Electronics

1. ስልክ

   silk

   Phone

   Usage

   Covers both landline and mobile — use it when swapping numbers

2. ሞባይል

   mobayl

   Mobile phone

   Usage

   From English "mobile" — clearer in shops and repair stalls

3. ላፕቶፕ

   laptop

   Laptop

   Usage

   An English loanword — handy when asking about Wi-Fi in a cafe

4. ታብሌት

   tablet

   Tablet

   Usage

   An English loanword — it also looks like the word for a pill, so context matters

5. ቻርጀር

   charjer

   Charger

   Usage

   Show this to borrow one at your hotel — the classic thing to leave behind

6. ኬብል

   kebl

   Cable

   Usage

   Covers charging cables — show the connector shape when asking

7. ፓወር ባንክ

   pawer bank

   Power bank

   Usage

   Essential — power cuts are frequent in Ethiopia

8. አዳፕተር

   adapter

   Plug adapter

   Usage

   Ethiopia runs 220 V on round-pin type C and F sockets

9. ሶኬት

   soket

   Power socket

   Usage

   For asking in a cafe whether you may use one — two round pins

10. ባትሪ

    batri

    Battery

    Usage

    Covers both dry cells and a phone's internal battery

11. የእጅ ባትሪ

    ye'ej batri

    Flashlight

    Usage

    A must — power cuts are frequent, and rock-hewn churches are dark inside

12. መብራት

    mebrat

    Light / electricity

    Usage

    "Mebrat yelem" means the power is out — you will hear it a lot

13. ጀነሬተር

    jenereter

    Generator

    Usage

    Hotels run one during outages — worth asking in advance whether they have one

14. ዋይፋይ

    wayfay

    Wi-Fi

    Usage

    Ask at cafes and hotels — speed varies enormously

15. የይለፍ ቃል

    yeyilef kal

    Password

    Usage

    Show this when asking for the Wi-Fi password

16. ሲም ካርድ

    sim card

    SIM card

    Usage

    You need your passport — buy at the airport or an Ethio Telecom shop

17. ኢንተርኔት

    internet

    Internet

    Usage

    Also used when talking about mobile data

18. ጆሮ ማዳመጫ

    joro madamecha

    Earphones

    Usage

    Literally "the thing you listen to with your ear"

19. ካሜራ

    kamera

    Camera

    Usage

    Always ask before photographing people or churches

20. አየር ማቀዝቀዣ

    ayer makezkeja

    Air conditioner

    Usage

    Rare in the cool highlands — worth asking about in lowland hotels

21. ማራገቢያ

    maragebiya

    Fan

    Usage

    More common than air conditioning in lowland hotels

22. ሪሞት

    rimot

    Remote control

    Usage

    For when you cannot find it in your room

23. ቴሌቪዥን

    televizhin

    Television

    Usage

    For checking what a room comes with

24. ፍሪጅ

    frij

    Refrigerator

    Usage

    Show this if you need to keep medicine cold

25. ማጠቢያ ማሽን

    matebiya mashin

    Washing machine

    Usage

    Hand-washed laundry service is more usual at hotels

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