Amharic for children
The fidel, first words with their sound, and where to ask about weekend classes — for children growing up here, and the parents teaching them.
The fidel
33 letters, each in seven orders: the vowel changes the shape. Read a row across: ሀ ሁ ሂ ሃ ሄ ህ ሆ. The Latin letters are only a guide to the sound.
Jump to a letter
hä
Order 1 — the “ä” sound
A child from our community will read this letter soon.
Tap a form to see it big.
A word that starts with itሀገርcountry
Learn to read, step by step
Eleven lessons in a fixed order, the way the reading courses teach it: a few letter families at a time, and then only words made from letters you have already learned. Go in order — each lesson opens the next words.
Lesson 1ሀ ለ መ: h, l, m
New letters
- ሀhä
- ሁhu
- ሂhi
- ሃha
- ሄhé
- ህhə
- ሆho
- ለlä
- ሉlu
- ሊli
- ላla
- ሌlé
- ልlə
- ሎlo
- መmä
- ሙmu
- ሚmi
- ማma
- ሜmé
- ምmə
- ሞmo
Now you can read
ሁሉCheck
hulu
all
ሙሉCheck
mulu
full, whole
ላምCheck
lam
cow
ሎሚCheck
lomi
lemon
Lesson 2ረ ሰ በ: r, s, b
New letters
- ረrä
- ሩru
- ሪri
- ራra
- ሬré
- ርrə
- ሮro
- ሰsä
- ሱsu
- ሲsi
- ሳsa
- ሴsé
- ስsə
- ሶso
- በbä
- ቡbu
- ቢbi
- ባba
- ቤbé
- ብbə
- ቦbo
Now you can read
በርCheck
ber
door
በሬCheck
bere
ox
ሳርCheck
sar
grass
ሳልCheck
sal
a cough
ሰማCheck
sema
he heard
ራስCheck
ras
Head
ሰባCheck
seba
Seventy
ሱሪCheck
suri
Trousers
ሰላምCheck
selam
hello, peace
ቦርሳCheck
borsa
Bag
Lesson 3ተ ነ አ: t, n, and the vowel letter
New letters
- ተtä
- ቱtu
- ቲti
- ታta
- ቴté
- ትtə
- ቶto
- ነnä
- ኑnu
- ኒni
- ናna
- ኔné
- ንnə
- ኖno
- አä
- ኡu
- ኢi
- ኣa
- ኤé
- እə
- ኦo
Now you can read
ቤትCheck
bet
house
ቡናCheck
buna
coffee
ማታCheck
mata
Evening
መቶCheck
meto
One hundred
ሰኔCheck
sene
10th month (Jun–Jul)
ሰባትCheck
sebat
seven
ሁለትCheck
hulet
two
አራትCheck
arat
four
አባትCheck
abbat
father
እናትCheck
innat
mother
Lesson 4ከ ወ የ: k, w, y
New letters
- ከkä
- ኩku
- ኪki
- ካka
- ኬké
- ክkə
- ኮko
- ወwä
- ዉwu
- ዊwi
- ዋwa
- ዌwé
- ውwə
- ዎwo
- የyä
- ዩyu
- ዪyi
- ያya
- ዬyé
- ይyə
- ዮyo
Now you can read
ሰውCheck
sew
person
ውሃCheck
wuha
water
አዎCheck
awo
Yes
አይCheck
ay
No
ወርCheck
wer
Month
ሃያCheck
haya
Twenty
አያትCheck
ayat
Grandparent
ወተትCheck
wetet
Milk
መኪናCheck
mekina
Car
ካልሲCheck
kalsi
Socks
And these sentences
ሰማዩ ሰማያዊ ነው።Check
semayu semayawi new
The sky is blue.
ይህ ቤቴ ነው።Check
yih bete new
This is my house.
Lesson 5ደ ገ ቀ: d, g, q
New letters
- ደdä
- ዱdu
- ዲdi
- ዳda
- ዴdé
- ድdə
- ዶdo
- ገgä
- ጉgu
- ጊgi
- ጋga
- ጌgé
- ግgə
- ጎgo
- ቀqä
- ቁqu
- ቂqi
- ቃqa
- ቄqé
- ቅqə
- ቆqo
Now you can read
ቀንCheck
qen
day
ዳቦCheck
dabo
bread
ዶሮCheck
doro
chicken
ቀይCheck
qey
Red
ሆድCheck
hod
Tummy
ነገCheck
nege
Tomorrow
ገናCheck
gena
Genna, Ethiopian Christmas
ገበያCheck
gebeya
market
አንድCheck
and
One
አልጋCheck
alga
Bed
And these sentences
አንበሳ ትልቅ እንስሳ ነው።Check
anbesa tiliq inisisa new
A lion is a big animal.
አባቴ መኪና ይነዳል።Check
abbate mekina yinedal
My father drives a car.
ነገ ወደ ትምህርት ቤት እሄዳለሁ።Check
nege wede timhirt bet ihedalehu
Tomorrow I will go to school.
Lesson 6ሸ ቸ ጠ: sh, ch, t'
New letters
- ሸshä
- ሹshu
- ሺshi
- ሻsha
- ሼshé
- ሽshə
- ሾsho
- ቸchä
- ቹchu
- ቺchi
- ቻcha
- ቼché
- ችchə
- ቾcho
- ጠt'ä
- ጡt'u
- ጢt'i
- ጣt'a
- ጤt'é
- ጥt'ə
- ጦt'o
Now you can read
ሻይCheck
shay
tea
ጤናCheck
tena
health
ውሻCheck
wusha
Dog
ሺህCheck
shih
One thousand
ጥርCheck
tir
5th month (Jan–Feb)
ጋሼCheck
gashe
Respectful name for an older man
ማሙሽCheck
mamush
little boy (a pet name)
ጥቁርCheck
tiqur
Black
ጥርስCheck
tirs
Tooth
ጠዋትCheck
tewat
Morning
And these sentences
እናት ቡና ጠጣች።Check
innat buna tetach
Mother drank coffee.
ውሻው ይሮጣል።Check
wushaw yirotal
The dog runs.
ቤታችን ትልቅ ነው።Check
betachin tiliq new
Our house is big.
Lesson 7ዘ ጀ ፈ: z, j, f
New letters
- ዘzä
- ዙzu
- ዚzi
- ዛza
- ዜzé
- ዝzə
- ዞzo
- ጀjä
- ጁju
- ጂji
- ጃja
- ጄjé
- ጅjə
- ጆjo
- ፈfä
- ፉfu
- ፊfi
- ፋfa
- ፌfé
- ፍfə
- ፎfo
Now you can read
ሩዝCheck
ruz
rice
ፍሬCheck
fire
fruit
ልጅCheck
lij
Child
ወፍCheck
wef
Bird
ጆሮCheck
joro
Ear
አፍCheck
af
Mouth
እጅCheck
ij
Hand
ዛሬCheck
zare
Today
ዘጠናCheck
zetena
Ninety
ኮፍያCheck
kofya
Hat
And these sentences
ልጅ ዳቦ በላ።Check
lij dabo bela
The child ate bread.
አያቴ እንጀራ ትጋግራለች።Check
ayate injera tigagiralech
My grandmother bakes injera.
እኔ ውሃ እፈልጋለሁ።Check
ine wuha ifeligalehu
I want water.
Lesson 8ጨ ኘ ፐ: ch', ny, p
New letters
- ጨch'ä
- ጩch'u
- ጪch'i
- ጫch'a
- ጬch'é
- ጭch'ə
- ጮch'o
- ኘnyä
- ኙnyu
- ኚnyi
- ኛnya
- ኜnyé
- ኝnyə
- ኞnyo
- ፐpä
- ፑpu
- ፒpi
- ፓpa
- ፔpé
- ፕpə
- ፖpo
Now you can read
ጨውCheck
chew
salt
ፖምCheck
pom
Apple
ቢጫCheck
bicha
Yellow
ነጭCheck
nech
White
ሰኞCheck
senyo
Monday
ጫማCheck
chama
Shoes
ዘጠኝCheck
zetenyi
Nine
አፍንጫCheck
afincha
Nose
ማክሰኞCheck
maksenyo
Tuesday
ርቦኛልCheck
rabognal
I am hungry
And these sentences
እኔ ተማሪ ነኝ።Check
ine temari negn
I am a student.
እናቴ ትወደኛለች።Check
innate tiwedegnalech
My mother loves me.
እኔ አማርኛ እማራለሁ።Check
ine amarinya imaralehu
I am learning Amharic.
Lesson 9Same sound, another letter: ሐ ሠ ኀ ዐ ጸ ፀ
New letters
- ሐḥä
- ሑḥu
- ሒḥi
- ሓḥa
- ሔḥé
- ሕḥə
- ሖḥo
- ሠśä
- ሡśu
- ሢśi
- ሣśa
- ሤśé
- ሥśə
- ሦśo
- ኀḫä
- ኁḫu
- ኂḫi
- ኃḫa
- ኄḫé
- ኅḫə
- ኆḫo
- ዐä
- ዑu
- ዒi
- ዓa
- ዔé
- ዕə
- ዖo
- ጸts'ä
- ጹts'u
- ጺts'i
- ጻts'a
- ጼts'é
- ጽts'ə
- ጾts'o
- ፀts'ä
- ፁts'u
- ፂts'i
- ፃts'a
- ፄts'é
- ፅts'ə
- ፆts'o
Now you can read
ሥራCheck
sira
work
ሥጋCheck
siga
Meat
ሐሙስCheck
hamus
Thursday
ፀሐይCheck
tsehay
sun
ሦስትCheck
sost
Three
አሥርCheck
asir
Ten
ፀጉርCheck
tsegur
Hair
ዓይንCheck
ayin
Eye
ብዕርCheck
bi'ir
Pen
ረቡዕCheck
rebu
Wednesday
And these sentences
አባት ወደ ሥራ ሄደ።Check
abbat wede sira hede
Father went to work.
እህቴ መጽሐፍ ታነባለች።Check
ihite metsihaf tanebalech
My sister reads a book.
ዛሬ ፀሐይ ወጥታለች።Check
zare tsehay wetitalech
Today the sun is out.
Lesson 10The rare ones: ቨ ዠ ኸ ጰ
New letters
- ቨvä
- ቩvu
- ቪvi
- ቫva
- ቬvé
- ቭvə
- ቮvo
- ዠzhä
- ዡzhu
- ዢzhi
- ዣzha
- ዤzhé
- ዥzhə
- ዦzho
- ኸkhä
- ኹkhu
- ኺkhi
- ኻkha
- ኼkhé
- ኽkhə
- ኾkho
- ጰp'ä
- ጱp'u
- ጲp'i
- ጳp'a
- ጴp'é
- ጵp'ə
- ጶp'o
Now you can read
ቪዲዮCheck
vidiyo
video
ጳጉሜCheck
pagume
13th month: five days, six in a leap year
ጴጥሮስCheck
p'étros
Peter (a name)
ጠረጴዛCheck
terepeza
Table / desk
ቴሌቪዥንCheck
telévizhin
television
And these sentences
መጽሐፉ በጠረጴዛው ላይ ነው።Check
metsihafu beterepezaw lay new
The book is on the table.
Lesson 11Joined letters: ሏ ቧ ጓ ኳ ቋ …
New letters
- ሏ
- ሟ
- ሯ
- ሷ
- ቧ
- ቷ
- ኗ
- ዷ
- ጓ
- ኳ
- ቋ
These letters join a w-sound to the letter: ጓ is g + wa, ቧ is b + wa. They come last because they are built from letters you know.
Now you can read
ኳስCheck
kwas
ball
ጓደኛCheck
gwadenya
friend
ቋንቋCheck
qwanqwa
language
አረንጓዴCheck
arengwade
Green
And these sentences
ድመቷ ወተት ትጠጣለች።Check
dimetwa wetet titetalech
The cat drinks milk.
ወንድሜ ኳስ ይጫወታል።Check
wendime kwas yichawetal
My brother plays ball.
ወፏ በሰማይ ትበራለች።Check
wefwa besemay tiberalech
The bird flies in the sky.
Read it yourself
Short passages: read the whole thing aloud, then check what it says.
ስሜ ሳራ ነው። ዘጠኝ ዓመቴ ነው። ከእናቴ፣ ከአባቴና ከወንድሜ ጋር አሜሪካ እኖራለሁ። አማርኛ እየተማርኩ ነው።Check
sime sara new. zetenyi amete new. ke'innate, ke'abbatena kewendime gar amerika inoralehu. amarinya iyetemarku new.
My name is Sara. I am nine. I live in America with my mother, my father and my brother. I am learning Amharic.
ቅዳሜ ጠዋት ቤተሰባችን ቡና ይጠጣል። እናቴ ቡና ታፈላለች፤ አባቴ ፈንዲሻ ያመጣል። እኔና ወንድሜ ስኒዎቹን እናቀርባለን።Check
qidame tewat betesebachin buna yitetal. innate buna tafelalech; abbate fendisha yametal. inena wendime siniwochun inaqerbalen.
On Saturday morning our family has coffee. My mother makes the coffee and my father brings popcorn. My brother and I hand out the cups.
እንቁጣጣሽ የኢትዮጵያ አዲስ ዓመት ነው። መስከረም አንድ ቀን ይከበራል። በዚያ ቀን ልጆች አበባ ይዘው «አበባዮሽ» እያሉ ይዘፍናሉ።Check
inqutatash ye'ityopya addis amet new. meskerem and qen yikeberal. bezya qen lijoch abeba yizew "abebayehosh" iyalu yizefinalu.
Enkutatash is the Ethiopian New Year. It is celebrated on the first of Meskerem. On that day children carry flowers and sing "Abebayehosh".
አያቴ ስትደውል በአማርኛ አናግራታለሁ። «እንደምን ዋሉ?» እላታለሁ። እሷም በጣም ትደሰታለች።Check
ayate sitdewil be'amarinya anagritalehu. "indemin walu?" ilatalehu. iswam betam tidesetalech.
When my grandmother calls, I talk to her in Amharic. I say "Good afternoon" to her, and she is very happy.
How this course is built
The order follows published Amharic courses and children's readers: the seven vowel forms and a few letter families at a time, reading only words made from letters already taught (FSI Amharic Basic Course; University of Wisconsin); short stories and folk tales followed by questions, as in Ethiopia's Grade 1–3 readers and its national early-grade reading check; English beside the Amharic, as the bilingual diaspora books do; and questions to ask at home, as heritage classes give. The Amharic is drafted and is being checked by a native speaker.