Foreign Word Lists

We hope to add more lists in the future!

When traveling to a foreign country it is important to make an attempt (for those who are phonically challenged) to learn at least a few words of the country you are visiting. This effort shows the respect you have for the culture and their language. It does make a difference in how you are treated. We have seen this. It gave us a general ability to at least determine some of the subject matter being discussed around us.

CURRENT LISTS-RUSSIAN AND AMHARIC

RUSSIAN

1. No 1.Nyet

2. Yes 2. Dah

3. Hello 3. ahl-loh (informal) or pree-vyet (formal)

4. Good bye 4. (dah)(svee-dahn-yah)

5. Thank You 5. spah-see-bah

6. Please 6. pah-zhahl-oos-tah

7. Your Welcome 7. pah-zhahl-oos-tah

8. I’m sorry 8. prahs-teet-yeh

9. Excuse Me 9. Eez-vee-neet-yeh

10. Bible 10. bee-blee-yah

11. I Love You 11. Yah tib-yah loo-bloo

12. Daddy 12. Pa-pa

13. Mommy 13. Ma-ma

14. Brother 14. Braht

15. Sister 15. see-strah

16. Grandmother 16. bah-boosh-kah

17. Grandfather 17. Dyeh-doosh-kah

18. Uncle 18. dyah dyah

19. Aunt 19. Tyoh-tyah

20. My name is 20. (men-yah)(zah-voot)

21. Your name is 21. (vahs)(zahvoot)

22. Telephone 22. teh-leh-fohn

23. Doctor 23. Vrahch

24. Sick 24. bohl-yen

25. I’m your sister 25. Yah Tvy-ah See-strah

26. I’m your brother 26. Ya Tvoy Braht

27. I’m your daddy 27. Ya Tvoy Papa

28. I’m your mommy 28. Ya Tvy-ah mama

29. Family 29. syem-yah

30. Children 30. dyeh-tee

31. Police 31. pah-leet-see-yah

32. Where’s the bathroom? 32. Good-yeh toh-ahl-yet

33. Tomorrow 33. zahv-trah

34. How much? 34. Skohl-kah

35. Car 35. mah-shee-nah

36. I speak only a little Russian 36. Yah Ga-vahr-YOO NEE M-NO-ga pa-ROO-skee

37. Goodnight 37. spa-COIN-a NO-chee

38. Gift 38. pa-DAHR-uk

39.pen 39. rooch-kah

40.paper 40. boo-mah-gah

41. U.S.A. 41. she-sheh-ah

42 Please to meet you 42. OH-chin pree-AHT-na

43.Good Day 43. DOH-bree DYEN

(used morning and afternoon)

44.Good Night 44. spa-COIN-a NO-chee

45.Very Good 45. OH-chin ha-ra-SHOH

46.Bye 46. Pa-KUH

47. How are you? 47.KAHK VWEE puh-zheh-VY-yeh-tee

48.One 48. ah-DEEN

49. Two 49.DVAH

50.Three 50.TREE

51. Four 51. chih-TEER-ee

52. Five 52. P-YAHT

53. Six 53.SHEST

54. Seven 54. Sem

55. Eight 55. VOH-sihm

56.Nine 56. D-YEH-vit

57. Ten 57. D-YEH-sit

58. Delicious 58. Oh-chin F-KOOSS-na

59. I don’t understand 59. YAH NEE pa-nee-MY-yoo

60. Do You Speak English? 60. VWEE ga-vah-ree-tee pa-ahn-GLEE-skee

61. This is for you 61. ETT-a D-LYAH tib-YAH

62. This is your sister 62. ETT-a TVY-ah sees-TRAH

63. This is your brother 63. ETT-a TVOY BRAHT

64. Good Boy 64. Mahl-ah-DYETS

65. Come Here 65. Ee-Dee see-yoo-DAH

66. That’s all 66. ETT-a F-SYOH

67. Everything is alright 67. F-SYOH ha-ra-SHOH

68. Everything will be okay 68. F-SYOH BOO-dit ha-ra-SHOH

69. Dirty 69. Gree-AHZ-nee

70. Juice 70. SOHK

71.Milk 71. Mahl-ah-KOH

72. Cookie 72. Pee-CHEH-nya

73. More 73. Yee-SHOH

74. That’s all 74. ETT-a F-YOH

75. Do you like it? 75. LOO-beesh

76. Hot 76. Gah-ree-AH-chee

77. Cold 77. HOH-lahd-na

78. backpack 78. Rook-ZAHK

79. What’s the matter? 79. F-CHOHM DIH-la

80. Sit down 80. Sa-DEESS

81. Write it down 81. Na-pee-SHEE-tee

82. In Russian 82. Pa-ROO-skee

83. baby/child 83. Reeb-YAH-nuk

84. The baby is ill 84. Reeb-YOH-nuk bah-LEET

85. I need a doctor 85. Munn-YEH NOOZH-na V-RAH-CH

86. This is my son 86. ETT-a MOY SIN

87. This is my daughter 87. TEE my-AH DOH-CH

88. You are my son 88. TEE MOY SIN

89. Why? 89. Pah-chee-MOO

90. I’m tired (male) 90. YAH oo-STAHL

(female) YAH oo-STAHL-a

91. This is our family 91. ETTA-a NAH-SH-a sem-YAH

92. We buy 92. Pah-koo-pah-yem

93. You are very kind 93. Vwee OH-chen dahb-REE

94. Don’t come in! 94. Nyeh vha-DEET-yeh

95. Smile! 95. Oo-LIP-ka

96. Great! 96. ZDO-ra-va

97. wonderful 97. Za-meh-CHA-tyel-na

98. Where is the police station? 98. Good-yeh aht-dyeh-LYEH

-nee-ya mee-LEET-see-ee

99. Let’s go! 99. Pahsh-LEE

100. beautiful 100. Kra-SEE-vee

Amharic-The Native Ethiopian Dialect

Please Note that all this info was gathered from different (non copywrited) sources around the web AND lovely adoptive parents (and their Ethiopian children) helping me. Thanks to all those that contributed! I wish I could remember the websites and name you all individually, but it has been almost 2 years and it escapes me.

When making an R sound you need to roll it. Many other sounds are not the same as our English sounds. For example, tenkahra or terths. When you are making the T sound you put your tongue between your top and bottom front teeth and saying “T”. Do not place your tongue behind your top teeth and say T like we do in English. The K that you find in Katell or Kai is a extremely hard K. The best thing is to get someone to demonstrate the sound for you.

This is an ATTEMPT to write phonetically, yet I may have missed a few words. In general,

A is pronounced like AH
E is short e
I is short i.
O is long o.
U is ooo.
G is a hard G.
EW is eh followed by the consonant W sound (not oo).
R is rolled R (like in Spanish)
ñ is the Spanish N or like the French gn sound or ny (consonant Y) in English

There are different words/word endings sometimes depending if you are talking to a male, female, plural or formal (important person).

Praise Jesus!                                                                      Kimale Yesusio!

Politness

1. Hello                                                                                   1. Tadius

2. Goodbye (casual)                                                                2. Ciao (Chow)
3. Greeting                                                                              3. Tay nah yist tahl leen

       (literally, may health be with you)

4. Please (to a male)                                                                4. Ih bah keh

5. Please (to a female)                                                             5. Ih bah kesh

6. Thank you                                                                            6. Ah mah se guh nah lo
7. Sorry                                                                                    7. Az-na-YOH or aznalo

8. Excuse me                                                                           8. Yikuhrta

9. How are you?(to Male)                                                       9. Indemin neh?

10. How are you? (to Female)                                        10. Indemin nesh?

11. I’m Fine                                                                           11. Dehna-nay

12. Are you in Peace (Greeting)                                             12. Selam nesh wey?

13. Yes                                                                                     13. Awo ( Ah wo or OW!)

                                                                                                  Also, you can do a little intake of

                                                                                                   breath while you lift your

                                                                                                    eyebrows to “nod” yes

14. No                                                                                       14. Ayedelem (starts with

                                                                                                      long I sound)

                                                                                                     Also can say Iyyyy (Aye)

15. Peace                                                                                   15. Sa lahm or salem

                                                                                                  (ADD nesh/female-neh/male)

16. Health be with you                                                               16. Tenastalign



Complements

1. Beautiful/Pretty                                                                    1. Konjo

2. Good                                                                                     2. Ter oo

3. Very Good                                                                           3. Ter oo Betam

4. Great                                                                                     4. Bu tam te ru

5. Smart/Clever                                                                         5. Gobehz

6. Strong (also used for good job)                                           6. Tenkaraa

7. Funny                                                                                    7. Des uh tehn ya

8. Beautiful Child                                                                      8. Konjo Lej

Conversation/ Needed Phrases

1. How much is it?                                                                     1. Sent no?

2. No problem                                                                            2. Chigger yellum

3. Okay?                                                                                     3. Isshy OR e she

4. Show me                                                                                 4. Asa yeen

5. I understand                                                                            5. Guh ban

6. I don’t understand                                                                   6. Algo bahn yehm

7. Doctor                                                                                     7. Hakeem

8. I feel sick                                                                                 8. Ah-moe-nya-luh

9. Car                                                                                           9. Maquina

10. I’m hungry                                                                             10. A robin

11. Bathroom                                                                               11. Banyobet

      Where is the toilet?                                                                   Shintobait yet

                                                                                                                 no?

12. Toilet paper                                                                            12. Soft

13. Today                                                                                     13. Za re

14. Tomorrow                                                                               14. Nuh guh

15. Yesterday                                                                                15. Tenant

16. Small (a little)                                                                         16. Tinnish

17. Big (a lot)                                                                                 17. Tellick

18. Hey You! (female)-May be yelled at you!                               18. Ahn chee

19. Hey You! (Male)- May be yelled at you!                                19. Ahn teh

20. Look                                                                                          20. Ey

21. Help                                                                                          21. Err ruh du ny

                                                                                                             (Dru suelyn?)

22. Pen                                                                                            22. Escribito

23. Rain                                                                                            23. Zaneb

24. Telephone                                                                                  24. Silk (roll L)

25. Foreigner                                                                                   25. Ferengi

26 Ethiopian                                                                                    26. Abesha

27. Smile                                                                                         27. Sahk

28. “Yes?” “What?”                                                                        28. Ah-bit

29. Okay Okay                                                                                  29. Ashi Ashi

30. Done, enough, stop                                                                    30. Becka

                                                                                                         (2)



Endearing Terms

1. I love you (girl)                                                                    1. Eh wed eh shah lehu

2. I love you (boy)                                                                    2. Eh wed eh HA lehu

3. My treasure                                                                           3. Yena Wed

4. My angel                                                                               4. Yena Meleke’

Family

1.Mother                                                                                 1. Enat or Emaye

2.Father                                                                                   2.. Abbat of Abaye

3. Brother                                                                               3. Wendim

4. Sister                                                                                  4. Iheet

5. Grandma                                                                              5.Eye-at

6. Grandpa                                                                               6. Eye-at

7. Uncle                                                                                   7. Gashay

8. Aunt                                                                                     8. ox-st

9. Family                                                                                  9. Beta Seb

Numbers

1. One                                                                                         1. Ahnt
2. Two                                                                                        2. Heulet
3. Three                                                                                      3. Sost
4. Four                                                                                        4. Arat
5. Five                                                                                         5. Amist

6. Six                                                                                            6. Sadist

7. Seven                                                                                        7. Sebat

8. Eight                                                                                        8. Semmint

9. Nine                                                                                         9. Zetegn

10. Ten                                                                                        10. Asser

Food Phrases

1. Drink                                                                                     1. Metet

2. I’m Hungry                                                                            2. a robin

3. Full                                                                                        3. Tegebihugn

4. Hot                                                                                         4. Muk

5. Bottled Water                                                                         5. Hyland

6. Bread                                                                                      6. Dabbo

7. Chicken                                                                                   7. Doro

8. Coca Cola                                                                                8. Coka

Goodbye’s

1. I’ll never forget about you                                                      1. Mecahem Alresashem

“Religion that God our Father Accepts as pure and Faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” James 1:27 (NIV)