Learned to speak Amharic while in the Peace Corps in 1973–75. Some memories for posterity:


Amharic → English

Words remembered
!tenayistaleyn[1] (!ten-aye-stah-leen) → greeting, hello

alocum. (ah-lo-koom) → Don't know.
Inay alocum. → I don't know.
amasiganalew (ah-mah-sig-ah-nahl-oh) → thank you (everyday common usage)
see also: exeristaleyn (ex-air-stal-leen), betam exeristaleyn
anchi (ahn-chee) → you (fem.)
anti (ahn-tee) → you (masc.)
bet (bate) → house
betam → very much
betam exeristaleyn (ex-air-stal-leen) → thank you very much
cijara (see-jah-rah) → cigarette
conjo (kone-joe) → beautiful
Anchi conjo nesh. → You are beautiful.
efalegalew (eh-fahl-ay-gah-lo) → want
Ina cijara efalegalew. → I want a cigarette. (Ina can be absent/understood, as in "Cijara efalegalew.")
ehun (uh-hoon) → now (present moment)
enjera ena wot → staple food[2]
exeristaleyn (ex-air-stal-leen) → thank you (higher level)
see also: amasiganalew (ah-mah-sig-ah-nal-loh)
ina (in-nay) → I
ishi (ish-ee) → okay
min albot → perhaps, maybe
nesh → is/are (fem.)
new (no) → is/are (masc.)
owo → yes
yillem → no
!Puagme[1] (!poo-ahg-may) → calendar's 13th month (of Sunshine) that has only five days, and in leap year it has six days
shintobet → bathroom/restroom
tamare (tah-mah-ree) → student
tamarebet (tah-mah-ree-bate) → school (student house)
tefelegalesh (teh-fel-ay-gah-lesh)? → (you) want? (fem.)
tefelegale (teh-fel-ay-gah-lay)? → (you) want? (masc.)
!tej[1] → honey wine
tella → beer
wede (weh-day) → go
woha (woh-hah) → water
wat (waht) → sauce[2]
yi (yih) → this

Phrases/sentences
Ina wede tamarebet efalegalew. → I want to go to school.
salam guad abal → peace corps volunteer
salam guad abaloch → peace corps volunteers (pl.)
Yi nebber new. → This is ?
"Thirteen Months of Sunshine" (in tourist brochures)

Notes

edit
  1. ^ a b c The "!" denotes an "explosive" letter that follows. Put a lot of emphasis on the "t" or "p" sound.
  2. ^ a b tba