I thought it might be interesting to some people to see a few common words and their translation in Amharic.

English - Amharic - Phonetic
Hello - Selam - Se-la-m

Bye/So long - Ciao - Chi-o

Thank you - Ameseginalehu - Ame-segi-na-lew

Coffee - Buna - Boo-na

Food - Megib - M-gi-b

Yes - Awo - Ah-wo

No - Aye - Eye
All gone - yellum - yell-um
Excuse me - Yikerta - Yi-ke-r-ta

Good bye (male)- Dehna Hun - Deh-na Hu-n
Good bye (female)- Dehna Hungi - Deh-na Hu-ng-i
Good bye (plural)- Dehna Hunu - Deh-na Hu-nu

How are you? Dehna Neh?(male) Deh-na Ne-h
Dehna Nehs?(female) Deh-na Ne-sh
Dehna Nachu? (plural) Deh-na Na-ch-oo

I'm fine - Dehna Negn - Deh-na Ne-gn

I'm sorry, I don't understand - Aznallo, algo banyem
Come (boy) - nah - naw
Come (girl) - naeye - nay
Done, enough, stop - becka -(or baa–kaw)
Okay? - Isshy - e-she
Sit down (two) kuchu-belu
Sit down (one) kuchu-bay
Good - kahn-joe-no
Pretty - kahn-joe OR cone-joe
Very clever (high compliment) - go-bez



Some websites with Amharic words:

EthiopianRestaurant.com

How To Speak Amharic- this site was put together by an Ethiopian woman specifically for adoptive families and also contains the meanings of many Ethiopian names.

Ethiopian phrases

If you know of more websites containing useful phrases, please share the link in comments, below.