This post will explain how to say ‘how are you?’ in Amharic, an Ethiopian language. It also explains how you can respond to this question if you’re asked it.
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Where Can I Use Amharic?
Amharic is one of the 2 main languages used in Ethiopia (the other is Oromo). It is the native language of the Amhara people, an ethnic group residing in Ethiopia.
Whilst the majority reside in Ethiopia, there are small populations living in the United States, Israel, UK, Canada and a few other countries.
There are about 22 million native speakers of Amharic and about 4 million people who speak it as a second language.
How To Say ‘How Are You?’ In Amharic
There are a few different ways to say ‘how are you?’ in Amharic. The one you use will depend on who you’re speaking to. The phrase varies depending on if you’re speaking to a man, a woman or a group.
If you’re speaking to a female:
| How are you? | Indemin alesh |
If you’re speaking to a male:
| How are you? | Indemin alleh |
If you’re speaking to a group:
| How are you? | Indemin allah-chu |
Check out the video below to hear the pronunciation:
If you want to learn to read in Amharic, then start by learning the Amharic alphabet.
As with many languages, there are other ways that you can ask ‘how are you?’. Here’s a variation:
If you’re speaking to a male:
| How are you? | En-date neh |
If you’re speaking to a female:
| How are you? | En-date nesh |
If you’re speaking to a group:
| How are you? | En-date na-chu |
How To Respond To ‘How Are You?’ In Amharic
There are many different ways that you can respond to this question. Below I’ve listed some common responses for you to try. I’ve also included how to say ‘thank you’ as it’s polite to thank someone if they ask how you are.
| Thank you | Ameseginalew |
| I’m fine/I’m good | Ene deh-na neng |
| I’m not good/I’m not well | Ene deh-na aydelehum |
| I’m happy | Ene destenya neng |
| I’m tired | Ene dekmonyal |
Check out this video to hear the pronunciation of some of these phrases:
Thanks for reading this post on how to say ‘how are you?’ in the Ethiopian language of Amharic. You should now be able to ask this question and respond if you’re asked it!