . 660 throughout the whole country. Ambaro is used in business, govern- rent, and instruction. Newspapers are printed in Amharic as are numme- INDEX OF AMHARIC FUNCTION WORDS aes OTD rous books on all subjects.THE TEXTBOOK ‘This Textbook treats the language that is spoken in the province'of Shoa and in Addis Ababe, the capital of Hthiopia, Tt is a shorter version of a rouch more detailed work prepared under a contract with the U.S, Department of Health, Eduoation and Welfare. ‘The textbook gives, however, the essential features of the language, and ‘thus enables the student to speak the language and to read easy texts. ‘A much more detailed textbook, dealing in detail with the variety of the syntacti features of the language, would be required to prepare the student for the reading of Amharic literature, ‘The textbook has an introduetion and fifty lessons. The Introduction deals with the sounds (consonants and vowels) of Ambario, and with the ‘Amharic alphabet. The alphabet is treated in seven sections, each section having appropriate reading exercises. "The morphology and syntax are dealt with in fifty lessons. Each lesson desoribes one or several grammatical features ofthe language and includes a vocabulary end exercises. ach fifth lesson is a review lesson, In lesson 5 begins a connected story (called dorsit). Other connected stories are given every third or fourth lesson thereafter. ‘Beginning with lesson 16 and ending with lesson 54 there is a dra- ratized dialogue between the young gis! Almaz and the young man ‘Yohannes. ‘The textbook ends with an Ambario-English and an English- Amharic vocabulary, tables of the various grammatical forms, and tan index of the grammatical features. ‘The spelling is traditional, « fact that explains spellings such as wé., Owe, and others. As for the alphabetical order of the vocabu- laries, I have placed together symbols that have the same pronuncia- tion, as, for instance, (1 and w, and @, and so on. ‘As-in the case of any textbook, the grammatical features are not treated in a systematic way, but are chosen s0 as to allow the student to construct connected sentences. PREFACE xvir transcribed phonetically only up to lesson Dularies of the individual lessons are transcribed. phonetically but do not have the two dots indicating gemination. Likewise the exercises have no dots for gemination. The two dots are not used in the vocabu- laries nor in the exercises since they do not oootr in the traditional alphabet. In this way we familiarize the student with the Ambaric alphabet in its traditional representation. ‘The aim of the exercises is practice in the usage of the grammatical features of the lessons, and the construction of sentences, In addition to this kind of exercises there is one section entitled « Translate into “Amhatios for the benefit of the student who wants to text his capae sity in translating English into Ambar. The last seotion of each Jeseon, entitled « Read and translates, is a set of sentences in the form of question and answer. ‘The connected story (or dorsi) occasionally conteins words that are not found in the vocabulary of the lesson. Such words are explained immediately following the dorsit. They are not given in alphabetical ‘order, but in order of their occurrence in the text, The dramatized dia- Iogue likewise contains words that are not given in the vocabulary of the individual lessons. ‘These words are also explained following the text of the dialogue, in order of their ooourrence. ‘it is desirable that the student practice all the exercises of the losons, This is true also of the review lessons since they help the student to review the grammatical features and the vocabularies of the five preceding lessons, The review lestons also include at times « connected story and the dramatized dialogue of Almaz and Yohannes. ‘The most difficult decision I have had to make concerns the order in ‘which certain grammatical features should be presented. An example ‘or two will serve as illustration, From historical point of view, one ‘vould undoubtedly prefer to see the simple imperfect treated before ‘the compound imperfect, since the simple imperfect is the main com- pponent of the compound imperfect; ot one might wish to be presented first with all the verb forms of the triradicals, followed by those of the biradicals. This textbook, however, as been written with a practicalxvIIT PREFACE purpote in mind, namely, 1 allow the student to construct sentences verevryaay life as soon as possible. 1¢ is, therefore, the frequency of tunge in the language that has diotated the presentation of the cont pound imperfect before the simple imperfect, and of the various verb Povrna of tho biradiels alongside those of the trradicals. There is no vio however, to stress the fact that no textbook oan fill the needs of tach and every student, The teacher should therefore fel fre to give siditional material, particularly for the’ vooabularys to change the arcdr ofthe lessons occasionally if this proves to be useful and feasible; gr to accelerate or slow down according to the needs and qualifications of the students. Tnconnection with the grammatical festures ofthe language it should ‘ye pointed out that whenever there re variant forms of « partiouse frammatiol feature (es, for instance, inthe ont f the article or of he ‘lural Thave generally given ony one formfor‘hesake of simplification, ‘At times my viows regarding certain phonetio and morphologies) features differ from those of previous grammarians, but since this is textbook I have thought it advisable not to enter here into discussion cr those matters. By simply stating in the body of the book the facts tts see them, I indieate my views on the subject. ‘the séntonces as well as the connected texts were all written by Bthiopian students, and particulary by Yohannes Admasu, ‘They were arecked and revised by my Ethiopian students and colleagues, Dr ‘Koaham Demor, Dr. Haila Fullas, and Dr. Getatchew Haile. The Story of Almaz and Yohannes was written by Asmarom Legeese. To fll of them I express my sincere thanks and appreciation. ABBREVIATIONS sw common; f= finine; fm. — finn intr = inirastives m= mauling; one; ne oun p= pray seep = reposts af. sng = teamitves tana, = tantves v= verb INTRODUCTION ‘THE SOUNDS ‘There are 27 consonants and 7 vowels in Amharic. Coxsonants ‘The consonants are : Te- | Den- | Pala- | Velare| Glottals Dials | tals | tals Voss |p jt [8 |e |* Stops Yoioed be las he. le Glottalied |p |e |e [a Voiceless |f |st [8 h Fricatives Voiced a itt Glottalized ® Nasal - Voiceless Voiced m |[n |i Liquids _Voiceless Voiced Lr Semivowels w y [ANI these consonants ean be rounded and geminated (see below). For the number of letters, see the Alphabet. Pronunciation of the Amharic Consonants Some of the Ambario sounds are the same, or neerly the seme as the English sounds, while others are not found in English. ‘The dental rcative zeal called ‘ebata AMHARIC TEXTBOOK The sounds that are approximately the same as in English are + b, py mf, 6 (a8 in “sun") % ws g (a8 in go), Rand h. Tn addition to these, there are sounds which are the same ot neatly en atbe a the Bnglish sounds, but are rendered by epecal phonetic symbols for Ambario. These a6 = corresponding to ch in ‘church’ ¥ corresponding to ah in ‘shoe’ {corresponding to j in ‘joke’ ¥ corresponding to + in ‘pleasure’ ‘ corresponding to mi in ‘onion’. ‘The Amharic sounds that are found in English but ere pronounced soveirbat difecently are : d and In Ambario these sounds 9 of whe dental type, that is, the tip of the tongue touches che opper part sa eath, wheres in English thes sounds are f the elvesas [7b eatin the cp of the tongue touches the alveolar sige above the teeth. ‘The Ambario Lis of the ‘light’ type os in French, German Spanish, that to any, the tp ofthe tongue touches the alveolar zidge ‘and the crave of the tongue is cle to the roof of the mouth than it for Tnglsh {, The Ambario 1s moze ike the English | ote ‘beginning ee ord (os in light’) rather than the Rnglith L which in othes positions seerthe ‘dark’ type, that isto any, the back af the tongue is depressed. ‘The Amhavio ris «flap ras in Spanish o in Ttalinn + the ip of the tongue striking the gor ridge behind the upper teeth ‘The glotal stop ° corresponds to the prononcation of ‘the initial sound of English ‘uh-uh’ used. as a negation or ‘oh-ol, as an s3P%" saat surprne and warning (= ‘be careful, watch out), Ts Amharic sion ore medially between vowels in some words such as bir ‘peo’ {beside boor), sat, saat “hour” (beside coat ‘The sounds which are characteristic of Ambaric and are not found in English are transribed by : , f ® 9+ and ¢ Thess sounds are aa rel gltialied” or ‘ejestive’. These glotalized eounds have ‘heir counterpart in the non-glttalized sounds as follows : 1 The gominate ri tl. 1a ray wih yond be moe cotnty bt snce ie eae fe atin elpinbet thar boon uted for tho glottal. soe nou rw aleotraacribed af 2 Fy and INTRODUCTION 3 slottalized f : non-glottalized ¢ tlottalized : non-glottalized k plottalized p : non-glottalized p lottalized ¢ : non-glottalized & eaiest non-glottalized ¢ 1e difference between the glottalized consonants and the non- flottalized consonants is best hema ke ee "The non-glottalized consonants are pronounced as described above ‘whereas in pronouncing the glottalited consonants, the stream of air coming from the lungs is shut off by closure of the glottis, and the air shoe is then forced out through a stricture formed in the vocal ‘organ. This stricture is at the lips for p, at the teeth for palate for f,and at the velum eee rh ea = Rounding ‘Nearly all the consonants can be pronounced with a slight roundi of the lis, this rounding being expresed by the joao Ee af alight rained, as in me, dk, gf, and soon, Wo wl se later in the section dealing with the alphabet that only the velars ¢, bg, and h have a complete set of graphio symbols for rounding Whereas the other consonants have it only for the vowel a The rounded g, k and q, that is, g!, k# and q azo called ‘Labiovelars’. 4s exile rounding of the lips in English can be illustrated 1 initial kin ‘queen’ or by the initial 4" i 9 when pro- nein see by the initial hin ‘which’ when p ‘Note that g!, 8 and g® contrast in meaning with g, k, and q. Ex: amples: géddata “diminish? against gikddala “kil; k*dmmard ‘prepare and sell fermented mead’, against kimmdir ‘heap, pile up’; guitar ‘count’, against git “hire - Seiad the other rounded consonants contrast with the un- Phonemes of Amharic All tho consonants (except) listed in the chart are, phonemes, that is to aay, the unit of « sound when contrasted with another ‘unit within the same environment brings about another mesning.4 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK, ‘To illustrate this statement, a word such as bassild has another meaning than mdeedld simply because of the different sounds } and m, dll other sounds being the same, Indeed, basil means ‘be ripe ‘mdse “be like’. “Minimal pair of this kind oan be found for neatly all the phonemes of the language. Thus, Junj-[b] + medestila ‘be like’ * baissdla ‘be ripe’ mj-[or] + mal ‘swean™ wal “spend the day” [bli] bla ‘eat? fall boil Jaj-/t/ = daffa ‘push’ bage “spt Jaf-fn[ + dif “posh? aja Blow [el-[e] + méitea “hit? snlife ‘come’ [s[-/x| + flssdsi ‘be spilled” fictit ‘tare’ Isls): andsoa “it Sate cee I-16] + Gamma “begat meni "aa [l-li]+ wags ‘redeem? wold rim! Til-[8] + waa ‘redeem! wall X [Sl-[é| +: bo8i “pierce” befi ‘be numerous | Iyl-lt] + yalé “without” (mason ee Iy[-f8]_ + Rlfay ‘who pays) Tafa ‘who opens’ Jgl-Pe} ibbairé kabbara heotne rich’ Ik/-lal : gabbara “bury’ eJ-[\f_ +: Barra ‘be bright’ balla “eat? (hj-[k| : Bérdha “uninhabited place’ birilka ‘blessing’ feller | + adda i? rua ‘sims e[-[le| + kimmdrd heap, pile up’ mma ‘sell mead’ Jal-lar] : eid ‘hize’ qr “count "There are no minimal pairs for p and Gemination [All the consonants, except ’ and 4, can ovcur either in geminated cor non-geminated form. Gemination is most conveniently deseribed as lengthening of the consonant. An example of gemination in Tnglish 1 the vere are translated hore ae infiatives forthe sake of convenience. Actaally the Amhara on ar thoes of the pat, angular, Sd pers, mataline, Thus, msl smeens is was Uk INTRODUCTION 5 is the ‘n’ in ‘pen-knife’ (pronounced with geminated n), or the “book-case’ (pronounced with geminated #). Gemination never occurs initially in Amharic. Tt occurs in medial and final position. ‘Examples for modial position : bbisd ‘he dressed’, fag "he wished’, wanna ‘main, principal’, ziffind *he sang and danced’, alld ‘he is’, yormattal “ho is hit. For the final position, note the contrast between the geminated and non-geminated consonants in [of ‘child’ as against of *hand’ ‘nf ‘one who plucks’ as against naff ‘white’; ‘wif ‘stew’ as against wif ‘something out of the ordinary’; Jab hyena’ as against lobb ‘heart’ in Gemination is phonemic in Ambaric. An illustration can be given from some minimal pairs such as : ald ‘he said’ as against alla “there is, he is'; ‘wana ‘swimming’ a8 against wanna “principal, chief’; ‘ira “bald? as against barra ‘it lit up’; {aga ‘young shoot’ as against Wagga “he hit a ball’; some ‘may name’ as against samme ‘I having kisse naif ‘one who plucks’ as against naff ‘white’; abay ‘las’ as against abbay ‘Nile’ Gemination may be morphological or lexical. By morphological ‘we mean certain nominal or verbal forms for which one of the phonemes can be predicted as occurring in a geminated form, as, for instance, sabbiiri ‘he broke’, that isto say, the form of the triadioal vorb in the perfect. Gemination in a lexical item cannot be predic- ted. Thus, for instance, wanna ‘principal, main’ (with geminated 1) and not wana. Gemination may also result from the assimilation of one consonant, in contact with another; thus allakk fr falligk ‘you wished’. ‘THE VOWEIS ‘There are 7 vowels in Amharic. They are : i, ¢,& 0, 2. We will see later that the traditionnal order of writing these vowels is :d 1 ia, 60 ando,rere cnr 6 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK ‘To show the position of the movable organs of specch involved in the utterance of all these vowels, that is to say, the tongue and the lips the following table may prove convenient = Front Center Back high i ° « ‘There is no precise correspondence between the pronunciation of the Ambaric and the English vowels. ‘The vowel ¢ is pronounced something like the ‘ee’ in ‘feet, but without the y glide of English. Bxamples: ft Yoos’, andi ‘you’ (fem), ityoppya “Bthiopis’. ‘The vowel ¢ has # pronunciation approximately like that of the vowel ‘a’ in ‘state’, but without the y glide of English. Note that The consonant preceeding this vowel may be slightly frontal so that the consonant has a slight y glide. The transeription C¥e (C= cons- nant) approximates the pronunciation. This phonetic symbol however, will not be used in the rest of the book. Thus, "house! is rendered by bet even though occasionally the pronunciation is also ‘vat; “last will is rendered by nuzaze even though oocasionally the pronunciation is also nusazve. ‘The vowel dis pronounced like the sound one makes while hesitating in spenking and which is represented in writing by ‘uh’. Exam nijgi ‘tomorrow’, gard ‘servant’. ‘No word in Amhario begins with initial & except Grd ‘then, so then’. The vowel @ does not occur after the glottal A, except in a few ocoumronces such as yohd ‘here it is', stiahais “you gave me’, (oh ‘seream’, and s0 on. ‘The vowel ais pronounced approximately like the English excla- ‘ation ‘ah’ but is slightly more open. Examples : addi ‘to spend the night’, na ‘come!’ asat ‘fire’ ‘The vowel o is pronounced approximately like the English ‘o' in ‘nor’, but without the wglide of English. Note that the consonant preceeding this vowel may be slightly labilized or rounded, #0 that INTRODUCTION 1 the conconant has a slight w glide. The transcription Ovo (0 = Con- sonant) approximates this pronunciation. This phonetic symbol, how- ever, will not be used in the rest of the book. Thus, ‘he ran’ is rendered by ro{a even though occasionally the pronunciation is. also r#ota ‘mule’ is rendered by biglo even though occasionally the pron ciation is also big. ‘The vowel u is pronounced approximately like the English ‘o’ in who’, but without the wglide of English. Examples : hullu ‘all’, fut ‘breast’, unde “truth’, ‘The vowel 9 has a pronunciation approximately like the ‘e’ in ‘roses’. Examples : atu ‘he’, sont ‘bow much. ‘No Amharic word ends in this vowel except the interogative particle no which is pronounced with a rising tone. Likewise, in poetry, for reasons of prosody, if a final word of a line ends in # consonant, a vowel 2 can be added. ‘A secondary 9 known as ‘prothetio’ 9 eppears initially before r. ee nb “punger’, but also secondarily orab; rob ‘Wednesday’, but ‘Whenever the combination of two words produces a cluster of three ‘consonants or of a geminated consonant followed by another consonant f transition vowel 9 is used. Thus, the combination of wind with log ‘hoy’ results in the pronunciation of winds lof; or the combination cof lak ‘correct’ with naw ‘it is? results in the pronunciation of lake nw. ‘Since the presence of this vowel is predictable it will not be marked in the transcription, Meeting of Vowels When for various reasons two vowels meet, various changes tal BB hhanges take 1 Ons of te vowels can be elided (see lesson 13, 31) 2, Depending on the nature of the vowels, a glide w or y appears (see lesson 2, 16). ora '3, A glottal stop may appear; thus bo'ar ‘pen’ (beside boor); si’at “hous (beside siat); ma'at ‘anger’ (beside maat); ma'erab ‘West’ (beside moorab).eerste ‘THE ALPHABET Amharic is written from left to right. ‘The Amharic alphabet has thirty-three basic symbols, each symbol having seven different shapes traditionally called ‘orders’ according to the vowel with which the basic symbol is combined. Tt should be kept in mind that each graphic symbol represents consonant together with its vowel, that is to say, the vocalic element cannot be deteched from the consonantal element. It is for this reason that the thiopian alphabet is called a syllabary. Later we will see that the 6th ‘order’ ean also represent the consonant alone without any vowel ‘We said that there were thirty-three graphie symbols in the Ambario alphabet. We have aéen, however, that Amharic has only twenty-seven Consonants, This discrepancy can be explained by the fact that on ‘one hand several symbols represent the same consonant, on the other hand several symbols lost their consonantal value, For details, see below. ‘The shape of the printed symbol is the same as that of the written symbol. ‘Tho arrangement of the Amharic alphabet is different from that of the Latin alphabet, This arrangement will have to be studied so as to enable tho student to look up words in the dictionary. ‘The alphabet is treated in the next six sections SECTION 1 ‘THE CONSONANTS WITH THE VOWEL ‘The basio graphic form from which the other forms developed is the first order. This order represents the consonant followed by the ‘vowel a. Tt is with this order that the disoussion of the alphabet will start. “As stated sbove, the first order represents the consonant followed by the vowel d, ‘The traditional arrangement of the consonants in the first order as well as in the other orders will be taken up elsewhere. For methodological reasons, a classification will be made here socording to the shape of the symbols. Following this principle, the graphic ymbols ean be divided into the following groups : 1, Symbols which have two straight ‘legs’ : a be A Pe a oat R de a4 ER h a la ed hoa we he R at 2, Symbols that havo three ‘legs’: a ti a hat a a 3, Symbols thet have one ‘eg gi 4 nb tt Fit Be e yt Tw 4 has a gt 4, Symbols with a rounded bottom : ost @ wi @ mi v bo wait oa 1 Se below ‘Observations‘mere memnentneanern anne 10 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK 5, Symbols which have a horizontal bottom line : eon 4 fi ‘Observations on w, A; 8.0 From the list given above it ean be seen that the following symbols Ihave the same consonantal pronunciation : w and (1, both pronounced ef; and 9, both pronounced #4. Observations on U, dy “Th ‘These four symbols represent the samne consonant, namely h. We have seen above that the laryngeal h is’followed by the vowel d only in a fow occurrences. The syliable Ad is then represented by “fl As for the symbols J, chy “1 in the first order, they are pronounced with the vowel a and not &. Thus UJ, ch, and “y are pronounced ha as if they were written with the vowel ofthe 4th order, for which see below. ‘ote that historically these letters represent’ different consonants, namely U = hy dh = fy and Observations on h, 0 ‘The two letters f and Q, written in the first order, are pronounced ‘qand not d, While originally these symbols represented two different Tacyngeal consonants, namely J was "a, and g was ‘a, in Amharic ‘thoy lost their consonantal values of * and ‘and funotion at present only as vowel carriers. Thus both A and @ are pronounced es vowel Tt should be noted, however, that even though these last two symbols are to be pronounced only as vowels, they cannot be used to represent the vowel symbols for the other consonants. 1 ho only exception for an intial is Rid, drt, but note that the pronunciation @ ie exposed by a special apmbol SECTION 1 ul [RBADING EXENCISES ‘From pedagogical point of view it would be desirable if the student were in a position to practice the reading of words that have meaning. However, since the student is not required at this stage to study the meaning of the words, many words of this section as well as of the other sections have no meaning. The reading exercises are meant mainly 9 introduce the reading of the consonants with all possible vow 1. Read the consonants with the vowel d. aoe. Wee 4a7 ar emgang. anne. ole, orga 4.00 nee ar ene ena nee me Ane any nen wen aad enn en thn. ae am ee. ean rar emt 10% how ean 1002, tony ann ek, Ie Fovrfoo Pbk, Re. nin Age hag hehe anor Ob, oss cor no Mari0e eae. wae, ae Rit Kove fame, wenB AMETARIC TEXTBOOK Ben vm en 120 mont aba mine uoree. aan cary one one BAe an ot 4, Read the following pairs of words paying special attention to the non-glottalized versus the glottalized pronunciation = mace Tam [Alm {ou (een the Wat ant FAN hae-pae meme = {fam 120m ie ie bebe nat oot hne hed res fe fee (tots (ee { { Rao? (hee ann (eee hoon, an = [noe at Am (ress (es SECTION? ‘THE CONSONANTS WITH THE VOWELS u, i, ¢, a, 0 ‘This section deals with the two legged and three-legged characters. ‘The vowels will be given in the following order : u,#, ¢, 0. This is not the traditional order, but is used here for pedagogical reasons. ‘The vowel u, or the 2nd order, is characterized by a small horizontal line [-/ attached to the center of the right side of the characters. Examples : Q bi: bu Roa he Rog: Re m ti: ae he dh ha: dy hu, and soon, ‘The vowel é, or the Srd order, is characterized by # small horizontal line [-/ attached to the bottom part of the right side of the characters. Examples : a ba: a, Wi Aa hd ma: om fi ha: dh, hi, and s0 on. Note, (a: GA, fi. ‘The vowel e, or the Sth order, is characterized by small semi- circle /_ attached to the bottom part of the right side of the characters. Examples : f bi: nh be head hee mf: mee dh lia: dy he, and s0 on, Note, i fii: ce ¢.iT AMHARIC TEXTBOOK ‘The vowel a, or the 4th order, is characterized by the left leg or logs being sorter than the right one. Examples: 4 being pronounced ha. ‘The vowel o, or the Tth order, is characterized by having the right log or logs shorter than the left leg. Examples Q bi: 0 bo ho fi: bh bo m fi: mt am fa: or fo Note Ae 1. Table ‘The two-legged and three-legged characters have the following forms: 1, Two-legged symbols : A te lu au & le Ale te lo Asa a a se A sa fh 80 TM te Th te ta tb a ba fu Mb be bo A bo he he Ri ke Aa he hike Te ku nh ht th ke h ke pb ko Tha tein BA he ha ho tao oa he 4 He ae wh CK we wh eh 2 di Bdu Adi Bde Rae Redo EM Rh LK Ke Hie Rb UCU ORR Re RM RR Rp me Re Ree Re OR ne ana SECTION 2 [READING EXERCISES an an ha fae wa ahh fm, wh. a, 28 am aa, at aa Bt maa on, om aa aa Ate 8 as oh w ree BB see an nan ne a. ag ue fh. aH oot nt arm Ang au pany owt tm tet ha ab nau ae Ak.SECTION 3 ‘THE CONSONANTS WITH THE VOWELS wi, ¢ 040 (Continued) This section will deal with one-legged charactors. ‘The vowel u is characterized by a small horizontal line -/ attached to the oonter of the Jeg. Examples : eg: kw +a: kw eo Rom T pi: OF yw 4 ha: Ap hu, and s0 on. ‘The vowel‘ is characterized by « small horizontal line |-/ attached to the bottom part of the leg. Examples: eg: & gi. ta kw yobs ot a we A he 4, hi, and 80 on. Note, @ ya: yi ‘The vowel ¢ is characterized by a small semi-circle /*/ attached to the bottom part of the leg. Examples: fa te ge he, and s0 on. ‘The vowel a is characterized by having the lower part of the leg slanted to the left. Examples eg: oo or a SECTIONS Ww aast VELs Fees Note, ¢ na, and ¥ ia, Tt should also be kept in mind that there is no difference in promunc- iation between “4 and 3, both being pronounced ha. ‘The vowel o is characterized by o small circle added to the top of the leg of some symbols, and by another mark for the other symbols. ‘Examples : & gi: & + # * ¥ & Note, ¢ no and % iho (the circle being added to the base of the 4th onder); 90, 9 90, 7° po. Table a « i ‘ « ° ee ku eo be te Fw ta bu bi be a Bh to £4 $e £G £& Fe ¥ 4h pu LK Ake BD he ho a ee 7 Ka fF iu YF te F ta F fo ew Rm Rw yw LF mw & yo 1g hm 1g 4 we Dm 4 g Tv pi Fm Cw Tre TF pw 7 po READING EXERCISES ae rw ws OA, hee Be wt ate‘agmatine nena 18 ae ten be +o a8 et ake ag ont o% o% a me we ae AMHARIC TEXTBOOK re ogy 108. trace wD nah owen meh n ater ore each, Pe wus ae aan as orn pay ote, ws 00M os naa ot gh oe Abie oe KD oe dude +e ha ae or or oy eH. hia abet ann, mits, ma, alka. RFA nat, A aan. ana ih Soflm. aha, overt: eo SECTION 4 ‘THE CONSONANTS WITH THE VOWELS 1, i, ¢, d, 0 (Continued) ‘This section deals with characters having a rounded bottom and with g and g, The vowels will be given in the following order : 1%, 4,4, ¢, 0. The characters with rounded bottom will be treated first. ‘The vowel w is characterized by of the right side. Thus, oe hu small horizontal line attached 1 ha | ma 4 so a 4 Note, P wa, and 4 a, Tt should be kept in mind that there is no difference between U and Y, both being pronounced ha; and between @ and 4, both being pronounced «. ‘The vowel i is characterized by a small horizontal line added to ‘the extension, that is, to the form of the symbol with the vowel a. ha mds 25aaaXx‘apsanennannenc nanan 20 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK SECTION « 21 ‘The vowel ¢ is characterized by a small semi | "Cc re ant eet ‘extension, that is, to the form of the symbol with the vowel «, Thus, 9 a ane ote Pa vo ha: Y ho: % he \ oo mi: ma: OL me oa “10. +e pe wren cs ed bani! = Phe oe Ie, ore z ae x rt | ory, mz or 2e Led cee whee tee vr. Coal se PF Pe bh #6 we PIe Phe ‘The vowel o is characterized by a short curved line slanting to the bbe ae “16 emhe- Le? left. Thus, Sage ge | oo ee os, *e one @ wi: P wo ac wa PSHE wee oa: Po o pe 2, Read the following pairs of words paying special attention to the non-glottalized versus the glottalized : {f ea 1k {pris {ae Note, uo, 4 mo. ‘For ¢ and 4, the vowels are : emiaw ek em 6 © me 2a 10 ana = laa bf $f 2K Bf & he he Bs ne Fane, {ere ee ate ae sree bah Table (ie be (ee {oe wel, Ro Whe Rae BAe 06-0. wo mi om mms Lm OR me PO oF Be ree ha nat wt om Ye 4 r.@ on are ae Dah at @ wi aw Fm Bu & we P wo oe em Pe TH te Fw j es ee es ee Ad Ob cole ge. (4 86 Fee [READING EXERCISES 1, Read the following words : re bods aa 2 we ve bbe 4am OLE weSECTIONS ‘THE 6TH ORDER ‘A symbol in the 6th order has two pronunciation 1. Te represents the consonant without any vowel; 2, Tt represents the consonant followed by the vowel 2. ‘Thus, word such as 2077/7 (all the consonants, except the first one, being in the 6th order) can be read theoretically méngost ‘mdnagost, ménogost, mingost, and s0 on. The correct roading of « ‘Word that has a symbol or symbols in the 6th order can best be obtained Uther with the help of a native speaker or through knowledge of the fnorphologial patterns and / or the structare of the syllable. The ‘enumeration of these Principles, however, would not be helpful for ‘the beginner. ‘Note that in final position « symbol in the 6th order is pronounced as consonant, without following vowel 2. Thus £77C is pronounced tpngdr. Only the interrogative - is pronounced -no with « rising fone, Likewise, in poetry, for reasons of prosody a final eymbol in the 6th order can be pronounced with the vowel 2 ‘There are various systems in tracing the 6th order. A general princi- ple in the formation of this order is an addition, ether horizontal fr vertical, to be made to some part of the character. ‘The characters in the Gth order are as follows : > eo Fe he e328 é gz kp RP aosensegney reese geet KP set 2 8 ES * >PAvs TUS 1, Read the following words : tar rt mie £& ‘a ree or parr ant TA £ro nav an SECTION te [RBADING EXERCISES ree ors rane ne? Pric rant aCe Pree ar aa an arr or ech arr PAPA macece WIT SMA AY a rome viet aoat on onr ocr anc ace noc et een ace arte NAG aract ack ca Par co gre ° 23 o 2S ET cn A en net nat asa SCP ech ra Par nie ear Pe ecb REET one Prcr Sait camu AMSLARIO TEXTBOOK ag cn ners | emt sec ace Ea aha rr 7c he avec ca cr % tte or aa ar gr 2, Read the following pairs sloud paying special attention to the vowel in the st order (vowel @) versus the vowel in the 6th order (vowel 2). fa fe ime RRA {g (i (a {rr (ra ar AC atl aoe: | {2 \P {a {ore cal ve ry a roe PF aa oce [ecr [ere [athe (oe eae {fer HE {emp SECTION 6 ‘THE LABIO-VELARS We saw above that the Amhario consonants. can be pronounced with the rounding of the lips. In phonetic script this rounding is expresied by a small raised ©; thus g®, #*, and 20 on. Only a few of these consonants, namely the velare g, , g, and the laryngeal i (as rounded consonant, only the symbol - is used) have different symbols for various vowels expressing the rounding. The rounded g, b and ¢ will be called labio-velars. The vowels that aze used with the labio- velars and h are : 4, 4, a, ¢, and 2, The forms are: h qt tg gto te Oe fe bed we Tite ev A a a a ‘THE wo-SYMBOL |All the consonants can be followed by -wa or pronounced rounded with the vowel a. This pronunciation is represented by the bracket ~ added to the top or by _, added to the bottom of the underlying character written in the Ist or in the 4th order. The characters are: fh, lca, 99, (or 3) mica, $, (or 2) rea, fh, sa, W, fea, g, bua, de a, Bea, 5, ma, H Hoos, omen, Wf Hon, B duo, da, , (wa, GA, fon, §, s00, % (or Ky fe) fa. OBSERVATIONS ON THE ALPHABET Serious defects in the Amharic alphsbet are: 1, There is no special symbol for gemination. Thus # word such tas Ki can be read either ald ‘he said or alla the is’. In this toxtbook, gemination will be indicated in the grammatical26 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK ‘explanations by two dots (+) waitten above the consonant to be gemin- ‘ated. Thus A is to be pronounced ald, whereas AA is to be pro- nounced alld, The usage of two dots for the expression of the gemin- ation is taken over from previous grammars of Ambario. 2. The 6th order is used to express both a consonant followed by the vowel @ and a consonant without © vowel. Unless one knows the word or the principles underlying the syllabic structure, one will not know how to pronounce it properly. Thus a word such as £77 ‘ean be read yongir or yonagar, ite actual pronunciation being yongar; ‘ora word such as #6739], could mistakenly be pronounced minagat ‘mdinogost, maingoset, or ménagsat, whereas its correct pronunciation is ingest. In this textbook, the phonetic transcription of the grammatical forms and of the vocabulary will indioate the correct pronunciation of the words having symbols in the 6th order. For more details on the 6th onder, see section 5. PUNCTUATION MARKS ‘The individual words in a sentence are separated by two dots (+). ‘This practice, however, is being discontinued. The end of a sentence is matked by a square formed by four dots (# ), a practice which still continues. Other orthographio signs are : (1) corresponding roughly to the semi-colon; and (1) corresponding roughly to the comms, However, the usage of these last signs may not- necessarily correspond with English usage. For the sake of simplicity no punctuation marks are used here at the end of the sentence in the sections dealing with the grammar. ORTHOGRAPHY On the whole, there are no real problems in Ambaric orthography since there is, mote or less, a one-to-one correspondence between the sounds and’the graphic symbols. There are, however, few sounds that are expressed by more than one symbol and, as « result, there ocasionally arises some confusion in the spelling. ‘The sounds which are represented by more than one symbol are : SECTION 6 a « represented by w, A; # represented by 2, A represented by Us dh “ts “Thi and the vowel carriers fh, 0. Besides, ‘4 and written in the Ist order have the same pronunciation as & and 4 written in the 4th order, that is, a. ince one sound can be represented by more than ono symbol, one occasionally finds the same word spelled differently using one or another of the symbols representing the particular sound. ‘Thus ama ‘you’ is spelled 400s, a0 or hart. ‘The word soyyum (proper noun) is spelled Eg" and NE. ‘The word githay ‘sun’ is spelled Och&, OAL, Rch&, and RL. ‘The word hamle ‘July’ is spelled ¢h9PAe and UPL. F The word hailu (proper namo) is spelled LAr “YPM ULM, and er ‘The word hasiin ‘grief is spelled ¢AH'} and “4H, and s0 on, ‘The orthography used in this Textbook is traditional. READING RXERCISES 1, Read the following words ak aT ao, Lam APD 178, TROD aad, aa Ney Pom at hea, we a BAA beam wera 9.79. wen “orm, aA wt, PNA PRA ba wed Mahe art an aha ioe aA aYRA Wed bedaoe hort RG Ethan haem Aled. heed Sefek URA Aad wr wile Nara Wek oom nae AeASECTION 6 29 8 |ANHLARIC TEXTBOOK oom orm Age azE one we tr wr om tA techew Abeer Oct kha anda he at a mt A RC werd Dl ak An at Meter he At at ch ke Ro Ne arhh APSA nit ome ne oh BA wor Phd BAMA ; oR se RP Me Ohh sr eh rac pant = creat hel r cad, The A RT BE ORE ne TAY ret nen me ome TRO ener WE ere netsh mono ee A Om aig oh ae ame ch be A 2, Read the following pairs aloud, paying special attention to aie we AB CNN the geminated versus the non-geminated consonants > mk ae ae Ws ee. /EN 6 nh me 70. (em ain tm 0k 6 OE ONG ie {re {ng (ia alt wee he AG Me RG A HT moe om A LP LAT e (ey {st ee (ta onit th wie 49 heh M2. (refi Unt kt ce aoe em HA rit [ar de he. fs mime, $4 ANA PM he A PCT eR te {ed {he th re a a S ay me ie es cach ee RE SUE IP 1m {aa {ae lad aa 3. Read the following 1 = a “ * ¢ : a 42 8 OB | FIA 1 OEP: PD RENE 1 ONT # aia eT eke PC | teem £ YAO 1 AO + VIL: Looe « OTs + Kram tt ony eA De et ae | 1G | Rowy ays eb te | BAAN eR Nhe Is Am vie Pe mE * | STE GE MME: LE TANT 8 TGP 1 TT # SEE tHE Pe ee ae OFF Ze PUdH ar 8 AME + LOTTA «OPP + ARE 1 La? ann ae AMA HL ETH FaeAMHARIC TEXTBOOK fs heter ANDRE 1 Ne 1 UA AR tHCTS + 4 PPR beds Os AP ART ART TIC! 18. BAF ee we sah ALMA «how | AMT + LO * LeLAO + de! Pt ANOFP 1 ASRAL + yO # SECTIONT ALPHABET 1, The Ambarie alphabet according to shape: lala alel el lelaloe bel eee a a a h Tt a ie - eu ef rept heebleilele a wala @ sl alo jet] at | at ot oe] |g] |) |e) se) te] oe] |e - eee ia ele ela ae oe 3 Flele ele el] ea) ‘s/ale|a ale slelelals|-lelelalels [z jae = leche cll elena elael lc ell hrelelelelale|8 | | of2 [3 /2)2[8/2/s/2/eja]s ps2 |2}e|.i2/2/8|.faps a{s|s|z|e|2{2) a] ¥ te] e]<)e a) < fie |e |oe fe] ee || < | |a ofa) e/a |e ntl] e/ Bae) oe 3 rel _| aia alae ieee al oat Vell clolel | rT] a[S]s}2}2 i >| <| 8) E | lalsia é 3]2] 2 © 3 i ER 3 q elglsle s|2/3/s|sle/2}2]./ala/z/./shs/sis)s|8/s/s)a/ | c : |<] | | |e fac = | | |] F |e] |e] |] x oe = += Fe rs ey 4 Pic# rf 2f2/2/2 i 3//&)/8/8)0/u]e clalSle/aalalely AMHARIC TEXTBOOK sa |2]s/3| 0/2 /8| 8 wlelolelalelelslaSener AMHARIC TEXTBOOK, & pole [ie [ee ite [ow [ee pon ee les lee lek [es Lee Tp [Rm trism |e elt 7 LABIOVELARS LESSON 1 PERSONAL PRONOUN Independent personal pronoun ‘The independent personal pronouns are ‘Singular : Ist com. 2nd mase. 2nd fom. ‘rd mase. 8rd fom. Plural: Ist com. 2nd com. 3rd com. Respeot : 2nd com. 3rd com. a Att AYE ale aie nF nit nih ach? niFo* one antl anki amnantt onndissu aseadSine ‘they? You’ ‘He, She’ Note that the personal pronoun has a special form of respect for ‘addressing a person ot for speaking to person. There is no distinction of gender. ‘When spesking to a person whom one respects, the form is RCA” arswo “You’, also pronounced orso. “When speaking about a perion whom one respects, the form is paar ossaddiw He, She’ 2 Alo ACA oro. 2 Alno ACA, gee 2 Ako ACAFO™ ste.36 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK ‘THE VERB ‘TO BE’ OF QUALITY OR IDENTITY ‘Tho verb ‘to be’ for the expression of quality or identity ‘he is, she is, and s0 on, is expressed by *4 *nd used with various suffixes which denote the person, gender and number. For the sake of con- venience, this element will be called ‘copula’. Ot nine Tam’ w nih ‘you are’ vt nis ‘you are’ yo nw ‘he is? ve ndisé ‘she is! ce nat Plural: Istcom. ¥ nin ‘wo are! Qndcom. Gye —‘naéiohu> ‘you are! 3rdcom. Fa nada ‘they are’ Respect: 2nd.com. PA not “You are” Srdcom. Giax —na8étw “He is, She is? ‘The copula has a special form of respect for the 2nd and Sr persons, regardless of gender. ‘For the 2nd person, the copula has the form 4P% ndvot ‘You are! (pronounced nd¥ot, noc. For the Srd person, the copula has the form Gia naééiw ‘Ho i, She is! ‘The copula is placed at the end of the sentence. Example : HAP 1 yor bllog niiw ‘he is big’ ‘As can be seen from the translation given above for the various forms of the copula, the pronoun-subject is inherent in the copula. ‘The use of the pronoun for the expression of the subject is, therefore, optional. Examples : 1 Note that while the form is written TEU natlohu, tho aotual pronunciation i atte, [LESSON 1 st AAD + ‘yoo tollog naw ‘he is big’ (without Af essu ‘he’), but also Aik © PAP +t ya ossu tollog no. HAP 1 Gh tollog nat ‘she is big’ (without Afi, osewa ‘she'), but also A + HAP + GA osswa tollog nat, ‘The subject can be explicitly expressed either by personal pronoun or by a noun, In this ease the pronoun ‘he it, she’, and 0 on, implicit in the copula is left outin the translation. Thus, Ad + FAP + yar eeu tolag no ‘he is big’, and not ‘he (he) isbig’; (his + PA + 4a ‘betu tllog nd ‘the house is big’, and not ‘the house (it) is big’. A complete list of the personal pronouns combined with the copula is as follows: Sele ABH TARE FF one tallog nile “Lam big? Am. Nb TAR + 9 ont ollog nth ‘you are big’ 2 NPE 1 AB © YT ont olby nat ‘you are big? 3m. Aik 1 PAP + ae sew tllog naw “he is big’ BL AG # PAR + GA osowe tollag nat “sho is big’ PL ie NE 1 PAR + 47 fia tllag nan ‘we are big’ Be. NEP + PAD + bu onnanti tlog naiéoh® ‘you are big Be. Abe | PAD + GHo- onndssu tollog natiw ‘they are big Resp.20. ACA? 1 PAP + YP orswo tellog nii¥ot ‘You are == . P big? Se. NiF@ 1 PAD 1 G Rar sade tlloy nati “Ho (or She) i big’ INDEFINITE ARTICLE ‘The indefinite article ‘a, an’ is expressed by AR and. Thus, WIS ¢-be1S and tdmari ‘a student’. Very often, however, there is no special element for the expression of the indefinite article. Thus, 1 Peg foru timari ‘a good student’, rather than APS Be | PTE and fru timari,38 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK ADJECTIVE, ‘The adjective is placed before the noun, Example : 7% # a foru sw ‘a good man’; #32 + duit gongo set ‘a beautiful woman’. INTERROGATIVE ‘The interrogative is usually expressed by raising the voice. Like in the affirmative, the copula is placed at the end. Example : 4 t ‘ya? foru nih? “is he good. ‘The word order is the same as in the affirmative, Thus, affirmative : OAR ATIC ve Late 2 (be12) 1 Gor #2 ATT (ROTC) 1 F Sue Smt (ha) 1 HF #4 THE + (AHL) + Ghue sO mike AMI Te + (AR) 1 FO 6 Nite (nates) | Gfoos TNE Pet (12) eT Tete 1 BYE 1 (AIS) 1 Eve #9. THE Pe + (Oo) + Give 2 10. AULY 1 Pet (RAE) + SFO a 1. AGLU + (inch) | or 81 NETH ret (ht) + TEU # B. Change the singular into the ploral. Example: hh t hg? PH > NE AE 2 LPR be Ve LAO ANP Oe BART nibs Phe APE He 5 NOt AIC + Gh GONE AR EW TA Mm os BEE he PE ACHP ANTE 1 PA #10. RAF + 116 | FRO # Lesson 2 45 ©. Replace the numeral in each sentence by one above. Example: NIU 1 AG + OPACT 1 Fa « — NeW APHE + OP NCT + Tar # L PUPAE ACAD poe 2 NV AT ALOT Ros 3. NALD + UAT | MERE + GRO #4. ALY POT MRC FRO sD. BY NTS Mee + am a 8. AMY | OAT | ADDICT + Ga eT AYU + Adwt + APE + FRO 8 NUE Pt EE PFor # D, Translate into Ambatic. 1. These are chairs. 2, You are doctors. 3, We are good teachers. 4, We are two students, 5. These are pretty books. 6, These are good tables. 7. You are pretty women. 8. We are men. 9. They fare two good doctors. 10. These are tables. 11. These are pretty pencils, 12, This is a chair, 18. We are two doctors. 14. This is fs small chair, 15. These aro pretty tables. 16, You are important doctors. 17. These aro teachers. 18 You are pupils, 19. We are ‘very good doctors. 20, You are four good gitls. HE, Read and translate, 1 BU PRD OT LY OPN Oe 2 RU PAD 1 RAE 1 TAPT LLY LAP! OR Gwe 3. NY PIL: SFO T ALY OPAET + FFa- # A RUE ACAN ETE O 2 APTS LU ACAD: AFT o> 5. NMHLU NGA + MEAT 1 SPOT APT NYY | het + Mehwt | Far # BAGH PIT: Shue NE DICE tts TANGER ARE 1 FUT APT NE ARE 47 # 8. BU EKCAN: PAD 1 PAPI LY ACAD: PAPO #46 10. u. 12 18, Mu 15. AMHARIC TEXTBOOK NEY 1G 1 ORAL | TOT APT LILY | TH * mx act 1 FO * NitLY 1 OR ACH | TAR + GPO T APT NALY + eR ae 1 TAR | TO # ite | PERT + TOT Nite | ARE + TO = Pt PIR | OT LYE RCAD | Or # REE PTSD | Sho D NE ANEICE + 17 # Rite PPL TOT Aa | AhAE + FEO & ASHE 9 PIE + SEU TPT ENE | lear? + Tet Pet rhs LESSON 3 DEFINITE ARTICLE ‘The definite artiolo in Ambatic is expressed by a suffixed element. For the singular, a distinction is made between noun treated as rasculine or as feminine, For the plural, no distinction is made between the masculine and feminine. If the singular noun treated as masculine ends in a consonant, ‘the definite article is -u. This ending is expressed in the Amharic script by writing the final consonant in the 2nd order. Examples bet (Ui ‘house’ : bet-u (Arts “the house’; “fris day “hors! : fords-u &.dth ‘the horse’; lof AE ‘child, boy”: bf-u A. ‘the boy’. Ifthe singular noun treated as masculine ends in « vowel, the definite article is -v, expressed in Amharic by -o». Example ‘geta Jr master’: gela-w Bzra@ “the master’; Yimari bate, ‘student? + tamarive Me71Ga> ‘the student’; bre (lee ‘0x + Bire-w (doa ‘the 03°; abiro Oe ‘Arum’ : kibiro-w Nf\cear ‘the dram’ If the singular noun treated as feminine ends in @ consonant, one cof the markers of the definite article is -@ -wa.t Example gard 128: ‘maid’ : gdridvca 128, ‘the maid’. If the singular noun treated os feminine ends in a vowel, the marker of the definite article is -wa -P. Example doro f.c2 ‘hen’ : doro-ea Pee “the hen’ *. 1 he other mathers of te definite article wed inthe language more ont inferchangutly, but for tha sake of enplicty thse asker wll nonaally woe etd bere Example: maid’ 24,80 prot: ‘che mala! CALE pari on 1 Fick gorse. Fe cians ote Rok or ota Re: (alo wetton PAM) acc ao wed thot from ‘he Pole dor he hen’ PACA dort, oF PoC LI: drop.48 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK ‘As already mentioned, the plural marker for all nouns is -of8. Re- gardless of whether the noun is trested as mascaline or feminine in ‘the singular, the definite article is -u used after the plural marker. Examples: “kings! 1797 naguooéE: “tho kings’ HP nagusodhu; ‘queens’ 791 "#°F nogosto¥S : ‘the queens’ 791 /-F5F nogastodtu, ‘The collective noun M@ saw ‘man’ takes for the specific concept the suffix -ayye, the form being Aamf sdwwoyye ‘a man, aan individual man, a male’ (as against ‘people’. ‘The collective noun (hit set ‘women’ takes for the specific concept the suffix -ayyo, the form being (tf setoyyo ‘a woman, an individual ‘woman’ (as against ‘women’ in general). ‘The definite article of these nouns is -@> -w for Ao- te sdwoyye, the form being A@-foor sduoyyew. For MNF setayyo the article is -a, the form being M4FP setayyowa ‘the woman’. Likewise, AQ abbat ‘futher’ has the form Aiteo- abbatayyew “the father’, The noun AG? onnat ‘mother’ has the form AG2PP onnatoyyowa ‘the mother’. The other nouns of relationship have the same form of the article. Usage of the Article If the adjective-noun complex is determined, the article is suffixed to the adjective. Thus, ‘the big house’ PAck + (L% tollogu bet; “the good woman’ 249 1 (Li dilinawa ve. Likewise if the numeral-noun complex is determined, the article is uffixed to the numeral. Thus, ‘the five rooms’ is A*ivk * HEMP cammost Ref. From the usage of the definite article we ean see that the article is not only a marker of determination, but also a marker of the gender. ‘The Amharic definite article is not always used in the same situations as the English definite article. However, as in English, it is used if the noun was previously mentioned. For example, when speaking about # house, the Amharic noun (LF bet ‘house’ would be used with the definite article -u (Q4-f betu) if this same house is mentioned again, LESSON 2 49 ‘THE POSITIONAL RELATIONS ‘The term ‘positional relations’ is taken here to designate the prepo- sitions of English. ‘The term ‘preposition’ is avoided because the relation that in expressed in English by a preposition can be rendered in Amharic by a preposition or a postposition, or a preposition plus ‘8 postposition. Besides, with verbs expressing’ movement toward (‘to’) or being in a place (‘in, a’), the element expressing the positional relation is optional. us ‘Thus, ‘the students are in school’ is rendered oper « OTE + (L A + hbk timarodéu timari bet allu (without any positional element), or by PTC | AbOIS + MAE Af timarottu otdimari bet all (with the preposition % &); PONCE | ONE | LA 1 LA timarosSu timari bet hedu “the students went to school, or “OVE : OR 1 PONE + (Ls Ua tamaroltu wida timari bet hei. THE ALTERNATIVE ‘OR’ IN A QUESTION ‘The alternative ‘or’ in a question can be expressed by WEA wayose ‘or’ but also without wh wiyose. ‘Thus, is the book old or new!" ORE ACL! + OPA t DAM I mazhafu aroge nite wayoss addis, or OORch4- 1 ACL + 10% + AAMT mishafu aroge nave aids? __ Ts the book expensive or cheap?” apxeh¢- + OR + tas + OL B+ cAith 1 mashofiwoddo nav ways rakkat, or oR dad © ark + @ + CHM 2 maphafu wodde nano rokkas,rere vatea aq att ann ane ast at oF TPuct | LT eee + it 4 a nae nILU nan nea oY en er agar (i) ant (2) arr (3) navi (8) nerc (2) AMHARIC TEXTBOOK ‘VOCABULARY hospital ltmma logit labs sokkar wat tet bunna tomiort bet timari bee -eynme asiiffa sik caddis Iefel swayoos NUMERALS oddest batt sommant ita hospital masculine proper name feminine proper name dress sugar hour, clock, watch, ‘time house, home cotfee school school and in, at masculine proper name here new class-ro0m, room water where? ight “LESSON 8 51 ‘EXEROISES |A. Convert the indetermined nouns into determined nouns. Example: HOVE + LA 1 PH Oe — PTE | PHY yo = Lah: tert 2A Te Oe SAGE PT a 6 hh Pe ore TIS TY OT 8 ANTI ory sar? 9. AHe BIE Gre 10. LUE VATA’ gore 1 PARE HOI oe 12 DANE HRA 1 TO # B. Convert the following into full sentences. example : The school HAP # a8 —> -hTE «fhe + AEs 10s 1. The house FYI 1 4 # 2 The coffee Pe + ya 3. The dress AAA hoe #4, The classes #7 + GFar # 5. The teach- ems fh 1 G¥ar? 6. The tables WHE + Ga? 7. The suger AILY 1 hon a 8. The water 7% + 4a 8 9. The doctors AILU + Gor 6 10. The pencils AQ% + G¥o- # 11. Thewatch ARM yor #12, The books ¢%+ + Ga? 13. The student yy + 4am? 14. The hospital A&A + 4a 2 15. The class BAR + 40 « ©. Convert the noun or the combination of nouns or the noun and the pronoun into the corresponding personal pronoun. Examples: a) OT 1 P01 ¢ ae # > Det POT + 1D DAT | ANd | AOE | FO e > Note ANAT + GTar *ae 22 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK [LESSON 3 03 10, wYar + PR + Or? YO + AILY + a> TL. Age | RTH + CA Ga DANE MICE + WE ANG NEE AOE: Coe AI t ALOE | | Qt 1 Fa # | | tu # LAM ne PIE ys WEEE ENT Ah + 2 ' ayes : : ' Chow RAPE Ie eh LAT Te tet me EE | ATT + TOT AOE LEE + eC fo 8 5. ANT APE MICE + SFO #6. ADEE + WHE + #1 + aCe Shue eT ATS Nb ht Beye BAT TAPE: POTIA! FEO #8 Abe + | UTA 1G #10. ATS TARE Nos Os | 1B. MAG 1 PAE Oe? ADS 1 RIL + dO 1, omg | APE + GO? oR AE | PPE + GEO # 15 PAK AGE BIR OKT APT tA AGT s 47 Rios D, ‘Translate into Amharic. | 1. This is the school. 2. The ress is new. 8, The classroom is | now. 4. It is sugar. 5. How much is a watch? 6, The water is | good. 7. The new watch is good. 8. The new dress is pretty. | 9. Thenew houseis big. 10. The pretty womanisateacher. 11. The sugar is good, 12, These are the teachers, 18. The coffee is very | good, 14, These are nine books. 15. The hospital is big. ! ‘E, Read and translate. | Le BAe PA 2 Ade * ILD tO | 2 WOT te AAD | VFO? APT UTS + HAD Fa # | GO 1 PG OT APT EMD | PH Or wate | Oh sO TATA # AY | O° * fate LE OR COT WAGE 1 MAE RILY + bam # | Pade AM De EO TAPT AT DAM ANNs PH + o> | Oe + Alek em TOTS | Mee ALY + 1 BBG Met RAM OT PDL ee | eet DAO | 1O 8 NLU SAP hd het © CFO T APT TAY * nr tek neAeE + TRo |LESSON 4 ‘VERB OF PRESENCE OR EXISTENCE ‘The verb of presence or existence expressed by Afi alld. The person, gender and number (that is, ‘she is, they axe’, and so on) are expressed by suffixes added to the ‘base *all-. Note that this base does not exist by itself ‘With the euffixes attached to the verb, the adopted order is : Srd person, 2nd person, Ist person. This is so because the Ambario verb js always cited in the form of the singular, 8rd person, masculine, ‘The forms are: s, he is present, there is’ is Singular: 8rd mase. AA alla, ‘he is, he is present” ard fem. AAG — alladd ‘she is? 2nd mase. AAV — allah ‘you are’ 2nd fem. RAT — alll ‘you are? Isteom. AAU: — allahus ‘Tam! Plur Brdcom. AA ally “they are’ 2nd com. RAH. allastshu® ‘you are’ dstoom. AA} alin swe are! Respect: 2ndcom. Ait alle "You are’ Srdcom. Ad all “He is, She ‘The verb of presence has a special form of respect. The form is the ‘seme for the 2nd and 3rd persons. It is hi allu “You are, He is, She is’, Note that this form is the same as the rd person, plursl. 1 ot that whi ul at enone he psn he ihe pom’ he malic ce thon of the pre or wish eg son 6 pe the frm nwiten AAU el th con rosunciaton ai 1 While the form is weiten KAFU+ aos, the actual pronunciation alos. LESSON & 55 ‘As can be seen from the actual forms of AA alld, the suffixes are as follows : Singular: 3rd mase. -@ ‘3rd fem. 2nd mase. -ah Qnd fem. -i Ast com. -dhu ‘Plural : Srdcom. - 2nd com. -aitohe Istcom. -dn ‘Note that as with ‘pax ndiw, the singular of the Ist person, and the plural of all the persons aro of common gender, that is to say, they make no distinction between masculine and feminine. ‘The verb NA oll is placed at the end of the sentence. There is agreement in gender and number between the verb AA all and the explicit subject. Examples : ALTE CLE EIS 1 ORE + NA atimari bet and mishof alli “there is a book in the school’ (the subject amgrah® mighaf being in the singular, the verb is Adi al). ARE | NINE © ANE logieu agidiya allée “the girl is at the market’ (the subject Afr lit being in the fominine, the verb is AF allact). ANE + ARE + de agabaya fo allu “there are children at ‘the market’ (the subject AJC lod being in the plural, the verb is Ade olluin tho plural). AINE + Ate + fhe + AA baigibiya becw siiw alld ‘there are many people at the market” (the subject a save ‘people’ being in the singular as collective, the verb Afi alld is in the singular). Note that wherever an explicit subject is mentioned, as in the ‘examples given above, the pronoun ‘he, she’, and so on, inherent in the verb AA alld ‘(he) ist, MAM alla “(she) is’ is left out in the translation, Thus, AXA + RANE + AA —epitu agiibiya alas ‘the girl is at the market’, and not ‘the girl (she) is st the market’,56 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK, Usage of hi old and 4a nde ‘The verb AA alld is used for the equivalent of English ‘there is, ‘there are’ or wherever the idea of presence or existence is involved. Examples: “There isa book’ aoxteh® ¢ WA maghaf alas “There are books’ PRG. + Ake mashafot alu; “There is water’ @Y + Ail woha alla; “There is a chair in the classroom’, or ‘a chair is in the classroom’ OPAC + ANGA + AA wimbir okefal alld “There aro chairs in the classroom, or ‘chairs are in the classroom” OPA + ANEA + Aik wlmbiiross okafol all ‘The clements AA alld and ya ndw are used interchangeably in the sentence structure : Determined Noun (singular or plural) “+ is (or ‘are’) + Locative (Locative’ being prepositional phrese or adverbs of place). Examples : “The chair is in the classroom’ @gPt + ANA + AA wimbire okefel alli, or O90 # NGA 10> wiimbiire obefel nos “The chairs are here’ go + Nil + Alt wimbiroséu oesih allu, o OPNCH * AV + GPO wimbirotte essih nabsiw. ‘The elements A alld and a> niw are also used interchangeably in greetings. Examples : z “How are you!” is rendered by NURI + AAU ondiman alladtoh, or NIL + Us ondimon nadsahie; _ ‘Tam fine’ is 49 1 AAUs dihna allah, or RAG + 174 dahna nai. In all other situations om nv is used. Examples : “It isa book’ omRdaG 1 am mishaf ww; “It is water’ @-Y + yo woha niw; “LESSON & oT ‘He is good’ pq 1 ya foru nw; “Tho boy is good! AW. + aM # 1a lau fou nw “The boy is a student Ag + 7G + ar log timari naw; “Ho is a student? Af #176 + am esse tdmari ni. For the expression of the verb ‘he was’, see lesson 6. vooanvLary a vy to, for Pt man what? ech qurs breakfast ant beau much, many, a lot n nig tomorrow RLF onilimon how! Ne are today PAT dahna fine, well ang sgibiya market DAYS OF THE WEEK ar sitio Monday etna —-maksiiito Tuesday en rob ‘Wodnesday (see also &(-d) 20d rib Wednesday (600 also 41) or hamus ‘Thursday 4cn arb Friday PA godame Saturday dee —— ahud Sunday58 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK EXERCISES |A. Fill in the blank with the appropriate form of NA Bxample : @Y —— # > OY 1 AA # LPC CR eed 2 AME EAD NINE oot OO PG NT ee 2 NR MLD coos tO AMEN FM q. BORVE NIP Dood TON EET TOY c #8 ABP NOTA #8 RAO + NN a 10 ANRA AMG OMNES + AME | CRF coe UL RCNP 1 NIRPY ove 1 Me + NT Oe HEE Nm PANE ED aoe TR AT ANEA oo TN et BT | ONCE os tS NEY NL Dice #16 ARB PR eet TT AAO ROETCT + BONE PAR ENED ce IB NTE NII od TAMA ENF eee? 0. RAF OE MMA oP B. Replace WA by 40 Example : AG 1 ALU HAAS > AWG + AILY tO a L so PRE AAT 2 OPN DLE HAA 3-17 GPE RGA Ate 4 ONE AHURA 5 MEEPS Aut AME © 6 NPE: NERD AATT 1 ATO + phere MA Ae BRE ALU AMY #8 NITE WPT RAVT 10. CAP + AED + HO? ©, Translate into Amhario. 1. There is coffee for breakfast, 2, Today there aro many people for breakfast, 3. How are you! (pl). 4. Whatis there for breakfast ? 5. How many chairs and tables are in the houset 6. How many ‘students are in the new school? 7. The new table is in the class Soom, 8. Here is the new dress. 9. There is coffee for today and ‘LESSON 4 i) (for) tomorrow. 10. There is school Monday. 11. There are many doctors in the hospitals, 12. How are you (resp.)? 18. There is # rnarket on Thursday and Saturday. 14. ‘Two people are in the house, 16. The seven chairs and the two tables are here. 16. There are many students in school today. 11. There are many people at the market, 18 How are you (m. sg,)! Fine. D, Read and translate, LOG AAT APT EMT? AA 2 NLU Pe OT AAT APT EAU Pe EMT AA SH BMG PTR ODI TMG | CA | me LT dared 0 = $Me RINE EAE AO AAT APT ENG | INE | Atl t fw sha # B.ONNGA | AME CANES | oR AGE + AO? NEA + APOE + ACAOET | UAT | SIE + mT | HO & 6. OWT 1 PAL ANE AT ARTE chown + PACE + ang sha # TRANS | AME os AAT APTS RANE + feng? + Atk + hors ha # 8. PIES «ANTE © CR 1 TROT beICES + Ait Tet Whe | Lt + GEO # 9. GG YT TS MLE AT APD ENE + rT Eee § Mts nae 10. akc PF! AAT ARCH! OF 1 AA # Th NUE AAT AMT | ARIAT | AR he 12, CAG + PRO POTS MA RAT APT TENT | PAE rere + rs hae 1B. AAO AMD PE AAT AM AMD ADA FAA 1 NII | NAVI LAT LATENT 15. OP A OT AYE OE YaoLESSON 5 [REVIEW LESSON BXEROISES A. Fill in the blank with the appropriate personal pronoun, Example: ...... Pet hh! Ors > Ate Pe ANI! os Lee PAR ADEE 1 tO .. MP 1 GE ALPE SFa # 8... PIR La Ghee 4. tA Be hoes PA HB Ane 1 re NNER ES Fue 6 BYE Rb Tote Ad ei (3% person polite) PAP 1 hye 1 TF Ot ee PIB 1 ANU 1 7H #10... APs Te ANE 1 Oe B, Fill in the blank with’ the appropriate form of the copula. Example : Aote 1 Pe tHE + Ho Note Pe th net: GFar # LAU | AAD | COREE + #2 Ad t meh WERMUE oe #3 ACHP OT Toni Aan ARETE Hoo EAE PEPE ANI Co tO NKEED PPV od ORR RAR EAB # LASHER RO DCE te NE TE ARICEB Ecce AT Por 8 BIG #10. AAFox ne 1 Pe ? LESSON 5 él ©. Convert the singular into the plural Bxample = Ae | RLU C1 > AOE AKU | FRO 1. OR Pe tO 2 LO Mea Ome 8h AICO 1 PRAT 4 ONICAH AM GEE OO Ade Pe tO 6 TENE HOH 7. OPN NLU ro © 8. ANCA OM HR Ge 8 RO AVATHA | ym #10. HEME NM + HI hoe a D. Convert the plural into the singular. Example: AOE | P61 GEO > AMM | Te 1 OH LRH PA GR? 2 dene RET MS Fos 3. TPH OPNCE AME A a 4 EE ONG: FR Fars 5. S1RPHs ARIK NES + Qt + GPO 6 NTU PEPE ANNE GPO 2 Th CAME NLU! GPO e 8. APH ALU A #8 AA BNR th TEP : SFO © 10. Ae AOE 17 CEE: GPa # E. Fill in the blank by using the correct form of A. Example : ARCA ETE coe ARCH ET EAA LMS AEE AM Eo MOE ETE BONE ME 8 SEIS te PCTS NNEC ADAM VOTED AP ANH eB ART DEA | OPT: MANES He 1 OPNCTS 0 8 6% COP NIE DT REPO ND co BNR ANA te 2 AMEE NIEPD oD 1O NEE END PPG cD UW ANEIEP NNER Do #12 KAO AM ce TB ABE AMD Ee WL EPA PB EP I AGH NIIP cDCy AMHARIC TEXTBOOK F, Answer the questions. Example : 1&1 PILE 1 OTS + CA Sore 1. AAO OGRE OP OT 2 eran mF + AAT SAME 1 GT! ORC AAT 4 OYE + ORC E ADO + AAT 5. ee RINE + AN do AAT 6 AVE os Pht GFo? TANGA + TF | AAT & AIH E PI | OT 9 AVE 1 OG + OT 10 DAME OA Ae Pht eo? G. Tranzilate into Amharic. 1, The big chair is here. 2. Is there sugar for the coffee? Yes, there is sugar for the coffee. 3. What is there for breakfast? 4. This is the new dress. 5. The students are in the school. 6. Where is he? (resp.). 7. The pencils and the books are here, 8 There is a marketon Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. 9, Howare you (resp.)t Fine, 10, The little boy and the pretty gitl are in the new room. 11, Are you the new students? 12. The pretty girls are in, the school. 18, What time is it? 14. Where is the new dress? 15. He is a very good teacher. SCA BU ERAN POT | A 2 ar a Me hee RS + ANE OR Ale PNR ANTS FO Ate | Pe * Moet ae ANG NS TO LAM MIP | Tet bOTe | hom Ae TB ne eS GP ERTL RIGS Th AHEA + ONES 1 MAM + AA # AMANO 1 AL + ae RAGS ACAD AA CAM PPT 1D 1 OPRAH A Pio Pn ee 9% Te 1 MAE AA LESSON 5 63 ‘Vooanutany (Boginning with this lesson, the meening of the words not given in the previous vocabularies will be mentioned after the text). SCH composition; -Hh4.~e, masculine proper name; AP, feminine proper namo; ... Af 02, above; hi... AN from ... to. ANSWER THE QUESTIONS 1 201 PRY OT WANA PE AAT BAA GED TIS OD A APR ETE GET 8 bet Qe nah APE: AB AATLESSON 6 PERFECT Triradical ‘The Ambario verb can consist of two, three, four or more consonants, In a given verb, the basio meaning is expressed by the consonants, the vowels serving to express shades of meaning. It is for this reason that we have mainly the consonants in mind when we speak of verb structure. The consonants that constitute the meaning of the root fare called ‘radicals’. A verb consisting of two radicals is called “bi- radical’; « verb consisting of three radicals iso i consisting of four radicals is called ‘quadriradical’, Examples for biradicals, triradicals, and quadriradicals : #7 SdMMa ‘hear’; Ba GaDDdaLa ‘Kill’; ompiie, MaSaKKaRa ‘testi ‘For the sake of convenience, we will first deal with the triradical verb, We shall begin with the perfect. Most of the time, the perfeot expresses past tense, The term ‘past’ will be avoided here because the perfect occasionally expresses tenses other than the past, ‘The base of the perfect is SUBBAR., that is to say, the first and second radicals have the vowel d and the second radical is geiminated. Note that the base does not exist by itself ‘The person, gender, and number are expressed by endings that ‘wo will call ‘subject suffix pronouns’, They are so called beoatise they express the subject of the clause if the subject in English is 1 pronoun (e.g., ‘he killed’), or they agree in gender and number with the subject when it is expressed by a noun. Thus, the singular, 3rd person, masculine being expressed by the suffix ~i, the form ‘SaBBaRai (that is, the base SABBGR- to which a is added) means “he broke’, Note that whenever a subject is explicitly mentioned, a in ‘the child broke(a pencil), the pronoun ‘he, she’, and so on, implicit in the verb ‘LESSON 6 65 Alle sabrina (he) broke’, Wiha sabbarigé “ehe) broke’ is left outin the translation. Thus, AFL 1 ACAN + Aifid © lagu orsas sibbard “the child broke a pencil’, and not ‘the child (he) broke a pencil’. ‘The form of the Srd person, masculine, singular, is used in the Amharic dictionaries as well aa in this Textbook for the basio entry of the verb. This form is translated here for the sake of convenience as the infinitive, most often without ‘to’; thus, (nfig, subbdrd ‘break’. ‘The forms of the verb in the perfect Singular: Srdmase. (Nfl saibbiirt “he broke’ Sed fem. — Mfi@7 abbas “she broke’ 2nd mas, Afich sibbirk* ‘you broke’ 2nd fem. ALiCT sabbairé ‘you broke’ Astcom. lich: —sibdirtu® “I broke’ Plural : 3rdoom, — Afle | sabbairw “they broke’ tnd com. — AlidéFu- —_sitbbiirad’ohu * *you broke" Istoom, fic? sitbbairn “we broke’ or saBbiron Respect : Alie sdbbtirus ‘You broke, He broke, Sho broke’ As can be seen from the actual forms of (fig, sabbirit, the suffixes are as follows tho form is aloo AMIGU aabsarn, 4 The actusl pronunciation ia saBbérie, The form ie also AMIGUs, pronounced senate The acta! prononsation is aaron ‘The form la that ofthe Sd pero, pla # Note that th mize ac the seat wih VA el except for singular 2 masou ine, feminine, Ist common, and plural Ist common. The verb AA\ alla, bowever, with tices of hepato eo be tranalaed as preset ‘habe and ao on66 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK Singular: Srd-masc.- Srdfem. 68 2nd mase. -& (or -h) Qndfem. Ist com. — -ku (or -hu) Plural Srdcom. -w 2nd com. — -aétohu Istcom. — -(o)n The Verb sig nabbara ‘The verb $fig, ndbbdrd’ means ‘he was’, Tt serves for the expression of the past of $a nd (see lesson 1) and of AA alld (see lesson 4). Tits conjugation is that of a regular triradical verb, The forms are : Sq, Sd mase, fig, Bb “he was, there was! Sed fem. fle _ndibbarass 2nd mase, fich nabbiirk Qndfem. fic nabbiré Istoom. fiche = mibbairk PL Srdcom. fie naibbiire 2nd com. fidFus —nabbiiradéehw Istoom, fic? abbiien Respect : tie nabbairu DIRECT OBJECT In Amharic the direct object is sometimes expressed by special suffixed element, sometimes not. The expression or non-expression of this marker depends mainly on whether the direct object is deter- ‘mined or not. If the direct object is indetermined, most normally it is not expressed. bby a special marker, If the direct object is determined ', itis expressed 1A ivan is considered ‘determined ether when used with the definite article (o., he howe), or when used with poramive elements (eg. ‘his hous’, or when itis ‘roger name. LESSON 6 or bby a special marker consisting of the suffixed clement ~ -(o)n, When ‘the determination is expressed by the article, the marker <} -{o)n is placed after the artile, (For the marker ~"} ~e)n with the possessive suffix pronouns, see lesson 16). ‘The marker of the determination is -n with # noun ending in a vowel; thas (L-#°F betu-n ‘the house’ (as direct object). It is.-on with @ noun ending in a consonant; thus 7.-a} getaw-an ‘the master’ (as direct object). Examples for the diroot object : * ‘The sentence ‘the dog bit a child’ isendered in Ambatie by aff + AE + 4Tid woldaw log nakhisd, In this sentence, ‘a child’, the direct object of the sentence, not being determined, does not have the element “40pm. ‘The sentence ‘the dog bit the child’ is rendered in Amharic by OHO + ARF 1 Wid woitaw lojun nakkiisi. In this sentence “the child’, the direct object of the sentence, being determined, does have the special marker 4 -n. Note that when there is no ‘} -n, the function of the noun as a Airect objoot will become clear because of its position in the sentence (Gee below, Word order). When the adjective-noun complex is a direct object. and is deter- mined, the marker ~} -(e)n of the direct object is placed with the adjective. Thus, ‘the dog bit the small child” is rendered amifan + BATT | AK + VN wolbow tonnafun lof nakbded. In this son- tence, the direct object (‘the small child’) is expressed by “} -n attached to the adjective 4-77 tonnat with the article -v in the form of 976) tannai-wn. For = with the adjective and the noun, see p. 154, Table for the position’ of -7 -(2)n 1, With noun only : noun + article +n | 2. With @nop 68 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK, WORD ORDER Im Ambario, like in other languages, the main clause can consist ‘of a subject, predicate or verb, with or without dinect object and other prepositional or adverbial phrases The subject may or may not be expressed explicitly, that is, by a noun or a pronoun. Tt is anyhow evident in the specific form of the verb, 2s, for instance, in (ld ibbard8 ‘she broke’. Ina sentence consisting of an explicit subject and a verb, the order is: subject-verb. Thus, AY, @Ré loafu widdigi “the child fell. Ina sentence consisting of direct object and a verb, the order is : direct object-verb. ‘Thus, QZ} « dst Uderun Raffit he opened the door’ Ina sentence consisting of an explicit subject, a verb and a direct object, the word order, a a rule, is subject-object-verb, Thus, whos ANE + Hah wotaw ly naked ‘the dog bit » child’. If the direct object is marked by ~% -2)n, the word order can ‘also be : direct object-subject-verb. Thus, AR? + @-Tax + tha ogun wobSaw niikkiisd ‘the dog bit the child’ ‘As for the prepositional or adverbial phrases, their place varies according to the emphasis; but the verb is always at the end. Thus, “the thief stole things from a house’ is expressed either by Aa + WA 1 AS + AZ lebaw kitbet ga etivrdigd, or HMA + Aa + AP 1 AGH habet lebaw ogo sii, ot AMO + RH + HL + Aad lebaw aga kabet strrigd. Note that the place of the verb is always at the end. Table for the Word Order [re LESSON 6 69 Note, In a question sentence with the particle #77 man ‘who’, ‘the word order is : direct object -+ 7} man ++ verb. In answer to this type of question, the direct object (with the marker ~%} -n) can precede or follow the subject. Thus, 09 6 oF + Nat? 167 + AR 1 hdt (or AR * OR} + dct) Birrun man hiffata? birrun logu Raffaua (or lau birrun Réiffita) “Who opened the door! The boy opened the door’. ‘yoousoLany ana abbies wear, put on PAN maillist return, give back, answer, reply enh maskot window as mata evening aoe miibe when? ane aba break ac bie oor, gate TAPES tolantanna yesterday ars tonantanna yesterday Me naibbaird he was, there was AAMC + Loony —egrer yommdagin thanks, may the Lord be praised HEADE 1 ORL — Fillant widiys _—_ day before yesterday WEST 1 OAL —hetonant widiya _ day before yesterday héct appa open ons. swiss take, take away RO ier arrive, reach, SAAN dabdabbe letter NUMERALS heres § WS (TA) asra and eleven here. + vt (7B) casra helt twelve here. vat (IE) asra sost thirteen Are het (TS) asra_aratt fourteen0 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK Aree | APD (7B) ‘asra_ammast fifteen Ae + ARNE (TR) asra soddast sixteen nee + AN (F9) casra batt seventeen, APG + OPT (EZ) asra comment —_—eighteon heres + man’ (1) asa etal nineteen yw (a) haya twenty EXERCISES ‘A. Give the correct form of the perfect agreeing with the pronoun in parentheses. 1. (WE) — ANE 1 ANA F OPAN That 1 OAR 1 REA 2 (ACHP) — ANd 1 ANNs AAT het: OAR 5 LAA 3. (Af) — ANE ANA t ePAA That E WAL + KAO 4. (ab) — ANE ANA: PANT hat s MAR REA 5. (WE) — ANE 1 ANAT AAT ONE that 1 REM 6. (Ado) — ANE 1 PA i hat F ANAT WAR 1 RAO 7. (vith) — ANE thd 1 OORT oPAN TREAT ANA 8. (AF) — ANZ | AR hat FRAME ead 1 ANA 9% (AGTH) — ANE 1 OAR PANE RAN s herr 1 ANA B, Give the correct form of the perfect in agreement with the personal pronoun in parentheses. mm eT © on (NEA ACHP 1 Ad) NEF 1 ANE (AEE LATHE NYE 1 RAF O-) VATIA + RaA (Ante t RAF 1 AE) DCAM + OAR (AE EAT ACHP) Adin © ANA (AVE 1 AO 1 ATH) oonby | dt (AM, 1 Adde 1 AR) ome? | OAR (Wik FADE SDF) LRSSON 6 a ©. Convert the indetermined direct object into the determined direct object. Example: AO-Ra- + 1G + AN — Aa-fem-s Neh + ANE # LAR NCAA OAR = 2% LEP NATIT + OAL MEAN ODE #8 PGMs One Nat #4 Ade 16m APES + ORE + A + 5. how + 1S + OPAC + OAL # 6 ARIA NG © ohbt + ANT # Te WAde | ANEIS | AAA AMD ANA © 8 area + NCS + oA shat #9. FIGs OPNCT + MedM t WAAPES © OSS + oOAA = 10. LAPP ANT + ABET OY! ONE eI PICO 1 RAE + OMG + OAT 12, O&E NG TF OORT D. Complete by substituting the correct Amharic word for the English expressions. 1. Ath #8 gate hd 2. Ag + 9 dress ANNE # ‘Ate + the gate hat t= Aah + the dross ANA # Ade + tho big gate hats # ‘fl, + the pretty dress ANA 3. Ab a book ARH # 4. WHE +a pencil ANC # Ab + the book wARI # APE + the pencil ANC Ab 1 the new book wfehe # —-A’FEs the small pencil ANC 5. NMfa- 6a window hats #8. Wht sachair onan # AAFFa> + the window hack # APE + the chair aaah # AF + the new window Ait + the big chair hak # ann © 1 Atable@% + OAKH? —- 8. AK, + door ANE # The table am + ASH? —-AFE + the door ANG # The new table ov% + BARN? AF. + the new door ANG #n AMAIARIC TEXTBOOK LESSON 6 B 9. ANtIa~ +a book ov 1 oan? nineteen students returned eighteen pencils and fourteen books to the + the book + An? new teacher, 13, The student returned the pencil to the teacher. Hees aseeieecic can? 101k wo pars ay IE. Th nis opmned thor 10. Pe7¢@-+ @ pencil ANZ # to1éo>- 1 the pencil ANE # G. Read and translate. sbe1Ear + the good pencil ANE # LNG Ts heh? AR + Ne het # APART MC Md hah AR PARE NG het # E. Convert 4a and AA to 4d. d oeaery ery 8 GAET code i contender Wate® 4 Examples: 9) (M70 + ANU toe > (GOs ALY tHe # ARH 1G 1 Mt REO APTA ARE P16 Me b)PIgO | ANGA + AA # > Igo + AHEA + 4nd # pene 5. WEGTET | OAL + CORNED + TF + OAL TNTTHET + eataclt ei ales csa eu e AieteT orgie ai NTE OSL + ANMMICO | ORALED + OE 4 AP TH 8 ARIE ALA TRO #5. NAO + 6G PE 1 mcRM OTE ANT ARE PED me ANEIC + FEO 4 6. 2NRMLO- + meRNO © AL + AA # AN He: anch # Ce et 1. com CEY 1 OO : ANT 2 OR AEIED + PROD + ampdrte 8 AEE Oe RD AAs 10. hee: MONT + BATHE AR HUNTED | REM? APT RT UOT Ade 1L ARO PIG 1 a 1. TEP Pas APs RENT 8 ANFA | ANT #1 AARP I The MATTE 9. hee POR RCA + oot OAR? hee + AR we 1. net AR He 16 Ate AUATIA POET RCAOE PEPET 1 OI WARD # AA IT AM Ah GR eS ACHP Pet ANT 10. RAM AND ETE ANAT ARO! AND AS ANKE # tyPh a 1. Nite NM AAs 20. ADEE PRT LL. YEO} + aOR AE + OT) ANT LOD + RACE + Rite | ate # F. Translate into Amharic. DMG APE RAG 1 OORT TMG 1 AMS * ANT + BORAT 1 ONLY # 1, When did the teacher arrive at school? 2. Who opened the ied big window? 3. The doctor arrived yesterday at the new hospital. 1h ICH 1 eT | omnce cane? HICH Ae 4, The students returned fifteen books and twenty pencils. 5. The APT: OPAcT + ANG # pretty girls put on the new dresses, 6, Who broke these doors? 1A, oR GHEY + OVE + GOAN 2 awe | TI + aANT 7. Yesterday he (esp.) took the two chairs and the big table, 8, When ; f » aid you (resp. arrive? 9, T arrived here yesterday. 10, You (f. ss.) B PeOD RANT Cs RET rem? KEAN» ATF took the eleven pencil, 11, The new teacher arrived today. 12, The AST: OAR #LESSON 7 PERFECT OF BIRADICAL VERBS Ambario has differont classes of biradical verbs, that is to say, ‘verbs consisting of only two radicals. The biradical classes treated in this lesson are as follows : Class Ae samds Class oe gomii Ce ee ‘These three classes bebave in the conjugation in the same way. ‘The only difference lies in the form of the base. Verbal class a9 saint ‘This verbal class consists of verbs that have two consonants, the first consonant having the vowel a and the second consonant having the vowel @. The verbs of this class have no gemination, ‘The base of the perfect is SaM-, and the suffixes are the same as ‘those of the triradical verb. CONJUGATION OF THE PRRFECT Singular: Srd masc, ao sims “he kissed’ Sed fem, — ami samaké she Kisned? 2nd masc. gh sank “you kissed” Qndfem. AP sam “you kissed’ : Istcom. gh ——samku? —“T kissed” Plural: Srdcom. am, sam “they kissed andcom. — eyFy- —samathut ‘you Kissed’ Istoom. A samon “wo kissed” 5 The rf in ali “Uh # Pronounced sums, The affix i leo =U* se 2 "The written form is pronounced saad. LESsOx 7 15 Somo verbs of this verbal class are : Rd, gafi ‘write’, PA wald ‘spend the day’, af lake ‘send’, oy and ‘load’, mp falé ‘throw down’, Verbal class fom gomi ‘This verbal class consists of verbs that have two consonants, the first consonant having the vowel o while the second consonant has the vowel d. The verbs of this class have no gemination. ‘The base of the perfect is QoM-, and the suffixes are the same as ‘thoce of the triradioal verb. CONSUGATION OF THE PERFECT Singular: rd mase, ee oma the stood” Srd fem. awe goats she stood? 2nd mace. $9" ——gomk + ‘you stood” Qndfem. — $9"f gos ‘you stood” Istcom. 69h gombut ‘Tetood’ Plural: Srdoom. Bom = gomu “they stood” and com. — BeYFys —gomasihut “you stood” Istcom. 89° goman or gomn “we stood? ‘Some of the verbs of this class are: Boo gomi ‘stan¢ Paks mot ‘die', qPqp mogd "be warm’, (mn rota ‘run’. Wr hont Verbal class ¥2, hedi This verbal class consists of verbs that have two consonants, the first consonant having the vowel e while the second consonant has the vowel d. The verbs of this class have no gemination, 2 The uff i lao Ut 2 Pronounced gombt. The sffx in laa -U* “hs 8 The written form is pronounced qowatZbe16 AMHARIG TEXTBOOK ‘The base of the perfect is HeD-, and the suffixes are the same as those of the triradical verb, CONIUGATION OF THI PERFECT Singular: Srd mas, %2, hed ‘he went? ae Srd fem. UR elds ‘she went’ And masc. 4H hell * ‘you went’ and fem. YR hell “you went? Istcom. BR edu ‘L went? Plural: Srdcom. fe, edu “they went? Qndcom. ¥A%Fu- hedadéohu* “you went’ Istcom. BSF —adon or hedn ‘wo went” ‘There ate very few verbs in this ‘class, Some verbs are: ZR hedi ‘go’, auth fest ‘smoke’ (inte.). The verb WA ali ‘say’ ‘The base of the verb is al- and the suffixes are the same as those of the triradioals ‘The forms of the perfect are : Singular: rd mase. AA, al “he said’ Srd fem. ANE lass “she said? 2nd masc. AAR alk ‘you andfem, AA alt ‘you said’ } Istcom. ALY albu? Tsaid? Plural: 3rd.com. Ade, aly “they said! andcom. AU: —aladfohu® “you said” Istoom. AA? alon “we said? ; 1 he slr Se aio =D - + Pronounced edly, alle, Th sffix is alo “Us -hu {The written form Ik pronounced Rea aad LESSON 7 ” Note that the verb AA “he said’ has the same appearance as ‘AA ‘he is present’, but whereas in A(t ‘he said’ the 1 is simple, the 1 of AA ‘be is prosent’ is geminated, the pronunciation being alld. Besides, the suffixes of AA ald ‘he said’ are not the same as those of MA alld ‘he is present’, Indeed, the suffixes added to the base cl, all- are 9s follows : Brom hf ald ‘sy’ | From Adi alla ‘he is! Sg. Brd mase. | 4 Srd fem. ewe) 2nd mase. eae 2nd fom. “ait Ist com. “thu Pl, 8rd com. * 2nd com. “altobu st com. -n (or -2n) “in Note the difference : sg. 2nd maso. (+k, h against ~dh), Ond fem. (-5 ‘against -28), Ist com. (-ku, hu against ~ahu); pl. Ist com. (-» against -<én) ‘VARIOUS VERBS ‘There are verbs of everyday usage that do not fit into the above- ‘mentioned classes. We will see later that these verbs are used with special elements that serve for the formation of the derived stems. ‘Thus, for instance, Mba tigdmmété ‘sit’ is formed with the prefix se tie from a root “am; or A7'F agit ‘find’ is formed with the prefix A- a- from a root *7°F. Since, however, these verbs form their perfect in the ame way as tho classes so far discussed, they will iven occasionally in the vocabularies because of their frequency in usage. POSITIONAL RELATIONS (Continued) Tt was said above that the positional relations can be expressed bby prepositions, postpositions, or prepositions plus postpositions. With verbs expressing movement toward (‘to’) or position in a place (‘in, at’) the usage of a preposition is optional. Examples were given8 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK hove for the expression of the positional relation with prepositions ‘and without prepositions. ‘In this lesson examples will be given for the expression of the posi- tional relations by prepositions, postpositions, prepositions plus post- positions. Examples for the positional relation exprested by prepositions = farh.s + BF bamakina hed he went by car’ (preposition 1 bi); hallo + FFI + wie Hidabbow tonnot wiseddi “he took litle piece of (from) bread’ (preposition fh ha); 8. + (hk #11) wida betw giibba “he went into the house’ (pre- position @&, wid). Bxamples for the positional relation expressed by postpositions : Alte | APR # NT 1 @ lobou sofonu woefa naw “the clothes fare in the box’ (postposition aeiiep wo); wedded" * AL A Alte NG AA tdraraw lay boew zaf alld ‘there fare many trees on the mountain’ (postposition Af, lay). Examples for the positional relation expressed by prepositions plus postpositions : Wiha hereto + ovsie + ae | MEE + Alke akatiimaw oof beow nfo alu ‘outside the city there are many trees’ (preposition fh hé-, postposition a> wall); ae APE 1 AL 1 Att | RPL + Abie bimador lay baru fotratose ally “there are many creatures on the earth’ (preposition (1 ba, post- position M& lay) ‘VOCABULARY Uk hed 0, leave, walle an aks sond ae lay on re ogi got warm, get hot, be heated, warm oneself et oti die en rota mn Lesson 0 Aae iss ae store, shop ae tea 400 stand, stand up, stop a in, at, with, by Antorn asgimmat place, put a in RiAB lay on, upon AILY Or wot in h from ca spend the day, do some- thing the whole day, calebrate one ost in, inside op, wid to, toward oft swidet where? SAAN dabdabbe letter Ra. soft write ExEnOIsEs |A. Give the correct form of the perfect agreeing with the pronoun in parentheses. 1. (Ab) — BREAN TA EP TCM 1 PT PAT RL 2. (NCAP) — 42 FAD EAH EME PE ERLE PA 3. (AH) — UR ERAT PAE SOP Om Pte Aes An 4. (WPT) — BR EPA LA TANT Cm 5 Re F Aae f Bar 5. (A) — BR EAN Ae st 1 BOP CMT PAL AA 6. (WE) — UR IRA TANT PAL Aa t ho 1 Pt 1 Cm 1. (ATHt) — 2h EAM Fem PAT ANT PH § fom 1 Re. 8 (AAFo) — BRE OMT RATAN Aer Ph s boo 1 PA 9. (AF) — ER TANT Ae Pts Cm bP 1 PAT RAEr 80 AMEARIC TEXTBOOK B. Give the correct form of the perfect in agreement with the pronouns in parentheses. 1. ARM # RA (NYE E ROM 1 NEF ACO?) 2. AMT + Ah (A LAD TATE) 3. AM + PA (AAO ETI 1 ATT) 4. Of 1 M+ em (hE ACHP AD FATEH) 5. PONG + (LA UR (NE TNE E Nate 1) 6. PAPE | PE (NOFO 1AM, fet) 1. AR + ho” (hb SNE 1 NETO) 8. meds A + baw (Neth | NETH EATS NCHP 1 NAO) ©. Convert the singular into the plural and the plural into the Examples : a) $472m@+ 1 NCAN# ANE + —> HICH | AC an + Ane # DARE! Cart > AR 1 Cm * eS Sc Hu Pate A Pec AGT hat 8 A ER 40 1 RE 6. NOPE + FNC + OAR # TATE oo 1 KAN? 8 PIE © KAM | RE #9. ARICA rhe | nie #10. APH 1 ORs VOTIA | UA © TL ANMONOE | NET | MAE Pte 12 AR NED hates 18. APE OR INE Ae ARICA 9+ ANH? I AGE LARLOD + Anu #16. AYE! & AGO} AEM ION oR rs Beye 18 CA Ps akddey 1 Ate #19. NAFOX + oni + Néck # 20, HEP OR NRA + OE Lnssox7 a D. Translate into Ambaric. 1. The student wrote three letters. 2. We stood on the big table. 8. The doctor went to « house. 4. The girl ran to school. 5. We sent the letters Thursday. 6, Where did you (pl) spend the day yesterday ? 1. The teachers and the students spent the day in the new classroom. 8 The ten was heated for breakfast. 9. ‘The big teacher died at the hospital Tuosday. 10, Yesterday the teacher sent the student to school. 11. Did you (f ag.) send the letter Yes, Tsent the letter Monday. 12, How many people died in the hospital? 418, How did you (pl) spend the day? Fine, thank you. 14. When did the doctor go to the hospital? 15. What did the students write in the class! 16, Where did you go yesterday? E, Read and translate LADEN AEE + mE | RAT ANE TO + A + RAE | Rb # 2 AMPH! OL 1 LH T ANAM 1 OL VATA 04 # BS. NDet | PAF? LIT TRIE + LeehTT * 4. OR 1 ANE + OVE LEU 7 OL 1 NE | ATTTT + LRT # Bones heeO t ANON LMM | ANT He # BOLO + ANETCO + Ui + LAMAN + AN 6. OR PTE LTE CM IORE PIS * MA ICE + Cav # Cr es ee ARI PH e 8 APE CHG | hee | A PAT APT ENG | bed + Ot! Pal # 9. COKE TR ARCA PHT APT MGOG | TR + At chi Pee2 10. uw 2. 13, Mu 15. 16. AMHARIC TEXTBOOK AO RO | OR VOTAA + PE 1 BRT homar + OF + VOTIA | NETH | OAL + LEH PAALOMD + OE 1 RENT LMAO | TEP + TH + AVN + AE | REL # ARE APT AR 1 bom? ARE + hemckwes + OMT CREAR + hom a ALAR! AB RNA 1 OTF 247 SIRE + ANIC + AAR AR: LMM + RAF OT) BRT OTE | Cart TF + oT NEO + ERE PCE 1 Car LEP + 00% & POVET | CA PAB UT TTET # ETS + Et PAD & DDKE Pe ANboOeTT Md + NILY | ANE-OTH # LESSON 8 PERFECT OF BIRADICAL VERBS (Continued) Verbal class (1% siimma ‘This verbal class consists of verbs that have two consonants, the first consonant followed by the vowel @ and the second consonant, which is geminated, followed by the vowel a, The base of the perfect is SAMM-. The vowel after the base is a in all the persons except for the plural 3rd person that loses the a. CONJUGATION OF THE PERFECT Singular: —Srd mase. 4] _ imma ‘he heard’ Srdfem. AT simak ‘she heard’ 2nd maso. APU siimmah » ‘you heard” 2nd fem. AT sdimmas ‘you heard’ Istcom. Au simmahu — ‘T heard’ Plural: Srdcom. dm immu ‘they heard? 2nd com. ASP Fu. — stimmadtohu® ‘you heard’ Istoom. A477 simman “we heard” As it can be seen the suffixes are as follows : Singular: rd mase. -a Srd fem, Qnd mas. -ah 2nd fer, af Ist com. -ahu 2 The effi is only “J -# and not “Hf i the case with the othor verbal sss, ® Pronounced simmah®, Tho sutfix it only =U -Au and not “ft ob, ass Ube ease vith the other verbal clase. * Pronounced sémmaceb8 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK Plural: Srd com. “0 Qndcom, —-aldohu Ist com. -an Some verbs of this verbal class are: (1A Billa ‘eat’, ent falta ‘drink’, aj giba ‘enter, come in’, amd maa ‘com’, ant wita ‘go owt, ude wtrra ‘work’, a gtzza ‘buy’, AF wa ‘sleep’. Verbal class #2, grr ‘This verbal class consists of verbs that have two consonants, the first consonant followed by the vowel @ and the second consonant, which is geminated, also followed by the vowel d. ‘Tho base of the perfect is QURR-. The conjugation is the same as that of AA alla. The forms are : Singular: Srl mase. @Z_ gird ‘he stayed behind’ Srdfem. POF girls “she stayed behind” 2nd masc. EV. garrah* “you stayed behind’ Qnd fem. #27 grr ‘you stayed behind” Ist com. Zu qarrthut ‘I stayed behind” Plural: 3rdcom. be | irre “they stayed behind’ Qndcom. eeu —grraifahu* ‘you stayed behind’ Ist com. #27 qirrain ‘we stayed behind’ As it can be seen the suffixes are as follows : Singular: Srd mase. a 3rd fom. it 2nd mase ih Qnd fem. “ai Ast com. th 2h oui a only “hand not -k a nthe case with some verbal clases, 2 Prohounoed gabe, The afi is only =D sv and not =P su, a8 sche case ia some verbal clwes. 4 Pronounced irradi. “LESSON 8 85 Plural: 8rd. com. 0 2nd com. aio Ist com, sin Some verbs of this class are: 44 girrd ‘remain behind, stay away a ste ‘give’, ache fat ‘grind’, aoit mikki “become evening’ WH 50854 ‘fle’, TF 86K ‘accompany’. ‘Table of the Suffix Pronouns of the Various Classes, ‘While the consonants of the suffix pronouns are the same in all the verbal classes, the vowels preceding the consonants are oocasionally different. The suffixes are : | fom tee, “8 | t2entnd Singular, Srd mase. * Srdfom. | + Qnd mase. | -k or -h a and fom. | 2 “ii Ist com. | -ku or -hu ah ah Plural, Srdeom. | -w a 2nd com. | -abtohe vaéfohu | -aBtolu Istcom. | -n or -on | -an in INDIRECT OBJECT ‘The indineot object is expressed by (\ Id ‘to’ regardless of whether the preposition ‘to’ ia expressed in English or not. Bxamples: PAAIL + INGO + AEHe dibdadbe Ligdbirew safke I wrote «a letter to the farmer’ (but also ‘T wrote the farmer a letter’); aha s Awe BE VAIN HEA getaw lisdrratahvoseu ginzltd affata ‘the master paid money to the workers’ (but also ‘the master paid the workers money’).86 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK, COUNTING AND ASKING FOR TIME ‘The Ethiopians divide the twenty-four hours of the day into two parts : 1. From seven a.m. to six p.m.; 2. From seven p.m. to six a.m, ETHIOPIAN TIME VE 1 AGA + ando sat ‘one clock” UA} + AY + huliite sat ‘two o'clock’ PHA © AGA + sos stat “three o'clock’ et | AVE + aratt siat ‘four o'clock’ AR OE + AGA + ammast stat ‘five o'clock’ ARNE + AGA + saddest sdat ‘six o'clock’ or Alka + + or phuld gan ‘midday’ AMA + M44 + sadate sat ‘seven o'clock’ AFYT 1 AIF + sommont sdat ‘eight o'clock’ Hen + O47 + ead stat ‘nine o'clock’ API © AGE + assr sat ‘ten o'clock’ pret WAS | MGA + carand stat ‘eleven o'clock? BPPde | UA | AGE + asva huléitt sitat ‘twelve o'clock’ RTS 1 AGE 1 ands sat ‘one o'clock’ vets + AGA + hulétt stat ‘two o'clock’ PH + AGA + sost eat “three o'clock’ Ad-b # AG + aratt stat ‘four o'clock’ APOE | AGT + ammast siiat ‘five o'clock’ ANA + AGA + sodddost sat ‘six o'clock’ or AYRA + AAA + or okkuld leit ‘midnight? ANF + 9 + sYbatt eat ‘seven o'clock’ AIPA + AGT + sommont stat ‘eight o'clock’ Mav + Qe + sata sat ‘nine o'clock? AEC + AGA + ass0r sat ‘ten o'clock’ yee 1 KIS 1 AGA + asrand sat ‘leven o'clock? APG aT AGE agra hulétt siiat ‘twelve o'clock’ LESSON 6 a7 For more precision the following expressions are used : herpes kihwatu (lt. ‘of the morning’), from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.; hb bagi (it. ‘ofthe day’), from 12:00 p.m, to 5:00 pam. Ng Tit kiimottot (it, ‘of tho evening’), from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m; nA: haeltu (Lt. ‘of the night’), from 12:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m; W427 Kinagatu (lt. ‘of the dawn’), from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. ‘Examples 9:00 am, is hehe = AyD + AGE kihwatu basost oat (lit. ‘of the morning at 3 o'clock’); 3:00 p.m. is Hd + Men'S + AGE Ragdnw bieaythh sat (it. ‘of the day at 9 o'clock’); 9:00 p.m. is Hg + MNF + AG kimoliotu biisost sit (Lit. ‘of the evening at 3 o'clock’); 8:00 a.m, is Adck # MHeny + 4% Billion bisavais odat (Lt ‘of the night at 9 o'clock’). “Before noon’ is MAG + Md heat bait. _ ‘Noon! or ‘midday’ is #NG gor, of AA slat, Note that sat is more specifically the time when one goes for lunch, thet is, either twelve o'elock or one, ‘Afternoon’ is AG + MAA + Bisiat badwala, o NAG * MAA Ieigator bahwala, ‘vocABULARY om mitta ‘come we irra work, do Pe sora work, job week —sdrratiivia —_—_-worker, Inborer, employee po sega meat +e gira be absent, remain behind + gin day, date, daytime, weather an balla cat, consume ae biro office be, amar study obec tiyator play, drama ne ayy ee88 AMHARIO TEXTBOOK ort swat silk An dabbo bread, o loaf of bread ” gabba enter, get in an atta rink EXERCISES 'Ac Give the correct form of the perfect agresing with the pronoun in parentheses. 1. (Rt) — APT AAT ME AL OM Eee LE 2. (RH) — AT OAT MM S10 OMT we SN SAT 8. (art) — 07 1 AL we LAA ES TE ee 4 QEP) — OT EF MAT ME aM Ee POM 5. (AO) — OME mM ME MAT wer OM 6. (eit) — AT AAT MDL ADE OMS we SHS TH 1 Qo) — FF mT we som im E MMs MAE AT 8. (NPE) — MA ATE MTT we SOME TEL a (ache) — TAA ME A 5 OMT we TT TE B. Give the correct form’of the perfect agreeing with tho pronoun in parentheses. 1. (aa) — #2 4 ent 5 Aaa rT 2. (xP) — P01 hoe tm tit 3. (NPE) — Wit 1 de stim te 4. (ACHP) — be 1 A TT En 6. (an) — Wits ear ac sim 6. (nie) — 2 0 hm i aoe tT 1. (nao) — be 5 WT tm hee 1 goout ? buy sleep {give grind four fee. ‘LESSON 8 89 8 (ae) — dm be 1 TE Ae 9. (ASHE) — be 5m thee tT (©. Give the correct form of the perfect agreeing with the personal pronouns in parentheses. HCN 1A (ADE EAB ACHP E Aa ENTE) contr + héck + (NPE 1 RA Fam NF CNH) Amn: Anh + (Xe NPE S ACAP AM) SAAN * ANE (AD, LATHE LE ERA) VATA 1 BR (ATT Rie ENE TAYE) hebere + hi be (CAP LAG TAM 1 RAO) ACAD + OAR + (rte FAM LATHE EAT) Or + mm + (NE AYE 1 RAFO) em AG | OA 1 (KATO 1 ACHP OATH ENF) 10. WEA 11s (APE EA TAL EAE) 1 A wee + (ag Eee AE UNE) 12. hopnc + ORb + (KPE LATHE 6 Yt 1 ACHP) 13. (a + REM + (AAO 5 Wah LN EAE) D. Convert the sentences by using the Ethiopian way of telling time, Example : 9 aomys —> AYN + AV + oom # Loge Ae As see #2 haere Mes M5 + amt 3. ARH koh: M0: Mt e 4 wee + WME + 16 om 8 5. -beRC AT! Ato #6 MRP + OR + UOT PA eM: OCh a TL STET MLE | MIDs AAA # 8 pReR ASE PIS MAA 9 AME + M2 RAMs 10. RAFO-s WIN + MEE oom eT EPEE MLE CD Rive? 12. apd + 19 + Ane?90 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK E. Convert the singular into the plural and the plural into the singular: Examples : a) wdtar | NLC 1 opm # —> wee PE s NOE mae # DARE! Ort! mas -AR 1 Oe: mM # 1 do aPC Ae NE AN NAD 8 AEG NFAT We f wEEPE MLE ee 8 dh he VATA | mre 6 NTH eee | LT bebud TNs ARCA! Dt NAM + Me #8. har Kom 2 DAE + oom s 9 ANIC | THT + LTT + AG a 1. AGH PFs webu WL AR DET De bey 1 we PE RCE Me 18 NEE one omy). NTE EI MA oe 1. PF Fue? F. Translate into Amharic. 1. The worker went to the office. 2. She drank coffee with sugar for breakfast. 3. How many hours did you (resp.) work today? 4. Yesterday we saw a play at school. 5. Coffeo with milk is good. 6. When did you (m.sg.) come from the office 7. The workers came from the office at three o'clock. 8, The student entered the house through a window. 9, There is a loaf of bread, milk, tea, and sugar for breakfast. 10. What did you (fsg) eat for breakfast, today ? Late bread with tea, 11, The workers were absent from the office today, 12, What day is today? Today is Thursday. 13. She went from the office to the hospital. 14. For breakfast today the worker ate meat with bread and drank coffee with milk. 16, I saw a very good play yesterday. 10, LL. 2 13, uM. 1, 16. LESSON 5 1 @. Read and translate, DAE + os comyT Whe + NAME | UAT + AGT omy Were Ty aT bee | A ANCES PCE + be ARCH PF! NAFU-? ACA! MDT AN AN WEAPE MLC PP ART WORE ALC eT DAD | MCR | AG Whe Pe ET hee te 1 OR LA mF ARE PT PT MARE O71 191 MAR Ae NG EPs wWEV TMG + AEH 1 UAT 1 LOAM YR eh # PTV + Ach 1 °F | ONE EU- 1 PTTG § Adam + MENON | ONCE + OAR # AAR OFF PETAPT OPE AAR PH DHEA HG OTE! HEP NNEA He + AHCI + be 2 Aver PE NLC + AE + LAM + AU? AweT PE 1 Whe © 72 + RMN + AhU AMET + RAMAN | ANEO + OF + AEH? AKT + & ARM | HAG | MAA + RE ROTATE ORs POT ATTET © RE ALE Pt # AM + NePAHY + TF + ANT AME + NEPADY + ho-w oie RACE | CAMRY | ACTF + OAD amR AID FO NCADED + ATT + ovante = AR PUGET | MIT APT AR APUCKT besLESSON 9 ‘NEGATIVE PERFECT ‘The negative perfect is expressed by prefixing AA al- and sulfixing -# -(0}m? to the verb regardless of person, gender and number. ‘The suffix is -m if the verb form ends in « vowel; it is -om if the verb form ends in a consonant. Thus, ‘he broke’ (fig sibbiré : ‘he did not break, he has not broken’ AAM(iag* alsibbiri-m, the suffix clement being 9* -m becanse the verb ends in # vowel. But broke’ Alig sabbarasé : ‘she did not break’ RAAIC TE alsibbardéé-om, the suffix element being -om because AAAMCT alsabbiraeé ends in consonant. ‘The suffixes of the negative perfect are the same as those of the affirmative perfect. The conjugation of the negative perfect is : Singular : Srd mace, Annies alsabbarim ‘he did not break’ ‘3rd fem, Aanlictr alstibbiirastom ‘she did not break’ 2nd masc, Aadiiche clsibbarkom ‘you did not break’ 2nd fem. Aaniicie aleabbirdom ‘you did not break’ Ist com, nadiich alstbbirkum * ‘did not break’ 5 he om cam also be gominate. * Note that the proaenlaton of Use forms diferent from that ofthe affirmative oefot. Indeed, albbdrinm (that ie fu) agunat the affirmative abba (tht iy 6); alafbBéraidsbcm (Ghat i albu) against the afizmative aabbiradabe (that is, e225), In Ambac wp thew suffices (exoept forthe ending ~9®) are the same for tho affirmative and agate 1uESsON 9 93 Plural Srd com. aAaniigg alsabbairem “they did not breale Mndcom. —AAMeFug —lotbbarattohum ¥ ‘you did not break’ Ist com. hadiicrs —alsabbirnom ‘we did not break’ Respect : 3rd com, Aaniier alsabbarum “Ho, She did not break’ 2nd com. aaniiee” alsabbarum “You did not break’ NEGATIVE EXPRESSION OF THE VERB ‘REY Negative of the copula ‘The negative of the copula ‘ar ndw ‘he is, itis’ is AERA" aydaillim? ‘he is not, it is not’. Noto that ABRAG™ aydallém is composed of ALKA aydalla and the suffixed g -m, « suffix that is used in the negation. As for ARRA ayia, it is conjugated ike A alla. The conjugation is as follows Singular 3rd mase, ARRAS aydaillim ‘he is not’ Srd fem. ALLA — aydillédtom ‘she is not? Ind mase. ALLAVI® —aydallahom ‘you are not’ 2nd fom. ARRATIZ — aydallivom ‘you are not’ Istcom. ABLAVI* — aydaillahum ‘Tam not’ Plural Srdcom. ARRAY? caydaitur “they are not’ Indcom. ALLA FUG aydillasohum ‘you are not! Istcom. ARRAI — ayiillinem “we are not! The clement AL.LAG aydallém is placed st the end of the sentence, and agrees with the explicit subject. Examples 1 See p92, m2. _ £ The fom is alto APRA aydoitin,ot AMHARIC TEXTBOOK Ade Meg | THE + ALKA vow inkarra ayn ‘he is not very strong’; RAL £4 | MERAEI asowe digg oydlasiom ‘he is not goods Teh | ALLA gMibde aydillahum Tam not an exceptional fellow’ ; £0 1 Aor + Wee + LRA yh dw simmane oyilillim “this man is not a weaver’. Negative of the verb of presence ‘The negative of Ad alld, the verb of presence, is Ag yim “he is not, he is not present, there is not, there is no'. Note that Ag? yillém is composed of (A yallé and the suffix -7° -m, a suffix that is used in the negation. As for A yiild-, it is conjugated like a alli, Tae forms are : Singular 3rd masc. PAI yllim ‘he is not present” Srd fem. PFI yillédiom ‘she is not present’ 2nd mase. PAUP —_-yilllahom “you are not present” nd fem. PA yalattom: “you are not present’ Istcom. PAU yim ‘I am not present’ Plural : Srdcom. PAI” allem “they are not present? Qnd com. PAFU-g? — yilladfohum ‘you are not present! Istcom. PATI? yallénom “we are not present’. ‘The element PAg® yilldm is placed at the end of the sentence, and agrees with the explicit subject. Examples Fah + PAF Yokannos yallim ‘Yohannes is not present’; ABC + CAG sokkear yéllém ‘there is no sugar’; ACTH EANEA | OT 1 PAF clmaz akafel wast yAllidfom “Almaz is not in the room’ ; Diiv + ARE, + eg" ozzih Info yallum ‘there axe no children hore (since AZEF fo has the plural marker, the verb is CAI? yyillum in the plural); LESSON 9 95 ANE + Ant + haw + efige bagabiya bozw ste yallim ‘there are ‘ot many people in the market’ (since (la sie ‘people’, a collective, is in the singular, the verb is Ag” yillém in the singular). Note that Ag? yilldm also means ‘no’ in answer to @ posit question. Examples : p/Z.0-} + @ZAh? Cig? + haganhy sorawon fiirrdsk? yillim, aljérrdskum ‘did you finish the work? No, I didn’t finish’. ‘VocaBULARY ra maea Tunch me oni cup ome itis hire, give an appointment ACES borfoqgo glass (drinking) trom tigiimmata sit, sit down wc: It niigiir gon but NIE angiira pancake type Ethiopian bread he AR Ht lay from ore wildddiga fall or soit stew wp 1 we. wif sivra prepare stew a sdinndiba rain (v.) NGA somab rain (n.) ae doro chicken, hen a1 OT doro wit chicken stew ek gird maid 1 gen but EXERCISES A. Convert into the negative perfect. Example: Ai! 163+ ANCH: # > AE 1 NET AA ANCHE # LTO 1 OR AEDs ONL 2 AAP AAA AM96 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK De ANNs BOT! Moby + mas 4 AYES TT PET MMLC eT #8. MehNO-Ts + OFNET + PANT 8. RAEO APNE LOA AEA TOE Pes BD BREET Te eA | wee 8 Nate + eons + GD heck #10. ACHP + RMALOND Ts AND LA VOTAA | R20FUT 12 wee PE + MLV Pie # 18D NGA + Naa Cade MAPLE ABA Eades bench # 16. NEE NIEE | NOT AF #16. AF + HIME + ae # 1 CHP | ROPET | ALE | LT 1S Teh | APA ae on woke 1. AR OR: MI At ems 20. ANEICO 1 Hee | tw B, Convert the forms of 4a into the negative, ‘Example: \ie 1 PG! P16 | YOR e > Ae et bee + RERAP # 1 BU CRS on 2 ack ATE TE BND ae ATG we APE AD he Tt BNb wet Phe 6. ANTCE Aes TPH S Hos TAH ARE Shue 8 NE TCT Te 8 bee eM PG Oe 10 ATEP AMP Tet 2k Ge UL. ACO PAR: pod do PVA Oe 12 RARO Pe 1 hos GTO # C. Convert the forms of AA into the negative. Example : fe + AMAT AA # > Atk + A + RAT # LAPAr ops AAs 2 ada MMA ANE Sh VENA AAT LAE TART LE AAU OK NPCS | HICH | AHEA + Ade 6 THEE ALA LESSON 9 oo Aakue TR ere AAT 8 ACHP | ATT eg? OAR EANGA AAU # 10 AAFOW + ANTI + Ate 1. 20 + Amddn@ + af: ANE #12 ABC E ALO + adr AA # D, Translate into Amharic. 1, The child drante milk in a glass. 2. The books fell from the table, $, We ate a good lunch today. 4, The maid came from the ‘market at leven o'clock. 5. The teacher hired a new maid. 6. What did you (m.sg,) drink for breakfast ? Coffee with milk or tea? 7. The stew is very good. 8. The maid prepared very good stew for lunch today. 9. The students and the teachers ate bread with chicken stew. 10, There is toa, but there is no sugar. 11, Tt rained a lot today. 12. We did not eat chicken for lunch today. 18. She did not drink tea in a cup, 14. Today it didn’t rain, 15, The maid did not prepare chicken stew for lunch today. B, Read and translate. LARCH PF! MAY TAR AN? ARCA TL AMAT Ws + ma # 2 AGERE DETTE + OAL tA UHM? RAT LAST OT METH + OAL + Me + RANA # 3. ps MAU TACHA? FAs MAU RCN TT! HANA # 4 Necktar + AR: PFs OLE T henchHo + AL + ho 1 ACP FO- 1 ORF # 5 PEP HAD ICR PNET TRAP TAME | HAD 1c ARTY * GRGEESE ONG tM HT APT ETTTTT MS | ie + nr # POU + ARCOM NLS + te 2 A 1 TTC + ARCO + NYRG | RANT10, u. 12, 18, 4 18, 16, 11, AMHARIC TEXTBOOK He PES OT WONTAR NG! ACT OT RAW cup a ACH SO 1 OLF 1 ALON? ACPHO | OF 1 Nya Tht KAORAT = 1eAdh Ps OT + WERT RAP SAAT PEt oF hAwete « RAFOr | HL 1 12K + Oh: beet NAFO- | HE + NE Me dae # HOE APAL PE MNATHT OLN ALIS AMAT OF + mm # APA PF NAVI ATEE | Mor An MDT AMA + NIK + hor + Nav ROTO + AhI + TRa- TRAP 1 ATO + hI + AL Rte NIS+ MAu-? cays RIBS + AANA © Ph FeOPHT ONG 1 AL: thao # RYE PS 0 ANE TRAP NG TE Ae Pave Tt nNMIS | TF LESSON 10 REVIEW LESSON EXERCISES [AL Give the correct form of the perfect agreeing with the pronoun in parentheses. (ae) — Ne 1 ANAT ANS oPAA E Ag Ed (wrt) — Ne 1 Pt sm thet FORT MAE LEO . (A) — ANE A me 1 PAT OME hat 1 ORE | Cm (GEE) — ANE SALE meh EMME MT Rods Pt (ncar) — find 1 we be 0A OAR ANAT Cm 3. (NYE) — ANE TH ck 1 4A7s BRI MAL CM (na) — and bP dm PAS heh EA (Ao) — ANE 1 ATE As HOARE Pt 1 PA » (ith) — ANE TBR LANA TANT Aa 1 ATT cm B. Convert the affirmative into the negative. Example : PEVNG + ONS 1 oom a —> PEPET | Ht hacomg = Lda Ob AAD AM! ANN #2 PICO + ACTS © one AeT 1 OA #8 AO RO ENG 1 vit PAA RL AAR TRE OT WET Widick + MGA +s OdT s ORFF = 6 ARCH AO NT BAe #7 wed PH: OR MC 11 # 8 RAFO + APA NATE! AGE! Bate 8 NEE RATES | AMT100 AMHARIO TEXTBOOK uae 1 AGF + omy s 10. ARH A Hes AINE | Pe IL ANE ICO + -PeIcOd + ALE + AW 12 ee ACA? 13. 169 1 oPnbD NA #14 Ayo thn CRO AL ORE s 1. NG: WE + bert «16. RPh? WT 1A AE Norah yt 6 aNF «18. AR WO) + ANE # 19. NCAP + AGE + he? 20. AAO + RAD! 128 + bene # ©. Give the correct form of the perfect agreeing with the pronouns in parentheses. 1. ange) + PAA + (AE TAME ACHP 1 AG HE 1 AYE) a ee} 3. ANGA 1 Mt (AEE AFOr EAE 1 nF) 4 SAAN | Ab (APE EAD FATE ENA) 5. coheed + ANE + (ACHP 1 AF LATTE 1 NYE) 6. OR + Aho Ces (AE TAPE TAD 1 MEO) T ACAMD © OOK 1 (ATHE TAL TAB EN) 8. meio i AL + Bao: (AD EAT # ADEs ACHP) 9. Me hat (Aide Ag, ENF 1 AE) 10, IG | PAARL ADE SAFO § ATH) LL, omg ® RA 1 (NAO ENTE EAE END) 12, VATA RAs (ABT AT ENE ATH) 18, Or 1 as (WHE TAYE ENETE Nit) 1. 128 1 bend # (We ENA ACHP 1 AD, ¢ NAFOr) D. Convert the indetermined direct object into the determined direct object. Example : oP: NG? ANd # > h@fo-s 16> + Ane # 1 ahh NR ANSE 2 KOO DEAT | w (hon noosa / [LESSON 10 tol BS PMA Re DAPI ME AAD EPEC fre A ARE oonb s hath rAd I MC AT # 5 hoo PATE HAN ANN AANA # 6. ONCE NEAT + CRE | ADAP + omADK HT AAD em + RNA + ANAT 8 wero + AMC + T * hA Mar 2 © RAFO + HAN | ORE + ov + RET 10. 128k Ont haw #1. Nate * HE + mR AG | OMe 12 FR AR AM RANA TOT + Th 1, LU we RADE MA we UK CHP 1 128 1 OH s ee? 1. AN TO + Id | OK + mgs ane BH. Complete the following by substituting Amharic for the English expressions, 1. Aik Fa gate Ne Ade + the gate ANG # Ate + the big gate aN # 2 Abb 18 glass OALH # ATH + the glass ARH # Ait the new glass neh = 4AM, + ecu OAL # AML # the cup OAR # Af, # the small cup One # 3. Abd #aletter Ae Rind + the letter Ane Rife + the good letter Aine # ACHP ta play AR # 6b tabook Reh # ACHP + the play AK # ‘i + the book AEH # ACHP + the new play AK # Ab + the big book REE: # 7. NPE +0 maid servant bch # NYE + the maid servant Pencil # N'FE + the pretty maid servant hme # BATT t stew OE webu ACHE + the stow avis + wectu-? AGE + the good stow ovr + wey. ?102 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK 9. NR 1a door and a window HAA # Rif + the door and the window MA? # MF + the big door and the small window aA # 10. NCAP + wile mane? ‘ACHP + the milk nae 7 ACHP + the good milk ma 7 ¥F, Convert the affirmative into the negative. examples : a) Ate! 01E sbor 8 > Dik DTG LRAT DAM EAM EAA e > AM t AMA + PAM 1 hO-RO 1 Pet hs | Ors 2 weer PE ALE + ie ANTE RODE | ANG PAT RE OTs AA # A PEP: hg TT 1 Newhart AAD! ANebeTE + Oe 5. Amabile: + Ag 1 ASNT ALT AL ACRE + AA 6. ANCAP + ALE + LMAN | Ae 7 LUE AGE SOT Sty © RACES | NCAME: Tame 8d OE aE tT CMe ene WARE TRENT VEEN AR TA oye 10 AEE ANE | Shu 5 NE tPCT + pe IL RAF@ 1 TAP ho 1 Go # 12 LEP + AUOTAA | AAR 1 ACHP Met ANTS 1 PT # MAE ML EAD ATHENS | MA + DATO # 1 RPE 9 BIS THe 16 RAO Pe LE Gor PE Te PIS We IT TICES | NOTTS RemnGAr Ais 18 hows WATAA AAs 1% Aor oN hte CPE AIL AD #20. AE + AIL ue Ant # G. Answer the questions. 1 nae? A | oes anh? 2 AME + NN [LESSON 10 103 Aah seen? Snes ara PTs MATT 4 14, mine or: wer? 6. PARE ALT Ort 1 Pe? 6 NOR -EPTED ORT TACHP | DAN | ICE | Gi dmed & APA PT MRT NIEG | Mor + OLN + PD ADT 8 ARE LAAN TPE RAT 10. NE Oe PPR MLE ee? UL RAP He PT we? WA Me | ANE | AG + LANTT 18. AR + ado + AL + ose? Wine Pr aNte? Py + mat? 15. he Bp coattur? H. Translate into Amharic. 1. The teacher went to class day before yosterday. 2. The big cap fell from the table. 3. The gal came, but the boy went home, Monday and Wednesday the employee didn’t come to the office, 5. Today at eleven o'clock she sent five letters. 6. I came to the office at two but the workers hadn’t arrived. 7. Where did you (pl) spend the day? Did you eat chicken stew for Iuncht 8. Did you ee the play yesterday ? Yes, we saw the play. 9. Did the mille get ‘warm? No, the milk didn't get warm. 10, Whom did the woman Fendt the maid or the boy? 11. She opened the door end went {nto the house, 12. I hired a new maid today, but she didn't come. 18. They ste bread with chicken stew for Iunch. 14. What day is today Friday or Saturday? 15, The book fell off the table. 16. Many people went to the market. 17. The woman put on a new dress Sanday and went to the theater. 18. Yesterday evening T scrote a letter to the teacher. 19, Is there water for stew and teat 20. These employees are absent from the office. Where did they go! They did not come yesterday. ecor Ade AMET | AND # RCH + NUT 1 A + 1A # keh! 2 NAN AH AP + Nod + mas wert 00 rs104 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK APE + com « ANG CAT t ALCTID AA # LT TUNA RCH! AAG?» AVE # «RCN + AAT TD PAP + KAMAE? TATTATD CAPT ENE + MAD > «ry: nut» «7 1 MAN: DAVE STL | Node + mau: # » CNR AGTEE © ARCA NES | Mors Nav TF + ND Et mu: «> ehRCA MAA PF we TD CPTHES HRCA MAA + LAMAN + REM # MAA + AMA + BE OTs wey aD CEE | 1 1 AALLAP ID PAP LIE | LEE ALSP # ADEE CRTTES RCO ANTE N+ MAU FAUNA AGE OR PE Bh IG ETH Albeo «AEA * AAMT AG AGE + OR + MLA + amy « ‘VooABULARY ASe, spond the night; NRA + ABCA good morning!, lit. ‘how did you (fem. 9g) spend the night!’; A7® + AZCh good morning!, lit. ‘how did you (mase. sg,) spend the night ?”. Answer the questions of the story : LANG ARGH! PT MAT 2 Ad REDE | NEC A MAA hs we T 8 ANE TES OPT MT? A AGTEE ANE OR MIE ME ANTE AGE ERT 5. ANE AGT + oom? LESSON 11 IMPERFECT Amharic has a verb form called Imperfect, This form serves for ‘the expression of the present/and future. Note that the forms of the imperfect express only the affirmative present and future in the main ‘lauso (ho writes, he is waiting, he will write’). We will oe later (lesson. 11) that the affirmative present-future in a subordinate clause (‘while he writes’) as well as the negative present-future in a main and sub- ordinate clause (‘he does not write, he will not write, while he does not write’) is expressed by another form called ‘simple imperfect’ Types A and B ‘The consonant and vocalic strusture of the base of the imperfect reveals different kinds of verbs that were not evident in the base of the perfect. We have seen, indeed, that in the perfect of the triradical verb, the second radioal was always gominated in all the verbs of the proceding lessons. In the imperfect, however, some of the verbs do not have gemination of the second radical, as for instance, Alda yeS6BRal ‘ke breaks, he will break’, while others have gominated ‘second radical as, for instance, BAIA yoFALLeGal ‘he seeks, he will sock’. Tho triradical verbs which do not have gemination of the second, radical will be called Type A verbs, whereas those which have gemin- ‘ation of the second radical will be called Type B verbs. Neither the nature of the redioals nor the meaning of the verb gives any indication ‘whether a given verb is of typo A or of type B. Whether a verb is of type A or type B is a lexical fact and is indicated in the dictionaries108 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK by various means. In our vocabulary, type A will be marked by an (A) and type B by a (B). ‘We will see later that these types differ in the conjugation. Tt is, therefore, important to know the type of the verb. ‘Since the Ethiopio script has no special mark for the gemination, type A does not look different in writing from type B. Indeed, in writing BAMNGA looks like CAAA, that is, £ in both oases, followed by the Ist radioal in the Ist order, 2nd radical in the 6th onder, Srd radical in the 4th order, then in both cases. It is only fromi the pronunciation that we know that a verb such as (tide does not have a geminated second radical and is pronounced yoSiBRal and that £244,9A is pronounced yoRALLeGal, with gemination of the second radical. Structure of the Imperfect ‘Tho imperfect studied in this lesson is composed of the «simple imperfect » of the verb (for which see lesson 17) followed by AA alld (for which eee lesson 4). Because of this composition, the term « com- pound imperfect» would be more appropriate, but for the sake of simplicity we shall refer to it as « imperfoot ‘The imperfect is formed with affixes, that is, prefixes and suffixes, for the expression of the person, gender and number. ‘The prefixes and suffixes are the same for all the verbs regardless of the type. The difference between type A and type B lies in the base. In the type A tho base is -SABR., that is to say, vowel @ after the Ist radical, 2nd radical non-geminated, and no vowel between the 2nd and 3rd radicals. In the type B the base is -FaLL0G-, that is to say, a vowel d after ‘the Ist radical, the 2nd radical geminated, and a vowel 9 between the 2nd and Brd radicals, In this lesson we will study the singular only. The conjugation of the singular is as follows : LLBSSON 11 107 ‘Type A Srdmasc. AMIGA yosibral ‘ho breaks, he will break’ Srd fem. — rfAeAF tosdbrallaSé ‘she breaks, she will break’ Qnd mase, FAMeAV tovdbralléh ‘you break, you will break’ Qnd fem. — HAA LAT tovdibrivallas ‘you break, you will break’ Ist com. — Atbfléwtivs solbrallahu* ‘I break, T will break’ ‘Type B LEADA_ wefillogal “he wants, he will want’ PAAONE tofilagalia8é ‘she wants, che will want! HLADAV efallogallah ‘you want, you will want? FAALLAT vfillagivallas ‘you want, you will want’ AZADA efillogallahu' ‘I want, I will want? (On the basis of the conjugation one can see that the prefixes and the suffixes are as follows : walt Singular: rd masc. yo Srdfem. alla Qnd ase. ta. allah 2nd fe .. Walla Ist com. 9. allhu Note that for the second feminine the suffix is composed of two elements : iV and -alldf. For i¥, see lesson 17. For the sg. 2nd fem. of verbs ending in td, f, 8,2, 4, J, n, S00 lesson 12. Tt can be seen that the suffixes are the same as the forms of AA alla (eee lesson 4). The suffix that requires special attention is the singular, third masculine -al (A&A yostbral, BLADA yefallagal), as against alld WA. In the script, the initial vowel of the suffixes is obtained by putting the final consonant of the verb in the corresponding order, that is, in the 8rd order for the vowel i, in the 4th order for the vowel a. 1 The 4 oan also be pronounced gominated # While written AOAEHAUe it is pronounced sbraltah 4 While written A&ALDAUs it i pronounced sfllgallah 4 The final 1 can alt be pronounced gemiased108 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK Examples for the base of the imperfect Type A. From gofig ‘advise’: -MaKR- ean ‘be near’: -QaRB- spRov ‘advance’: -QaDM- vie ‘tell -NaGR- 22% —‘bedry’: —-DaRQ- Type B. From onZp ‘bless’: | -MARBAQ- Fawe begin’: CaM MoR- erage ‘add’: CaM MoR- avi) §— ‘feed’: © -MaGGoB- mie ‘guard’: -TOBB:Q- Meaning of the imperfect ‘The imperfect expresses the prevent or future in the main affirmative clause, Thus, PMtlenA ‘he breaks, he is breaking, he will break’ Examples PVE | AK + AH + Libelle-d ‘the little child will bresk things’ ; THIN + AZADAv- ‘I want money’; PME ANE APE! MAGAY ‘why do you tell the sooret to @ child"; eR dt | POPAARY ‘you will return the book’. ASKING FOR TIE (continued) ‘Asking for the time “What time is it? : (7 1 AGE + 0-7? The answer ‘It is three o'clock’ is expressed by YA 1 AG + yar. ‘Sharp’ : Ah. Example: AR + 70% + AGA + 4am ‘itis nine o'clock sharp’ “About, approximately’ : Mf, or WP... AP, or OK ... WLP. [LESSON 11 109 ‘Thus, ‘about ten o'clock’: @& 1 Ad + AGA 1 oF MF + her + AGE 1 AL or MR 1 het 1 AGE + ILM. ‘The hours and minutes are expressed as follows : 9:00 wa + AG, lit ‘8 o'clock’: 910 yh + AE | HAPKC 1 LEA, lit. ‘9 o'clock and 10-minn- tes or OT + HAPMG, lit. ‘three and ten’; 815 yh AGE + Hae | APOE + Kees, lit, ‘three o'clock and 15 minutes’, or wah + Néefl, lit. ‘three and a quarter’; 9:20 wh + AG + HYP + LAs, lit. ‘three o'clock and 20 minu- tes’, or POA + HY, lt, ‘three and twenty’; 930 Yh! AVE + Phd, lit. ‘three o'clock and hal 940 Angee 1 1P + PAL, lit. “to four less twenty’ 945 ANCA 1 Gof) ¢ PAL, lit. ‘to four less a quarter’; 9:50 AAG: APC 1 WAP, lit. ‘to four less ten’. ‘ocaBULaRy DALI hulgize always PRE méikina car, machine Aah soll phone, telephone aPucr tamkart lesson, education, training toon eimai return, come back Nek kiray rent (n.) HOG + AA —Kistat bahwala in the afternoon ha (A) agp pay Wd (A) saffins sing Wat wiftin song Son (B) dail phone, ring (phone, ete.) Rave (B) Simin begin, start (tr.) Rag iébaina pot (for tea or coffee) mee (B) fiyyiga a, question ogee eyyage question (n.) ami (B) Sarvitsti finish, complete (4.7 (B) filliigi want, look for, search, desire0 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK EXERCISES |A. Give the correct form of the imperfect agreeing with the pronoun in parentheses. Type A . (Kb) — ANE TAA HAY RAAT Het T ONR E Pemd F or 2. (WP) — ANE EAA SRAM HAE ONE that 1 OR ei dme 3. (NPE — ANZ 1 ome F OLtt 4. (vie) — NE NAA TREN LAY The OAL 1 ORF me 5. (At) — NAA SANG RANT ORH 1M Net ome ose ‘Type B 1. (8) — &AT TE eMeH 1 GRACE ROA 1 Ford 1 Pad 1 ae oes VRE 2. (WEE) — 2A1 1 BN 1 eH 1 Lord 1 RON 5 Gawd 5 oman s 1k 3. (NYE) — a7 1 weds 1 med 1 adem 1 Rare 1 oe me 1 ome! 4. (Ad) — ATT Mee 1 AAT LOA | Fare 1 owad 1 ae Cada (at) — 407 EIR Fed 1 amd, 1 ENT PANT LOA 1 Verb ening im dental (4, ff) slant (29) and, w cannot be uaed yot, This class of verbs wl be treated in lsson 12 Tadd trade in ¢ bo Gt 9 sign © ateetch LESSON 11 ul B. Give the correct form of the imperfect agreeing with the personal pronouns in parentheses. Type A 1. 968 t bend * (NTE EN EAL ENO TNE) 2. NOMA | ORE + (NYE L Ate AOE EAD EAS) 3. -PGDET Ae! # (Nb TAPE EAM TA EAE) 4. omiek’y + ANG + (Ate EDL AVE NYE 18) 5. Age + nats (AO EAB TAPES NOE A) 6. ORs dihom EN? (Neb EVEL A EE EAM) 1 annterém + 112! + (hie NYE DAE TAD TAT) 8. AG + Mesh + (A, NPE SNe ATE ES) ‘Type B 1 ohg ata (Ab EAM EM EAVES Nt) 2, pees mee: (NPE T Ate NOE EAM TAS) 3. APUG + Rood + (NOt 1 NPE TA TAD, EAS) 4. 6G ONT ADC Grads (EAL EAB ENTE ENTE) ©. Convert the perfect into the imperfect. Example : h12@ + MCHEO4 1 ANE > PIO + AC PHOS LANGA H 1 bho DAN: LOAH 2 ARs KASH AN # 8 he Qo | hGor + Ok # 4 AMVC © APD AY Booch = 5. Hida + Te 1 TPe Meee 6 MEE heey nents 7 AR Pe Ne eRe 8 Ae A Reo) On: eth # 9 AibO + A+ M+ 1 bedrunk * belasy * come.noar 4 tall # atl add12 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK hrs 10 MLC MPN + OOF Lethe 1, weed Fors ear} ahs WL NEE PPUCT + OF Kor h? 1. MEP AAW: ATE RONET 1 ne Hd OF: ehh #15. NETS Obes 2AvT # D. Give the Ambaric equivalent for the time. Example : 2:30 > APPR 1 AGT PA tor APP + te ta 2:20 4:30 8:30 3:20 1s 4:50 2:10 8:50 10 10:35 12:50 145 345 5:30 9:25 B10 E, Translate into Amharic. 1. Iwill pay the rent. 2. The teacher will begin the lesson. 9. He will phone the doctor. 4. You (f.sg)) are always asking questions. 5. She will begin work tomorow. 6. When will you phone? Today or tomorrow? 7. The teacher wants the student, 8, The maid is singing a nice song. 9. I will finish the lesson tomorrow. 10, You (masg,) always ask questions, 11. The boy will break the coffee pot. 12, The teacher asks the pupils many questions. 18, When will you (m.si.) finish the work? 14, She will finish the work afternocn. 15, She sings a very nice song, F. Read and translate. Le eRE | UTIL | ANEAAY TPT SE LERD 1 ULI AheAnu # 2 hor 7 MARE MNF 1 AGF | LRO-AAT cham + ThE APAT | AGF DAN SRO & u. 1 1s, a 1. 16, LESSON 11 3 ARCA! PF! PAALEATT TH? OT? ARCH + AG + OF | NOt + KLADAV # POUCHES 1 MNT + AG AEP CPA FPO Ch HS CNUAY | AG AR PSAU & Wek + oF + AEAAUT NERD 11 MAY * KT 1 AG | NhEAAY & POO] MG + NPE | AVE AEP ANY? HOOT + Mee MPD + A TESLA # fe PG NAD | RUGTAT AMT EAM et Md PNET # Wer EO 1 PEO} + OF 1 RECANT veto + POW LEAD # PICO + PPUCHT | NNT 1 A + SCANT PT CO PPUCAT 1 UAT MAME NTE A BE cha # PF RLADAVT AKA Hd | DADA: # AeA IY PONENT Ac | VAT + ZAG TA 1S ACRE + PONCNT # VALI ANTICO | DLE TE! LEIA? VE + POE + NVETCOG + UII TLE LMLIA # DAME | RAGE | CAM + PLATA T APT ED Aled? ORES + RCA | RADA: # Ee VALI | AAA A | THETA APD ENE UAL | AGN MA | NGTAV: AM PGE wdeh GTAP EDM | Gt weet + Gh PEP hs APNE OE AEP CAT 1 ANI + A9% 1 eacANT © HAG + NAA + AM + AGE PRONE NAME * Unt 1 AD + PacaAy # Dees | LE os ponder hry + wt + 0 Ree EAGT LemanLESSON 12 IMPERFECT (Continued) Plural ‘The forms of the plural aro : Plural: a Srd com. Piitente and com. HONEA EY Istcom. AINEAD Respect: itiead> Plural: Srdcom. 2AA2 Ind com. TEA DAY. Istcom. NIAADAT Respect: BLA 2h + Pronounced tbrallatok. + Pronounced ffalpalatah, Type A sesdbrall tosbrallaSihu * onnasitbrallin onatibr sostibrall ‘Type B sefllagallu tefallgalladéohu* ennofillagalin nflagallin yofaillogallu ‘they break, they will break’ ‘you break, you will break’ ‘we break, we will break’ “You break, He breaks, She breaks’. “they want, they will want’ ‘you want, you will ‘want? ‘we want, we will want? "You want, He wants, She wants’, LESSON 12 5 ‘The prefixes and suffixes of the plural of the imperfect are = Srdcom. yo. allu 2nd com. #2... allaééohu (pronounced allaéteh) Ast com. ona ..allén oF om. allan. Note that the prefix of the Ist plural is anno- or on. Table of the Imperfect Singular : ‘Type A ‘Type B Srd maso. LAMGA, yesibral —-LADA_ —ypfillogal Grd fem. PAMNGAE tosdbralla? PLAIN wfillogallics 2nd mase. PANCAY wsilbralldh ALADAY _ tofillogallah Qnd fem. PAAGEAT tosdbrivallas FLATLAT tofillogivallas Istcom. AiGAU+ ssdbrallihus ALADIV+ ofallogallahu* Plural: Srdcom. LidMidade_ yastbrallu §— LLADA —yofillogallu 2nd com. AACA FU: tsibral- 2A DA Fu+ tfillogal- ladiohu* ladtohu * Istcom. NWCA onnasdibrallin WELAIAT onnafillegallain cor onstbralin or anflagalin PALATALIZATION In Amharic, as in English, the front part of the palate is involved jn the pronunciation of certain consonants in contact with front sounds such as ‘and y. As a result of this contact, the pronunciation of the consonants is changed and they become prepalatalized. This process is called palatalization. Take, for instance, the final d in rapid pronun- ciation of ‘did you see!” pronounced as d¥ or § as against the d of {don't see’, where d is not palatalized because no front sound would cause its palatalization; or the ¢in ‘don't you walk’ where ¢ is normally * Pronounced sbralll. * Pronounced sflioglld. * Pronounced fedbralladésie, 4 Pronounced alata,|S ee us AMHARIC TEXTBOOK pronounced # or & as compared with the ¢ in ‘T don’t walk’ where the sound ¢ is preserved because there is no front sound which could cause its palatalization, In Amharic, pelatalization occurs aso rule only in the verbs and in the forms derived from the verb. The consonants which can be palatalized are the dentals: dg, t-b, tm, 1A, n %, and the sibilants 5 (. 211 and §R. These consonants are palatalized when in contact with é, 6, and -elya. In this lesion we will deal only with the above consonants in contact with the vowel i. For the contact of these consonants with ¢ and (e)ya, see lessons 27, 33. ‘The form of the imperfect in which the vowel § occurs as a suffix is that of the singular second feminine; thus tasiby-ivalla8. The conso- nants mentioned above will be palatalized in this form, and the palatal- ‘zed sound is as following : dig > Hes nie) > % i> sm wey > eb Fs ae > sO ti >y & HOY > Fs ai ># Yr. Examples : POAEAA towiljallas, from MAP. wiillada ‘give birth’, NEFA ohafeallas, from nd kaffata ‘open’, MAMA tobilfallas, from Man balla ‘exceed’, AAP ERA tolmmatallat, from Aa limméina ‘beg’, FomR ART tomaillotallas, fom awfig malisd ‘return’, span Gag HG omarretallas, from ao Zu mirza ‘poison’, FINA tagalfalas, from 118 gillaya ‘uncover’, APRA tokafyallas, from Ndr hifflé ‘pay’. 1 The vowel «ofthe ast sacl which bemes plained can ao remain, Thus iv > Oi 7 > 8, 8 > BY, nd oo on. Examen : ROAR PAM ‘welorotas (Grom lds FEE RAT MHa/SoaTal (om Hs NADP A A sberals Com Wp, and 9 on LLRSSON 12 ut GENDER Amharic nouns are treated es masculine and feminine, This masculinefeminine treatment is not indicated by a gender marker ‘attached to the noun. The distinction in gender is indicated by the gender of tho definite article (se0 lesson 8), or by the gender of the demonsteative pronoun, or by tho gonder of the verb referring to the noun. Indeed, lexical items such as 4.¢.\ fais ‘horse’ or MbAe briglo ‘mule’ have no marker to indicate whether they are masculine or feminine, It is only the form dé fardsu ‘the horse’, that is, the masculine article -, or MPAeP biglo-wa or NPteRek baglo-yatu ‘the mule’, that is, the feminine artiole wa or -y)otu, that indicates the masculine treatment of 4¢f1 firs ‘horse’ and the feminine treatment of (13/te biglo ‘mule’. ‘The gender treatment of these nouns is also indicated through forms such as £0) 1 dit yok fais ‘this horse’ (By) yok being the demonstrative masculine) or UF + MPA yahasé baiglo ‘this mule’ (GU yotoeE being the demonstrative feminine). The gender of the noun is also indicated through the gender of the verb referring to the noun, a8 in Aaik! LIAM firisu yogallobel ‘the horse gallops! (DAMA, yogallebal being the masculine form), or in NAP + HEAMAT biglowa torraggitallasé ‘the mule Kicks’ (EAM torraggitallaéé being the feminine form) There are, however, a number of nouns and adjectives for which the fominine is formed by the suffix ~it, This suffix is not used auto- matically. Substantives with the suffix -it : er aroge ‘old’: HOTA arogit; coor. mulorra “bridegroom : am 7]Zi} muforit ‘bride’; WLS and ‘one! : fom. WFAA andl; Nahe agile ‘so-and-so’ : fem. NIA egdlit. ‘Adjectives : 23 digg ‘good! : B.% digit; PHC toque ‘black’ : Re faqurit. Nouns ending in -awi have the feminine -avit, Thus, ACHP syoppyawi Ethiopian’ : fom. RACAL yoppyawit; BLING, farinsawi ‘French’ : fem. £2784 firinsawit.18 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK ‘Amharic also has gender specifiers for human beings and animals ‘of male or female sex. These specifiers are : @'},: wind for male, (U4 set for female, Examples: WEL + AP winds bf *boy’, as against Me AE set lof ‘gil; @ PS + RUE twiind ahayya ‘he-donkey’, as against At + AUSF set ahoyya ‘she-donkey’. ‘The differentation between male and female in reference to specific human beings is normally expressed by different lexical items. Thus, AilA adbat ‘father’ : NGA onnat ‘mother’ @KH wiindomm ‘brother’ : Nev abot ‘sister's NPR agit ‘uncle’ : NA akost ‘aunt’; M12, bare ‘ox’ : Ag lam ‘cow’. VOCABULARY an leba thief TNs mankiya spoon ng ming way, street, road nee (A) sarvigt steal Pha (A) aki plant 18.8) nigga trade, trade in 428 néiggade merchant, trader ner rat supper nna abiba flower ano anabbaba read ue nf tree rma gnats money ‘eh (A) aiddata kil exramg (B) amma add, add to, inerease, give more LLBSSON 12, 19 EXERCISES A. Give the correct form of the imperfect agreeing with the pronoun in parentheses. Type A (NH) — ANE EAA HAD RAAT ha OAR: Pme 1 ore (G74) — ANE 1 ORF TAAL ome 1 ds ¢ OAR EH at 1 820 (Nite) — ANG CHa hat sme TAA TREAT OAL F ort . (NPE) — ANE NAA TRAN FM NAA Eat OPEL tm 1 ons. 5. (NCOP) — ANG NAA THAT REA Eat 1 OAR ORE (AA Fo) — ANE 1 ORF 1 beat hat OAKS RENTS Type B 1 (A) — BATT MEP LAAT LOA § Kore 1 aad 1 card, . (Rade) — ATE VIL LOM | LNT LOAE Kare 1 Al (ATH) — BATE Meh 1 AEA 1 LOA Kare 1 Pant cme, 4. (ACHP) — 2.N7 1 71% 1 Chow, § Meh 1 LCA LONE nn (FE) — 2.07 1 EAE LONE TIRE NOTE AAT Kore . (NAFo) — LATE ed dA FLOAT Kora 1 oan s mame, be:120 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK, B. Give the correct form of the imperfect agresing with the personal pronouns in parentheses. ‘Type A 1 TM hast # (AD, EAN EAE EATIT) 2. pees NAD # NG # (WT Ride 1 NET ACHP) anes Bane (AE ADE EAE Ni) A owmanbeh hact + (Nid CAMEO 1 NE 1 Ai) 5. ART One + (ACHE ERE ETT 1 Av) 6. 1. ABD! bend + (NYE LRAFO> 5 HA 1 ACHP) NONE 1 ORE + (AF LATHE ENE EAM) 8. Atk | THIN | Hed + (AAFO 1 TTL ACHP 5 KE) Type B LOND AAT # (Aes Nite CATE EAGT) 2. ANTCO-D + Meh + (hb ENA TYE 1 ROFa) 3 pede aadd + (WHEE AGHP 1AM, FATT) 4. nah + 2on + (ite TNE TDM TAF) 5. AUCH | Kove | (AST 1 AVE ECAP f AD) 6. pes aon + (NPE 1 MET NBL Nat) TAC | dua, + (Ae EAT H E AT AGH) BAM: 11k + (AE ACHP FADE fA) C. Convert the perfeet into the imperfect. Example : MICH + ORE + Ale # — PCE + RAE | LAA # 1. ARH TPO © and #2 MOE + OOH + lek # 3. NAR + AMICE + ROAT # 4 AME! hm + Pte BANOS | NG thie #6. MEP | ANCL. TH | ae [LESSON 12 11 woth s 7 ARE NED hak #8 AMO + aml? + Ane = 8. Aohsar + Ane + TH + NAAT # 10. OR ahi? 1 Nee 8 onahy-? Ue AGar sandr + AIL + TY hes aRC | Gee # 2. 12k + MSFT: 2h7 # 13. Nek 1 NUAE + AGE dhe #1 ROTI | AL + ng + thie # D. Translate into Ambario, 1. The studenta answer the question. 2. The thioves steal cars from the streets, 8, For one cup of coffee T want two spoons of suger. 4. Tho thief always steals cars, 5. The men will plant inany trees today and tomorrow. 6. The merchants trade in cars. 7 Saturday and Sunday the merchants trade in sugar and coffee, & T want chicken stow for supper today. 9. When will you (pl) plant the flowers? 10. ‘They will plant the trees tomorrow at eleven Felock. 11, We want a lot of money for school. 12. The thieves Yilled three merchants yesterday. 13. The man gives more to the good worker. 14, You will pay « lot for rent. 15. The streets are not very good. E. Read and translate. 1. Pod 1 TE + LEODAAT THEO? + beICar + Love aaa # 2. 9 2 PRADA T ATO 1 NRC | ABADAU: # 3. ANE 1 PF LACH AOE + OEP ES * hows + LCP # A Ane PP READ DARGA NILE MAG + OT AAAINU 5. PAE 1 1DBe PT RUDRA T TAR | DF. 1 HE LH Ale 6. tk THA | FLAN APT | AarRAE 1 AACANS + AAAN Ae! THI | PAINE #122 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK T AML + Ov: TILE + ARG + tePeAtU? aie + POT + TTS + ARE + NIPCAT # 8 PCO PF LIA? Peo + LECT + ACAD I DRE LEE | Os BTA o 8 ANGR | THN Pee FU APT Ae + 77H A NMP eA 2 10. AM Pe | PURGE APTA Pe TREE # LL. ope dhed + ANT APT 1 ORK + AIM # LESSON 13 IMPERFECT OF BIRADICAIS The affixes of the imperfect of the biradicals are the same as those of the triradical. Class 447 siimma ‘he verbal class (49 sdmama has types A and B. | ‘Examples for type A: A#Y simma ‘hear’, 74 gabba ‘enter, come in’, oom mézta ‘come’, wa} witta ‘go out, go off’. | Examples for type B: mM (dia ‘drink’, fj Uikka ‘measure’, + tata ‘sleep’. ‘The base of the type A in the imperfect is -Si-. ‘The bate of the type B is -LaKK-. Note that the vowel of the Ist radical of the imperfect base in both types is the same as that of tho perfect, namely 4. ‘The conjugation of the imperfect is as follows : Singular: Type A ‘Type B Srd mas. BASHA, —yasiimal Paha, — yelikal Srd fem. PACHA toscimallads §— EAHA —tolbhallacs And mace. HAeVAY tosdmalldh §— Fay —wlakkallah 2nd fem. MAOL,PAT wodmivallas §— ATCA tolakkivallas Istoom. — AMPAU: — asimallahu! §— RAKAUe — alakballathu ® Plural Srdeom. PAPA —_yeodimallu PARA — yaliikkallu 1 Pronounced ama, 2 Pronounced aliiallah194 AMGIARIO TEXTBOOK and com. ATAU: osimal- ANA Ey. lake ladtohu * ladéohu * Ist com. WHVTAY annasdmallén ANAT onnalakkallan ‘or ansiimalléin or anlakkalliin Class #2 grr ‘Tho verbal class od. girré has types A and B. ‘Examples for type A: @& gird ‘remain behind’, 4.08, fase ‘grind’, Wit sassa ‘thee’. for type B: Ag lays ‘distinguish, separate’, Ff ‘The base of the type A in the imperfect is -QaR-. The base of the type B is -LaYY-. Note that the vowel of the Ist radical of the imperfect base of both types is the same as that of the perfect, namely a. ‘The conjugation of the imperfect is as follows : Singular: Type A Srd maso. AGA, yoatiral ard fom. PEAT togiralliss 2nd mase. PEAY togiallh Qnd fem. PHS LAT toginivallad Istcom. Aiea ogirallahu® Plural Srdcom.. Sabdniie_ —yagdiralle 7 Qnd com. PEATEs togiralladiohus PAPA Fs toldyyalladiohu * Ist com. WIPER onnagdrallin NIARAY enneldyyallin cor angdrallan cor anldyyallan 1 Prondunond lasdullafobe, 4 Pronounowd olay * Pronounoedfldbkalladste + Pronounced tadralldéoh. * Pronounced syrah. «Pronounced tlyallagék®. “LBSSON 13 135 Class a0 sami ‘This clase has only one type. The base of the imperfect is Sof. ote that the vowel of the Ist radical of the imperfect base is different from that of the perfect. Indeed, tis a in the perfect (-Salf-), but o in the imperfect (-Sod-). ‘The conjugation of the imperfect is as follows : Singular: Srdmaso. ACTA yoromal Sedfem. NOTA tosomallaes 2nd mase. HeVAY totomalldh nd fem. ANUPAM —_—_tesomivallié Istcom. — ANMD ‘osomalliihu * Plaral: Srdcom. NTA, jromall Qnd com. ATAU —_tosomallaéohu * Istoom. — NINSTAT annasomalliin or onsomallin PERSONAL PRONOUN IN THE EXPRESSION OF POSSESSION ‘The possessive edjective or pronoun {‘my, mine’, and so ox) can be ‘expressed by the clement ¢ yé‘of prefixed to the personal independent pronouns. In the case of a possessive adjective the complex fy + personal pronoun precedes the possessed. Example : Pte + (or PAA) oR ehe + ylsou maphaf ‘his book’ (yassu for yé-oeou, see below). For another way of expressing the possession, see lesson 16. In the contact of the final vowel ~# of ¢ yd- and the intial vowel of the personal pronouns, the following. clisions occur 9 > a (NM yitonou > OA yissu), ap a> a(Ch rt whan > PIE yon). 2 Pronounaed somali, * Pronounced fonmallatah128 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK ‘The forms are thus as follows : Sogake adamen fie ple Srd fem. 4], -—_ydlsowa ‘her, hers” 2nd mase, $+ yantd ‘your, yours’ Qnd fem. PE yond ‘your, yours! Isteom. ine “my, mine! Plural: Srdcom. 7 —_ydinndiseu ‘their, theirs’ 2nd com, Dynan ‘yous, yours! Ist com. ¢%——_yéfifa ‘our, ours’ Respect: Srdcom. PA¥F@+ yiseaBSiw ‘His, Hor, Hers’ Bnd com. FCA ylrawo ‘Your, Yours’ ‘Examples for the possessive adjective ek + ord + ASLO + 10> ‘his book is now’; Pile | A | PAH + yor ‘their house is big’; PPE + b°LN + YK + ya ‘your (feminine) dress is pretty’. Examples for the possessive pronoun : omg ad + Ph + 4* the book is mine’; TEM + LF + o> ‘the sweater is yours’, ‘The personal independent pronoun preceded by the element @ yii used as a possessive adjective or as a possessive pronoun can take the article and the marker -"} -n of the direct complement. Examples: Pb (or Pham) + CA + 4a? “where is mine”; Ph ORE | AOL! OT HAILY + SFEF + RODAAY- ‘my book is old, therefore I will take yours’; SUED + oRAE + AOHRAY- ‘I will take your book’. + While form auch oe PG “ie, HE ‘yours’ may be waiten PAM +, PAI (with preservation of i, Ah), the pronunciation is most normally yam (with elision of 2 of or), yl with ein of of nl) Lnssow 1s 1 vocapuuany ary Timan why? att hogan child, baby oman ‘male change (money), answer (2) it (A) mata it became evening PP uth mon gize when?, at what timet 2A(A) risa forget at sag Jugh fam (A) sia give run gimie ‘woman's dress ac torr dollar tte tolo ‘soon, Ager addirriighs do oma) swat leave (from), go out, come out, go up, ise (oun) PAC débtar ‘exercise book ana) gissa buy [BXERCISES 'A. Give the correct form of the imperfect agreeing with the personal pronoun in parentheses. Verbs of type A are marked with (A); unmarked verbs are either of type B or of a single type. 1. (wet) — 07 (A) x nen saa (A) Pe (A) PTT ee Ab tom (A) x FE tm (A) Fah? 2 (ath) — 97 (A) 5 anes 04 (A) be (A) ARE Ae EA $s opm (A) 14% 1am (A) TAM 3. (WHE) — 07 (A) 1 ab 5 i (A) Bt omm (A) AT foo ae ee (A) ma (A) mn 1 separate alep—* mousure198 AMHLARIO TEXTBOOK 4. (ait) — 7 (A) ae be (A) x A(A) Emer aoe Ah 1 com (A) x -1F 1 Am (A) 1 ae 5. (an) — fev (A) ran Aa” sae Te (A) EMA (A) Em 5 Ab 5 Aten (A) 1 Ft aon (A) 6. (ae) — 07 (A) men 4 (A) a (A) EAP Eom ae oom (A) 1-18 5 fim (A) 5 ah 1. (x) — 007 (A) aR Em (A) EE oom (A) Ea haw sags 2 (A) sna (A) men 8. (Ache) — nev (A) EA Ene s hem (A) 1 AE AA (A) PF 1 #e (A) 1 oom (A) Te Ae 9% (Agar) — ner (A) mms 1A (A) ee ART ATA # 1 om (A) 1 HF 5 Am (A) 5 an 10. (qarFon) — 27 (A) x oom (A) eb Tm (A) 1 Ad mina (A) re (A) Tag E Ae Tan B. Give the correct form of the imperfect agreeing with the pro- nouns in parentheses. O07 (NEE Ade ENTE EAB AD) $e (At CAG PACAP EATTE 1 RAFO) 0 (WHE AE LATE EAM EB) om (NCAP 1 NET Nie § Wt 1 NF) fim (Aton 2 NF a NE TPE TM) aH (NF Ee Ae LATHE TAD) WW (Wot 5 ACHP 1 Node EAM 1 AE) Om (At 1AM EAB LAR NATO) 660 (AD LATHE Eide fEE EAFE) 10. 2 (WHEE Ae RF Arde AB) 1, anges (PE RAF OO 1 NE 5 MOL 1 Ae) 3 aw Je (A) rk, hit, LESSON 183 129 12, Be? (ABE AMT Abt En ACP) 18, 90 (Abie CATE tN NYE 1 Me) 1 nm (Ate EAD ADE EA ENT § ACHP) E. Convert into a complete Amharic sentence. 1. 2 8 my RAE! Oe 2 LY + AE + mine tor 8, Yours) PeR0 + ARN oe 4 LU AGEs ours fax 8 8, Our AG 1 PGs yor # 6. Your(pl) ANTT CH ALY | Sa a 7. omg ere + theirs Ga #8. Her ANTE | ALY TO 9. ACAME: his Ga x 10. Your (os) BAG PEO? UL Her hG ARN Oe 12, Your (respect) mM + AMLV + 4+ #18, His (respect) a3 aS AmeAMO Ag os 1 RAM RAC + his 4a a 15. Your(2s.) PRN + AAD | ABRAM #16 HEI yours (pl) Fa ? D. Convert the perfect into the imperfect. Bxample : HE 1 NOP LAI — MT 1 NOT + ALA Phu # LMG Rte soit a 2 THING + 12% 1 Amv #3 Me Pr ahs comy se 4 PRT! MIP OCs WAT 5. PUCK | Rte ates 6 LAER ANTE | Maoh & 1 APT ASE? & NEA! TLE + PAA tT 9 A QO OLGOD Heb #10. RAFOrs ANAT! NE # hh & LL ACHP Oy et eA 1D RAE NF 13. WEA 1 PF LH + OOMTAT 1h AMP ABH 1 A aie AAR: Row # 2 2 (B) ‘wits, be late?180 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK E, Translate into Ambaric. 1, Why jis the doctor staying away from the hospitalt 2, ‘The child will leave the hospital today. 3. I bought a new drew today, ‘but I did not take the change from the merchant, 4. T did not work much today; it soon became evening, 5. When will you (fxq.) write the letter? 6, The woman always kisses the baby. 7. Tho doctor always laughs. 8. He (resp. always gives books and notebooks to thestudents, 9, The student always forgets thelesson, 10, ‘Today at three o'clock the man will buy a new dress for the woman, 11. I will soon buy the new book. 12, We always leave achool at five o'clock, 18. I will buy an exercise book in the market, 14, When will you buy my ear? 15, I will buy the chair and the table for twenty dollars F, Read and translate, Lome: WAM e | 9F ATHAU THe MANE + AG + AEE UAT | ORAET | APN + ACAD! RIAU # 2 DML Fe Ub OME: 2 OLE + ADI + MAC + gt | KOM? # 3. HG AARP # bOUN: AIGA | ANTE | AG + PATE? NG tA POU: AIeA cE OAC AG + PANNE # 4. PONCE | Mt RAECE LAMA TAPE PTE + Alte + PALE + Rite # 5. ARE OUI | ANIA APTS AR | ALI | asnt # 6. PPE ANS PF! UL MLE + LOMA? + Alt 16 WILE + MAKG O97 + LOMA # TTR OTD: RATA ATED + TE ROTO Bone eA Pw EU APT Me OT At | NT went LESSON 13 1st 8 Wyre GAD + LONRAY? ATT APT E Neko + oan +s NODRAV & APE | AG # 10, PO Fe TUS PIMAE THON 1 He MAINT + AY 1s MN # 1 AEP | ME | ANF | AGF + FOMAET ALE + We | wT MAE EAT + A POmMAF # 1. ACHP + Rte | LEAN TAPE ENE + Pie Ready # 18, MYR PDs LOA HI + LAHAT OEE + LMA 1 AO: Ae + LAA # Ma SPE | hg TFs LANAT PED COLT + NATO + Palie # 1B, OPE + ANE GE AVIA? MEANO-FNT OPE + MAC | AC 1 nehOMd | MHS + APE + AG A vin: # 16, oRehdD ATE | POMAY? CORED + ARNTTCO # nama: Vi Met Bite: LOTT API Mee tthe + LoD # 1 WETS LA Rte | Parma ue TPT hbeTe | LT + Hae t Phe | NYeOMAD = 19, AMR PE ARLTT AM CBSO + ANE # 20. NER + OO PHEAAY THER + 47+ AHEAD: # Sch BURA NEA tO # NN IRS TAP NEA + fo 8 NGA: | OP | YP + OPNCT + YE + MRM EAA # OPNET | MZRNO + MNF 1 PH * Or # AMEE AL | ACANES + oR AC + hoe # CANE + YE + Gam 6 cORACTE : Th 1 AMC + FTO # NCAME | D132 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK Ad: GEO 1 OR ACH TE DAM! DELP Te WARE RAD tom 2 MRM ALS UE TREE 1 Alte + mm Ae POT | OP 1 PT | Lt LR TTS | Lt RCM Ate WEA OTE: AMT MEAT AE # amie + PG TOL NGI THe 1 OH OPNG 1 MERNO ¢ ACA Pale | A | OP Tet FO WER ee | tT + om EE + hed # ANTE + ANGA | CAP # PN + bebo # NDA | TTS + ORL BY ERE MR DNGA + OM # ANIL + KAM + RATT + AnNTCO + ANE # AAEICO- + ALE + PAPE ASMP # Anco ie Whe oe MICH bere | Tt Phe TS: UP ENTE PEELE AE 6 LTH EO ANDRE oe Wee OT TEP Mi IG! week Qt aC DEANE LES: NOTE MOF # NAAT Pe + AAD! ANA Fe oR 1S USE TH RANE Ae TA Meh AN RE LARC LOT LAL ACRES © On TE # OR + (ts comit « 1g LENE PE OT wart Tees MAA PIC | OL + LAO Lh & ‘VOCABULARY, ‘phe + vith blackboard; eT7éf chalk eraser; moe chalk; u-heg? all, all of them, all of it; (4A about, concerning; fh .. M&A after. LESSON 14 IMPERFECT OF BIRADICALS (Continued) Class ae gomii ‘This class has only one type. The base of the imperfect is QoMf-. Note that the vowel of the radioal of the imperfect base is the same as that of the perfect. ‘The conjugation of the imperfect is as follows : Singular: Sed maso. BTA —_goqomal Brd fem. -PROVAT —togomallisé Qnd mace. PHeTAY —_togomallth Qnd fem. PLAT —togomivallas Ist com. = AST» §—»qomalliihu ® Plural: Srdcom. BPA, yogomallu Qnd com. — ABeVAUs — togomallatéohu® Tstoom. —-NHBOTA') —_snnoqomallin or ongomallin Class ¥f. helt ‘This class has only one type. The base of the ‘imperfect is HeD-. Note that the vowel of the Ist radical of the imperfect base is the same as that of the perfeot. ‘The conjugation of the imperfect is as follows : Singular: Srd masc. BURA, yohedal Srdfem. §— PLAAF —thedallade 1 Pronoansed apa 2 Pronounced topmallat134 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK, Qnd mace. HBARAV —ahedallah Qnd fem. PRAT —twhealad» Istcom. EAs —aedalldhu * Plural: Srdcom. 2AM, yohedallu 2ndcom. — MLAAFU- —tehedalladéohu* Istcom. — WPLAA —_onnohedalliin or ankedallan Verbs flim Sati and cout fast ‘The verbs Than Hid ‘sell and bf {ded ‘tmoke’ (intr.) have the appearance of verbs of the class #2, since the Ist and the 2nd conso~ nants have the vowel &, The pronunciation of Sat and (asd, however, with the 2nd radical simple as against girrd, with the 2nd radical geminated, proves that Tfm Hilt and stuf (isd are different from PE qarrd. Indeed Wen sla ond uf fast belong to the ¥R class, the eof the Ist radical of which became d in Hf because of the sound 4, and in auf fis because of the sound ‘Tho imperfect of fen Sid is LITMA yosatal. ‘The imperfect of buf) isd is RewMA yoritsal. Verb Af ald 'say? ‘The imperfeot of AA ali ‘say’ is as follows : Singular rd maso. BAA. yplal the says, he will say" trdfem. FANE tolallass 2nd mase. AAD telat Qndfem. PAT tayallé + Ast com. —-RAAU lalla Plural Srdcom. PAA, yelallu 2udcom. AAU —tlalladéohe Isteom. NAAT nlalltin for onnelallan 1 prom tadivaag, * Pronounced shdalahe, _* Pronounced thea, «From fliallat [LBSSON 14 135 ‘Amharic uses most normally reported or direct speech where English would use indirect speech. Thus, ‘the woman says that she will buy a dress’ is rendered by AEP 1 AMA s Naiu-+ PAA, lit ‘ehe-woman ¢ a-dress Iowill-buy » she-says'. ‘Observations on the Imperfect Bases of the Imperfect In all the biradical verbal classes except in the (1am samd class, the vowel of the Ist radical in the imperfect is the came as that of ‘the perfect. Thus, from (147 simma (with di), imperfect PAV yostimal (with 4); from 2 gir (with 4), imperfect fede yogtiral (with a); from dao qomd (with 0), imperfect ROA yoqomal (with 0); from 4g, hed (with e), imperfoot BRA yohedal (with ¢)- Only in the Age samd class is the vowel of the Ist radical in the imperfect different from that of the perfect. Thus, perfect a> samd (ith a) as against imperfect NTA yosomal (with 2) Series of Actions in the Present-Future 'A series of actions in the preseut-future (a8 in ‘he eats and drinks, hhe will éat and drink’) can be expressed by the usage of the two ‘verbs in the imperfect, the 2nd. verb having the suffix -9° -m. Example : BNAA + LMAMAP yobilal yatittallom ‘he eats and drinks’, or ‘he will eat and drink’. For another way of expressing the series of actions, see lesson 19. USES OF THE RELATIONAL ELEMENT ‘We have seen above (lesson 18) that @ yt preceding the personal pronouns expresses the possessive adjective or the possessive pronoun. ‘This relational clement & yé also precedes a noun and is followed by another noun (P yd + noun -+ noun) for the expression of various ‘meanings depending on the meaning of the nouns that constitute this structure, The meanings of the yé-structare that wil be discussed in this lesson are those of possession and material136 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK 1. Kapression of Possession ‘Possession is expressed by the element f- yi which procedes the possessor. This unit is then followed by the possessed. ‘The function of the ¢ yi here is the equivalent to English ‘of” or the apostrophe +s. ‘Examples : “a book of a student’, or ‘a student's book’ is GM * G>REs ‘a mule of a farmer’, or ‘a farmer's mule’ is FN + NA°. ‘If the possessor is qualified by an adjective, the element of possession ¢ yé- precedes the adjective. Example :‘A book of « diligent student’, or ‘a diligent student's book’ is PRU + TIC + PRAT # ‘The ¢ yi + possessor unit plays the same role of « qualifier as does the adjective. As such it takes the article and the marker “> -n of the direct object as does the adjective Tf the possessorpossessed complex is determined, the ¢ yd + possessor unit takes the article, Examples = “The boy's book is ret” is PAR. + OOHne + PE + ham, the u of the article being attached to the qualifier PA. + yiloju ‘the boy's. “The farmer's boy is diligent’, C1N1Gom + AR + PPV + 40%, the article -1 being attached to the qualifier afta yigdbtirse ‘the farmers. Tf the possessor-posseesed complex isa direct object, the marker ~y -n of the direct object is placed with the yd + possessor unit. Example : ‘I took the student's book’ GMTC@} 1 RAAT + Ashe, the clement -n being sulfixed to @H7Cm> ‘the student's’. 2, Expression of Material ‘The structure of & yi with a noun designating material followed by a noun indicating an object expresses the material of which the object is made. Examples [LESSON 14 1st PAE + PMs ‘griddle made of iron’; Pind + gems ‘griddle made of clay’s oc? + Ab ‘a watch made of gold’. ‘The English equivalent of the above sentences can also be translated as qualifier. Thus, PAH + PMs ‘a griddle made of iron’, or ‘an iron griddle Gina + gems: ‘a griddle made of clay’, or ‘a clay griddle OCH + AGA ‘a watch made of gol’, or ‘a gold watch’. Omission of ¢ yd If the possessor-possessed complex is preceded by # preposition, the preposition is placed before the complex. In this ease, the element ¢ yi is omitted. Examples: “There is a picture in the student's book’ AI@1G@ + ORE * wie + POA * KA, instead of *AELICO 5 ‘We will go in Téstaye's oar MENGE + ONL + NPLAAT *NPTNER Yell from Tésfaye's bed’ ae + WENGE AAD * wih, instead of *ethefo. mS paid money to the student's mother’ Ahe?ém- # NET + THA + HZAhe, instead of *AP PICO Eliston of Vowels ‘As in the case of ++ personal pronouns where elision oceurs for 4 +0 > a (ydsou Pf for ya-ooeu PAM), G+ a> @ (yantd ST for yi-anti @R'PH), the combination of @ yé + @ noun beginning with a vowel results in the elision of one of the vowels in pronunciation, but not necessarily in writing, Thus, Et o>4, as in ydnnat ‘the mother's), for yil + onnat, written end ond PES a -ta> a, a3 in yastimari ‘the teacher's’, for yi + astimari, written PATE and LAE:138 amet as id “in Pon ee 4 (A) e.(A) FB) fe yo (A) hue An ant nae nAT ast Amt ner Pg: heer oer TIFR m4 (A) hee ohh AMHARIC TEXTBOOK ‘VOCABULARY smibrat light, lamp, electricity ‘mata mata every evening, evenings sal paint , draw wat picture, painting uri ‘trousers aiff sew sta all beirra ‘gt lighted, be on (light) tata sleep, fall asleep, go to bed nord live aga wake up ahun now, just now, just alas say abbat father hot sister onglf sep (u) onnat mother ‘tinna study (v.) kata city, town wanna kitima capital swiindoman brother fantawi ancient taffa be extinguished, be put out (ight), disappear, not show up. cms Capitals of the Provinces Harr capital of che Hardrge Maite capital of Ide Togre LLBSSON 16 139 Peet. AdPH Nagin, Liggimt capital of wa.y Walligga ACA + gH Arba Mong capital of 10% « 44 Gamu Gofa naa Asia capital of AG, Arust nrrordn Asmira capital of MCI Brotra (GBritzea) DAN + ANA Addis Abida —_—_copital of # Sawa (Shoa), and national espital econ Yorgalim capital of €,49° Sidamo ay Dae capital of we Wallo BME 1 SICHN Dabrt Margos capital of Wo'9" Geajjam ea Gomma capital of hee Kéfa 1G Gore capital of AA-ANG Lubbabor an Gobba capital of QA, Bale PRC Guaindar capital of (L192 Begimdor Historical and Important Towns AAA Talibitla site of the rock hewn churches in the provinee of Wallo anor Aksum ancient eapital of Ethiopia, site of the still standing obelisks nee? Ada town where the Italians were defeated by Emperor Menelik Ke 1 LP — Dovre Diwwa important town in the province of Harar. EXERCISES |A. Give the form of the imperfect agresing with the pronoun in parentheses. 1. (hb) — 809 pa ARAM EE ROUT EAA LCM 2 (At) — For eR EPs Pet UTE RP LAAT Cm elt fat * become,uo AMHARIC TEXTBOOK 8. (RET) — B00 1 CmiUG ROP TE MI BE LPT IAA 4. (anit) — 00 1 em EUs ROPE MH SER META 5. (AP4) — on PETER Tm 1 Te RLU CMs AA 6. (ACP) — Fem eM IPH BATTLE Tem FUEL Ret aA 1 (aif) — B00 1 Pt URS TE TEE ROP SUT ECM EDA 8 (nia) — foo sno Tes UT LEM IME TATE Rim 9. Qt) — Sms UR ams Terrorist Pr ICME AA B. Give the form of the imperfect agreeing with the pronouns in parentheses. eo (ath s RAFOR fA NTH) Pb (dE NVE SAE AA) boo (WEEE ATTE LNG: ACHP) U8 (WEE RAO 1 Ait EAD) Ten (ae LACHP EFT ASTT) Gm (with EAD, EASDT F ACHP) Ur (iE NABO 1 NYE TNO) noo (ACHP 1 NEE Ane TAD) ©. Convert the perfect into the imperfect. Example : $16P 1 TH 1 MOAT MINE # > TTP + pe POD PANE & Le 28a 1 Ph #2 AO GO 1 MeO + AL + BaP # S.NPE COR BEAT £ addy MN? Tent 5 AC AP oe POA tee 8A AAD NT! ECF # uss ast 1 ok AA APT! Cmtu? 8 as Fhe 1 PE 9. Naor 1 OL 1 VATA 1 WH #10 Net eHAOD + Woh ell (gars tee Pe ees et BENT 19. Gdrhow ARE OR 1G M+ Cars Me TH: ee ER? 15. AF ORT MSs LRT e D. Complete the sentences. Example : The teacher's book AA + 10 # —> Pbedm- + Kh | ADT Oro 1. The gis's dress FAI" #2. Thewindow of the office TAM # 4a># 3. The merchant's car AA,N EG # 4, The worn’s song 4 + aru 5. Ahtorza> the student's question con = 6. The teacher's mother Hef L@NAt # 7. The man’s picture fl ange 1 PAR + 4m 8 8. Tho light of the clasroom HANGS” # 9. The child's milk £qedA w 10, The change for » dollar 2AU: # U1. Today's supper 2.2 OPT | NIEE tho # 12. The child's deep ang a 13, (lofea + the boy's trousers GAGA # 14. The doctor's table AIL + PAI? # 15, The student's exercise book me * E. Convert the perfect of AA ‘say’ into the imperfect. Example : Ate 1 U1 PRE # Oe AS — Dot LY + oR E 40" s LAD # 1 APE AM ATAU ANT #2 PVC + OR + wee | QR NHDANT | RO 8 ATH NETO + PP NIMLIAT # ANbus eA Ahlers + OK + VOT SA RURAD AA BONES SAC + TAU + AAT «8K Bas Py RANT 1 RAFO + PT! OFS + OF 1 MLE + BEAN hie se 8 ACHP + hopmMAUs | hi #142 AMHARIC TEXTBOOK F, Reed and translate. LARD CANT: CRAERE PT Ts tor #2 Ah Oe PER eT VR eS. Aprende | Ce + PST heey pos 4 PIC RNIP LC PTs Ned | o> = 5. BT the PT OMT oH 6. LS EAP MALE! whe yore 7 Bs one 6 PE NT os 8 AL ONE ones woe % AMA: TIE heey es 6 10, Prom 1 PT HT ACA HE tO # 1. tha 1 PT hteT s RCpAP sos 12. POA + eg heten sree + (APPT) 1 1O #13. AMARC + PF NET Ae Oe UL. PeHeCR PT NET | hee yore 15. ON PT EET Ms tos 16 CHEM Pe ETE AAA Oe IT AAA AND: REP PTE TeeT + oe #18. KN 1 ICH + MRK + PF + he yo: 2 19, omba 1 PAA 1 PT tT | Ors G. Fillin the blank by the name of the city. LPR PS HT cee HOR eee PAE RE PTE Wh oe 8 RNC PE TMT ore A PUP RC 1 PS NET a Oe Oe che Pe MT Oe eG ee he ONT | 1m To cece PONE PE NET OE Boe MEG ON eT a Re phe PE he oe TL RAR PT NEM oe 1 12. FORD | PG EDA es HO #18 PHAN 1 PEt Peed ee Oe Oe PE DET ee OOF 15 CO PF NET a MOB arene PAGAL PT Whe oes eee PP PT NT: tae #18. [LESSON Mt 143 PDH OT Hee Oe ID oo PMG PE EMT 1 # H, Translate into Amharic 1. ‘The new light is on today. 2. The teacher paints good pictures, 3.1 will buy now trousers day after tomorrow. 4, The teacher's picture is in the office. 5. My mother sews clothes, -6. The lamp js always lit at six o'clock. 1. The child ate supper, drank mill, ‘and will now go to bed. 8. Where do you live? I live at school 9. Talways wake up at six o'dlock. 10. The boy's brother just went coat of the office, 11. The boy’s father sews clothes. 12. The mother took the baby’s clothes from the table, 13. My sister will pay the rent money. 14, The children’s brother draws good pictures. 10. ‘Much sleep is good. 16. ‘The light will be put out soon. I. Read and translate. 1 PUGH? + PaCAtE? APT TPUCET + NI cant # 2. Pha OTL ETH MOA! LEAAT APTI LAAE + OPLP G1 POD + LAD * 3. PAR AGMT | AM 1 P+ REAM T PAR | NTE th At 1 OR 1 NE + LUA # A oh 8 ene ye La AERA Y Te eT | Md ae OO | NEEEOT BM ETS Path PANE DL PNET AM OTS ARIAT | AGE EOE MAM + UN dat # 6. HONGO: | WRI POLAT MET LOEAT APTS PROTO OLLI | PLDT | tee 1 PH 1 LEA #