Shopping

1. ዋጋው ስንት ነው?

   Wagaw sint new?

   How much is it?

   Usage

   The most basic expression for asking the price in markets or shops

   Grammar Note

   Amharic uses a postposed definite article. "ዋጋ" + "-ው" = "ዋጋው" (the price).

2. ዋጋ ቀንስ

   Waga kens

   Please reduce the price

   Usage

   Price bargaining is common in Ethiopian markets. Use this actively

   Grammar Note

   "ቀንስ" is the imperative of "ቀነሰ" (to reduce). Price negotiation is culturally normal in Ethiopian markets (gebeya).

3. ይህን ልግዛ

   Yihin ligza

   I will buy this

   Usage

   Used when you have decided to purchase something

   Grammar Note

   "ልግዛ" is the first person volitional form of "ገዛ" (to buy). Amharic has a distinct volitional verb form for expressing intent.

4. ሌላ ቀለም አለ?

   Lela kelem ale?

   Is there another color?

   Usage

   Asking for different color options

   Grammar Note

   "ቀለም" originally meant "ink/dye" and is broadly used to mean color.

5. ይህ ከምን ጨርቅ የተሰራ ነው?

   Yih kemin cherq yetesera new?

   What material is this?

   Usage

   Asking about the material of fabric or goods

   Grammar Note

   "ከምን" means "from what" and "የተሰራ ነው" means "is made". Literally "What cloth is this made from?" Useful in markets (gebeya) for asking about the fabric of items such as the hand-woven "habesha kemis".

6. ምርጥ ዋጋ ስንት ነው?

   Mirt waga sint new?

   What is your best price?

   Usage

   Asking for the final lowest price during bargaining

   Grammar Note

   "ምርጥ" means "best/finest". "ምርጥ ዋጋ" = "best price".

7. ቦርሳ ይሰጡኛል?

   Borsa yisetugnal?

   Can I get a bag?

   Usage

   Asking for a shopping bag after a purchase

   Grammar Note

   "ቦርሳ" is borrowed from Italian "borsa" (bag), reflecting historical Ethiopian-Italian contact.

8. ደረሰኝ ያስፈልጋል

   Deresegn yasfeligal

   I need a receipt

   Usage

   Requesting a receipt after a purchase

   Grammar Note

   "ያስፈልጋል" expresses necessity. Shopkeepers may ask "ምን ያስፈልጋቸዋል?" (What do you need?) as a greeting.

9. የኢትዮጵያ ሐር

   Yeityopiya har

   Ethiopian silk (traditional fabric)

   Usage

   Refers to traditional Ethiopian hand-woven fabric. Popular as a souvenir

   Grammar Note

   Traditional Ethiopian clothes like habesha kemis and shamma feature white cloth with colorful borders and are popular tourist souvenirs.

10. የገንዘብ ልውውጥ የት ነው?

    Yegenzeb liwuwit yet new?

    Where is the currency exchange?

    Usage

    Asking for the currency exchange location to get Ethiopian Birr

    Grammar Note

    Ethiopian currency is Birr (ብር). "የገንዘብ ልውውጥ" (yegenzeb liwuwit) is the formal term for currency exchange.

11. ይህ እውነተኛ ነው?

    Yih iwnetegna new?

    Is this genuine / authentic?

    Usage

    Verifying whether a souvenir or artwork is genuine

    Grammar Note

    "እውነተኛ" (iwnetegna) means "genuine / authentic". Its opposite is "ሀሰት" (haset, fake); "ሀሰት አይደለም" ("it is not fake") is another way to confirm authenticity.

12. ደረሰኝ አልፈልግም

    Deresegn alfeligim

    I don't need a receipt

    Usage

    Declining a receipt — the opposite of "ደረሰኝ ያስፈልጋል" ("I need a receipt")

    Grammar Note

    Amharic is verb-final, so the object "ደረሰኝ" (receipt) comes first. "አልፈልግም" is the negative first-person singular of ፈለገ ("to want, to seek"), built with the discontinuous negative frame አል-…-ም.

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