Adjectives

1. ትልቅ

   tiliq

   Big

   Usage

   For stating a size — clothes or rooms

2. ትንሽ

   tinish

   Small

   Usage

   The opposite of big — for asking for a smaller size

3. ከባድ

   kebad

   Heavy

   Usage

   For the weight of luggage, and as a lead-in to asking for help

4. ቀላል

   qelal

   Light (weight)

   Usage

   Light in weight — a different word from light meaning bright

5. ውድ

   wid

   Expensive

   Usage

   High in price — the opening move when haggling

6. ርካሽ

   rikash

   Cheap

   Usage

   The opposite of expensive — for asking for something cheaper

7. ትኩስ

   tikus

   Hot

   Usage

   Hot to the touch — kept separate from hot weather

   Grammar Note

   ትኩስ (tikus) is hot food or drink; hot weather is ሞቃት (moqat).

8. ቀዝቃዛ

   qezqaza

   Cold

   Usage

   Cold to the touch — kept separate from cold weather

   Grammar Note

   ቀዝቃዛ (qezqaza) is cold to the touch; cold weather is ብርድ (bird), a separate word.

9. አዲስ

   adis

   New

   Usage

   Brand new — also used when asking for a replacement

10. አሮጌ

    aroge

    Old (thing)

    Usage

    Old as in worn — never the word to use about a person

    Grammar Note

    አሮጌ (aroge) is only for objects; for people use አዛውንት (azawint).

11. ወጣት

    wetat

    Young

    Usage

    About a person's age — a small-talk staple

12. አዛውንት

    azawint

    Old (person)

    Usage

    Elderly, about people — a different word from old things

13. ንጹህ

    nitsuh

    Clean

    Usage

    For praising cleanliness, such as a room, water or a toilet

14. ቆሻሻ

    qoshasha

    Dirty

    Usage

    Unclean — the reason you give when asking for a change of room or dishes

15. ጥሩ

    tiru

    Good

    Usage

    A positive verdict, also usable to signal agreement

16. መጥፎ

    metfo

    Bad

    Usage

    A negative verdict — also used of health and weather

17. ቅርብ

    qirb

    Near

    Usage

    Close by — for checking whether you can walk

18. ሩቅ

    ruq

    Far

    Usage

    Far away — your cue to look for transport

19. ቀደም ብሎ

    qedem bilo

    Early

    Usage

    Early in time — for first departures and opening hours

    Grammar Note

    ቀደም ብሎ (qedem bilo) is early in time; fast in speed is ፈጣን (fetan). Bare ቀድሞ means "before / previously".

20. ዘግይቶ

    zegyito

    Late

    Usage

    Late in time — for last departures and closing hours

    Grammar Note

    ዘግይቶ (zegyito) is late in time; slow in speed is ቀስ (qes).

21. ብዙ

    bizu

    Many

    Usage

    A large amount or number — also used to describe crowds

22. ጥቂት

    tiqit

    Few

    Usage

    A small amount or number — for asking for less of something

23. ሞቃት

    moqat

    Hot (weather)

    Usage

    Hot weather — learn it separately from hot objects

    Grammar Note

    Hot weather, used as አየሩ ሞቃት ነው ("the weather is hot").

24. ብርድ

    bird

    Cold (weather)

    Usage

    Cold weather — learn it separately from cold objects

    Grammar Note

    A noun for cold, used as ብርድ ነው ("it is cold") — you will need it at night in high-altitude Addis Ababa.

25. ቆንጆ

    konjo

    Cute

    Usage

    Used broadly for people, objects, and animals

26. ማራኪ

    maraki

    Cool

    Usage

    Mainly for praising the look of a person or thing

27. ጣፋጭ

    tafach

    Delicious

    Usage

    The most common compliment at a meal

28. አስደናቂ!

    asdenaki!

    Amazing

    Usage

    Used to express surprise or admiration

29. አስደሳች

    asdesach

    Fun

    Usage

    For reacting to an experience itself

30. ተጨማሪ

    techemari

    More / extra

    Usage

    For asking for a refill or an extra one

31. ትንሽ ብቻ

    tinish bicha

    Just a little

    Usage

    For asking for a small portion

32. ግማሽ

    gimash

    Half

    Usage

    For halving a portion or an amount

33. ሁሉንም

    hulunim

    All of it

    Usage

    For taking or paying for everything

34. ይበቃል

    yibekal

    That is enough

    Usage

    Beka can read as an order to stop; use this one when you just mean enough food

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