Family words in Amharic — and how “my” works
Family is where heritage learners usually start, and Amharic makes it satisfying quickly: learn four nouns and one suffix pattern, and you can already talk about your people.
The family
| Amharic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| እናት | inat | mother |
| አባት | abat | father |
| እህት | iht | sister |
| ወንድም | wendim | brother |
| እናቴ | inaté | my mother |
| አባቴ | abaté | my father |
The “my / your” pattern, shown on a house and a phone
| Amharic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ቤት | bét | houseAlso "home". |
| ቤቴ | bété | my house |
| ቤትህ | béteh | your house (to one man)Familiar/informal singular masculine possessive form of ቤት. |
| ቤትሽ | bétesh | your house (to one woman)Familiar/informal singular feminine possessive form of ቤት. |
| ስልክ | silk | phoneA common everyday object. |
| ስልኬ | silké | my phone |
| ስልክህ | silkeh | your phone (to one man)Familiar/informal singular masculine possessive form of ስልክ. |
| ስልክሽ | silkesh | your phone (to one woman)Familiar/informal singular feminine possessive form of ስልክ. |
Possession is a suffix, not a separate word: -é means “my”, -h “your” to a man, -sh “your” to a woman. Inat (mother) becomes inaté (my mother); bét (house) becomes bété (my house). One pattern, every noun.
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