Amharic word list for communication with your recently adopted child

Our most important Amharic words for communicating with our preschool age boys.

I love you-- ee-wha-de-halow (girl end in shal oh)
It’s ok honey -- Ishee eye-zoe
Don’t be afraid-- ah teh frah
These together are great for scary or sad times or bad dreams, etc…..
*Add “yay” to the end of the name for a term of endearment. Kedusyay, Natiyay, etc…. it is like saying Jilly or Sammy. They also use the "y" at the end like we do. It is an "i" as in Nati.

Ok-- ishee
It is time to go to sleep-- la ten ya
Go to sleep (command)-- ten ya
Night night-- mah Tah mah tah

No, don’t do that-- tdoe
Stop-- koom (girl koom ee)
Yes-- ow
Good child-- goe bez
Enough!-- Bakka
Wait-- Koi (girl koy ee)
Good job!-- Tih ROO sih RAH
That was bad, that is bad, it was a bad thing….-- Meht FOH
Good-- tih roo
Are you ok? -- Teh shah lekh (girl end in lesh)
Look -- ay (ay ee)
Sit down -- koach ah bel (sounds like “coach a bell”)
Come -- nah
Hello -- halo or seh lahm
Good bye -- chow
I’m sorry -- yih kir tah


Mommy-- amay (careful to use this word for birthmother and not myself) Lots of kids say Mommy also.
Daddy-- ahb-baba
Small-- tinish
Big -- tih lihk
Dog -- woosha
Cat -- dumet
Bird -- wuhf
Car-- mah kee nah
Ball -- kwas
Shoes -- chamahs
Clothes-- libs
Blanket -- bird libs
New -- addis (new clothes, mommy, etc…)

The word for potty --shent (also means to pee)
Poop -- kah kah
Brush teeth -- broosh

Juice-- chee mah key
Milk -- wha tet
Water -- whu ha

Delicious (it is good)-- yee tahf tahl
Do you want …?-- tih fuh lih GAHL ekh (boy) tih fuh lih GAHL esh (girl)
Bottle (even for water)-- TOO toh
A bad guy is (we did not use this one, but they DID)-- lay-bah