Editing Amharic (section)

==Grammar==

;Simple Amharic sentences

One may construct simple Amharic sentences by using a [[Subject (grammar)|subject]] and a [[Predicate (grammar)|predicate]]. Here are a few simple sentences:<ref>{{cite web|author=habesha |url=http://bigaddis.com/2010/09/simple-amharic-sentences/ |title=Simple Amharic Sentences |publisher=Bigaddis |date=28 September 2010 |access-date=18 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403130954/http://www.bigaddis.com/language/simple-amharic-sentences/ |archive-date=3 April 2012}}</ref>

{{fs interlinear|indent=2|lang = am| transl = EAE
|ኢትዮጵያ አፍሪካ ውስጥ ናት
|ʾItyop̣p̣ya ʾAfrika wǝsṭ nat
|{Ethiopia} {Africa} {in} {is}
|'Ethiopia is in Africa.'}}

{{fs interlinear|indent=2|lang = am| transl = EAE
|ልጁ ተኝቷል
|Lǝǧ-u täññǝtʷall.
|{the boy} {asleep is}
|'The boy is asleep.' (''-u'' is a definite article. {{transliteration|am|''Lǝǧ''}} is 'boy'. {{transliteration|am|''Lǝǧu''}} is 'the boy')}}

{{fs interlinear|indent=2|lang = am| transl = EAE
|አየሩ ደስ ይላል
|Ayyäru däss yǝlall.
|{the weather} pleasant feels
|'The weather feels pleasant.'}}

{{fs interlinear|indent=2|lang = am| transl = EAE
|እሱ ወደ ከተማ መጣ
|ʾƏssu wädä kätäma mäṭṭa|he to city {came}
|'He came to the city.'}}

===Pronouns===

==== Personal pronouns ====
Amharic grammar distinguishes [[grammatical person|person]], [[grammatical number|number]], and often [[grammatical gender|gender]]. This includes [[personal pronoun]]s such as English ''I'', Amharic {{lang|am|እኔ}} {{transliteration|am|ǝne}}; English ''she'', Amharic {{lang|am|እሷ}} {{transliteration|am|ǝsswa}}. As in other Semitic languages, the same distinctions appear in three other places in their grammar.

; Subject–verb agreement
All Amharic verbs [[agreement (linguistics)|agree]] with their [[subject (grammar)|subjects]]; that is, the person, number, and (in the second- and third-person singular) gender of the subject of the verb are marked by [[affix|suffixes or prefixes]] on the verb. Because the affixes that signal subject agreement vary greatly with the particular verb [[grammatical tense|tense]]/[[grammatical aspect|aspect]]/[[grammatical mood|mood]], they are normally not considered to be pronouns and are discussed elsewhere in this article under verb [[#Conjugation|conjugation]].
; Object pronoun suffixes
Amharic verbs often have additional morphology that indicates the person, number, and (second- and third-person singular) gender of the object of the verb.
{{fs interlinear|indent=2|lang = am| transl = EAE
|አልማዝን  አየኋት
|almazǝn  ayyähʷ-'''at'''
|Almaz-ACC  {I saw '''her'''}
|'I saw Almaz.'}}

While morphemes such as {{Lang|am-latn|-at}} in this example are sometimes described as signaling [[object (grammar)|object]] agreement, analogous to subject agreement, they are more often thought of as object pronoun [[affix|suffixes]]{{fact|date=November 2024}}<!--I don't see the contradiction. A suffix can express pronominal agreement.--> because, unlike the markers of subject agreement, they do not vary significantly with the tense/aspect/mood of the verb.  For [[verb argument|arguments]] of the verb other than the subject or the object, there are two separate sets of related suffixes, one with a [[benefactive]] meaning (''to'', ''for''), the other with an adversative or locative meaning (''against'', ''to the detriment of'', ''on'', ''at'').
{{fs interlinear|indent=2|lang = am| transl = EAE
|ለአልማዝ  በሩን  ከፈትኩላት
|läʾalmaz  bärrun  käffätku-'''llat'''
|for-Almaz  door-DEF-ACC  {I opened '''for her'''}
|'I opened the door for Almaz.'}}

{{fs interlinear|indent=2|lang = am| transl = EAE
|በአልማዝ  በሩን  ዘጋሁባት
|bäʾalmaz  bärrun  zäggahu-'''bbat'''
|on-Almaz  door-DEF-ACC  {I closed '''on her'''}
|'I closed the door on Almaz (to her detriment).'}}

Morphemes such as {{Lang|am-latn|-llat}} and {{Lang|am-latn|-bbat}} in these examples will be referred to in this article as '''prepositional object pronoun suffixes''' because they correspond to prepositional phrases such as ''for her'' and ''on her'', to distinguish them from the '''direct object pronoun suffixes''' such as {{Lang|am-latn|-at}} 'her'.
;Possessive suffixes
Amharic has a further set of morphemes that are suffixed to nouns, signaling [[possession (linguistics)|possession]]: {{lang|am|ቤት}} {{Lang|am-latn|bet}} {{Gloss|house}}, {{lang|am|ቤቴ}} {{Lang|am-latn|bete}}, {{Gloss|my house}}, {{lang|am|ቤቷ}}; {{Lang|am-latn|betwa}}, {{Gloss|her house}}.

In each of these four aspects of the grammar, independent pronouns, subject–verb agreement, object pronoun suffixes, and possessive suffixes, Amharic distinguishes eight combinations of person, number, and gender. For first person, there is a two-way distinction between singular (''I'') and plural (''we''), whereas for second and third persons, there is a distinction between singular and plural and within the singular a further distinction between masculine and feminine (''you m. sg.'', ''you f. sg.'', ''you pl.'', ''he'', ''she'', ''they'').

Amharic is a [[pro-drop language]]: neutral sentences in which no element is emphasized normally omit independent pronouns: {{lang|am|ኢትዮጵያዊ ነው}} {{transliteration|am|ʾityop̣p̣yawi näw}} 'he's Ethiopian', {{lang|am|ጋበዝኳት}} {{transliteration|am|gabbäzkwat}} 'I invited her'.  The Amharic words that translate ''he'', ''I'', and ''her'' do not appear in these sentences as independent words. However, in such cases, the person, number, and (second- or third-person singular) gender of the subject and object are marked on the verb.  When the subject or object in such sentences is emphasized, an independent pronoun is used: {{lang|am|እሱ ኢትዮጵያዊ ነው}} {{transliteration|am|'''ǝssu''' ʾityop̣p̣yawi näw}} '<nowiki/>'''he'<nowiki/>'''s Ethiopian', {{lang|am|እኔ ጋበዝኳት}} {{transliteration|am|'''ǝne''' gabbäzkwat}} '<nowiki/>'''I''' invited her', {{lang|am|እሷን ጋበዝኳት}} {{transliteration|am|'''ǝsswan''' gabbäzkwat}} 'I invited '''her''''.

The table below shows alternatives for many of the forms. The choice depends on what precedes the form in question, usually whether this is a vowel or a consonant, for example, for the first-person singular possessive suffix, {{lang|am|ሀገሬ}} {{transliteration|am|hagär-e}} 'my country', {{lang|am|ገላዬ}} {{transliteration|am|gäla-ye}} 'my body'.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+Amharic personal pronouns
! rowspan="3" | English
! rowspan="3" | Independent
! colspan="3" | Object pronoun suffixes
! rowspan="3" | Possessive suffixes
|-
! rowspan="2" | Direct
! colspan="2" | Prepositional
|-
! Benefactive
! Locative/<br />adversative
|-
| I
| {{lang|am|እኔ}}<br />{{Lang|am-latn|ǝne}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ä/ǝ)ñ}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)llǝñ}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)bbǝñ}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(y)e}}
|-
| you (m. sg.)
| {{lang|am|አንተ}}<br />{{Lang|am-latn|antä}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)h}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)llǝh}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)bbǝh}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)h}}
|-
| you (f. sg.)
| {{lang|am|አንቺ}}<br />{{Lang|am-latn|anči}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)š}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)llǝš}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)bbǝš}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)š}}
|-
| you (polite)
| {{lang|am|እርስዎ}}<br />{{Lang|am-latn|ərswo}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)wo(t)}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)llǝwo(t)}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)bbǝwo(t)}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-wo}}
|-
| he
| {{lang|am|እሱ}}<br />{{Lang|am-latn|ǝssu}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ä)w}}, {{Lang|am-latn|-t}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)llät}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)bbät}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(w)u}}
|-
| she
| {{lang|am|እሷ}}<br />{{Lang|am-latn|ǝsswa}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-at}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)llat}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)bbat}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-wa}}
|-
| s/he (polite)
| {{lang|am|እሳቸው}}<br />{{Lang|am-latn|ǝssaččäw}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-aččäw}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)llaččäw}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)bbaččäw}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-aččäw}}
|-
| we
| {{lang|am|እኛ}}<br />{{Lang|am-latn|ǝñña}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ä/ǝ)n}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)llǝn}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)bbǝn}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-aččǝn}}
|-
| you (pl.)
| {{lang|am|እናንተ}}<br />{{Lang|am-latn|ǝnnantä}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-aččǝhu}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)llaččǝhu}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)bbaččǝhu}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-aččǝhu}}
|-
| they
| {{lang|am|እነሱ}}<br />{{Lang|am-latn|ǝnnässu}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-aččäw}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)llaččäw}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-(ǝ)bbaččäw}}
| {{Lang|am-latn|-aččäw}}
|}

Within second- and third-person singular, there are two additional polite independent pronouns, for reference to people to whom the speaker wishes to show respect. This usage is an example of the so-called [[T–V distinction]] that is made in many languages. The polite pronouns in Amharic are {{lang|am|እርስዎ}} {{Lang|am-latn|ǝrswo}} 'you (sg. polite)'. and {{lang|am|እሳቸው}} {{Lang|am-latn|ǝssaččäw}}  's/he (polite)'.  Although these forms are singular semantically—they refer to one person—they correspond to third-person plural elsewhere in the grammar, as is common in other T–V systems.  For the possessive pronouns, however, the polite 2nd person has the special suffix {{Lang|am-latn|-wo}} 'your sg. pol.'

For possessive pronouns ('mine', 'yours', etc.), Amharic adds the independent pronouns to the preposition {{transliteration|am|yä-}} 'of': {{lang|am|የኔ}} {{transliteration|am|yäne}} 'mine', {{lang|am|ያንተ}} {{transliteration|am|yantä}} 'yours m. sg.', {{lang|am|ያንቺ}} {{transliteration|am|yanči}} 'yours f. sg.', {{lang|am|የሷ}} {{transliteration|am|yässwa}} 'hers', etc.

====Reflexive pronouns====
For [[reflexive pronoun]]s ('myself', 'yourself', etc.), Amharic adds the possessive suffixes to the noun {{lang|am|ራስ}} {{Lang|am-latn|ras}} 'head': {{lang|am|ራሴ}} {{Lang|am-latn|rase}} 'myself', {{lang|am|ራሷ}} {{Lang|am-latn|raswa}} 'herself', etc.

====Demonstrative pronouns====
Like English, Amharic makes a two-way distinction between near ('this, these') and far ('that, those') [[demonstrative]] expressions (pronouns, adjectives, adverbs).  Besides number, Amharic – unlike English – also distinguishes between the masculine and the feminine genders in the singular.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; margin-right: 20px;"
|+Amharic demonstrative pronouns
! colspan="2" |Number, Gender
! Near
! Far
|-
! rowspan="2" |Singular
! Masculine
|{{lang|am|ይህ}} {{Lang|am-latn|yǝh(ǝ)}}
|{{lang|am|ያ}} {{Lang|am-latn|ya}}
|-
! Feminine
|{{lang|am|ይቺ}} {{Lang|am-latn|yǝčči}}, {{lang|am|ይህች}} {{Lang|am-latn|yǝhǝčč}}
|{{lang|am|ያቺ}} <br />{{Lang|am-latn|yačči}}
|-
! colspan="2" |Plural
|{{lang|am|እነዚህ}} {{Lang|am-latn|ǝnnäzzih}}
|{{lang|am|እነዚያ}} {{Lang|am-latn|ǝnnäzziya}}
|}
There are also separate demonstratives for formal reference, comparable to the formal personal pronouns: {{lang|am|እኚህ}} {{Lang|am-latn|ǝññih}} 'this, these (formal)' and {{lang|am|እኒያ}} {{Lang|am-latn|ǝnniya}} 'that, those (formal)'.

The singular pronouns have combining forms beginning with ''zz'' instead of ''y'' when they follow a preposition: {{lang|am|ስለዚህ}} {{Lang|am-latn|sǝläzzih}} 'because of this; therefore', {{lang|am|እንደዚያ}} {{Lang|am-latn|ǝndäzziya}} 'like that'.  The plural demonstratives, like the second and third person plural personal pronouns, are formed by adding the plural prefix {{lang|am|እነ}} {{Lang|am-latn|ǝnnä-}} to the singular masculine forms.

===Nouns===
Amharic [[noun]]s can be primary or derived. A noun like {{transliteration|am|ǝgǝr}} 'foot, leg' is primary, and a noun like {{transliteration|am|ǝgr-äñña}} 'pedestrian' is a derived noun.

====Gender====
Amharic nouns can have a masculine or feminine [[grammatical gender|gender]]. There are several ways to express gender. An example is the old suffix ''-t'' for femininity. This suffix is no longer productive and is limited to certain patterns and some isolated nouns. Nouns and adjectives ending in {{Lang|am-latn|-awi}} usually take the suffix ''-t'' to form the feminine form, e.g. {{Lang|am-latn|ityop̣p̣ya-(a)wi}} 'Ethiopian (m.)' vs. {{Lang|am-latn|ityop̣p̣ya-wi-t}} 'Ethiopian (f.)'; {{Lang|am-latn|sämay-awi}} 'heavenly (m.)' vs. {{Lang|am-latn|sämay-awi-t}} 'heavenly (f.)'. This suffix also occurs in nouns and adjective based on the pattern {{transliteration|am|qǝt(t)ul}}, e.g. {{transliteration|am|nǝgus}} 'king' vs. {{transliteration|am|nǝgǝs-t}} 'queen' and {{transliteration|am|qǝddus}} 'holy (m.)' vs. {{transliteration|am|qǝddǝs-t}} 'holy (f.)'.

Some nouns and adjectives take a feminine marker {{Lang|am-latn|-it}}: {{transliteration|am|lǝǧ}} 'child, boy' vs. {{transliteration|am|lǝǧ-it}} 'girl'; {{Lang|am-latn|bäg}} 'sheep, ram' vs. {{Lang|am-latn|bäg-it}} 'ewe'; {{transliteration|am|šǝmagǝlle}} 'senior, elder (m.)' vs. {{transliteration|am|šǝmagǝll-it}} 'old woman'; {{Lang|am-latn|ṭoṭa}} 'monkey' vs. {{Lang|am-latn|ṭoṭ-it}} 'monkey (f.)'. Some nouns have this feminine marker without having a masculine opposite, e.g. {{transliteration|am|šärär-it}} 'spider', {{Lang|am-latn|azur-it}} 'whirlpool, eddy'. There are, however, also nouns with the {{Lang|am-latn|-it}} suffix that are treated as masculine: {{Lang|am-latn|säraw-it}} 'army', {{Lang|am-latn|nägar-it}} 'big drum'.

The feminine gender is not only used to indicate biological gender, but may also be used to express smallness, e.g. {{Lang|am-latn|bet-it-u}} 'the little house' (lit. house-<small>FEM</small>-<small>DEF</small>). The feminine marker can also serve to express tenderness or sympathy.

====Specifiers====
Amharic has special words that can be used to indicate the gender of people and animals. For people, {{Lang|am-latn|wänd}} is used for masculinity and {{Lang|am-latn|set}} for femininity, e.g. {{Lang|am-latn|wänd lǝǧ}} 'boy', {{Lang|am-latn|set lǝǧ}} 'girl'; {{Lang|am-latn|wänd hakim}} 'physician, doctor (m.)', {{Lang|am-latn|set hakim}} 'physician, doctor (f.)'.

For animals, the words {{Lang|am-latn|täbat}}, {{Lang|am-latn|awra}}, or {{Lang|am-latn|wänd}} (less usual) can be used to indicate masculine gender, and {{transliteration|am|anəst}} or {{Lang|am-latn|set}} to indicate feminine gender. Examples: {{Lang|am-latn|täbat ṭǝǧǧa}} 'calf (m.)'; {{Lang|am-latn|awra doro}} 'cock (rooster)'; {{Lang|am-latn|set doro}} 'hen'.

====Plural====
The plural suffix {{transliteration|am|-očč}} is used to express plurality of nouns. Some [[Morphophonology|morphophonological]] alternations occur depending on the final consonant or vowel. For nouns ending in a consonant, plain {{transliteration|am|-očč}} is used: {{lang|am-latn|bet}} 'house' becomes {{transliteration|am|bet-očč}} 'houses'. For nouns ending in a [[back vowel]] (-a, -o, -u), the suffix takes the form {{transliteration|am|-ʷočč}}, e.g. {{transliteration|am|wǝšša}} 'dog', {{transliteration|am|wǝšša-ʷočč}} 'dogs'; {{Lang|am-latn|käbäro}} 'drum', {{transliteration|am|käbäro-ʷočč}} 'drums'. Nouns that end in a [[front vowel]] pluralize using {{transliteration|am|-ʷočč}} or {{transliteration|am|-<sup>y</sup>očč}}, e.g. {{transliteration|am|ṣähafi}} 'scholar', {{transliteration|am|ṣähafi-ʷočč}} or {{transliteration|am|ṣähafi-<sup>y</sup>očč}} 'scholars'. Another possibility for nouns ending in a vowel is to delete the vowel and use plain {{transliteration|am|očč}}, as in {{transliteration|am|wǝšš-očč}} 'dogs'.

Besides using the normal external plural ({{lang|am-latn|-očč}}), nouns and adjectives can be pluralized by way of [[reduplication|reduplicating]] one of the ''radicals''. For example, {{Lang|am-latn|wäyzäro}} 'lady' can take the normal plural, yielding {{transliteration|am|wäyzär-očč}}, but {{transliteration|am|wäyzazər}} 'ladies' is also found.<ref name="Leslau">{{Cite book |last=Leslau |first=Wolf |url=https://archive.org/details/referencegrammar0000lesl/ |title=Reference Grammar of Amharic |date=1995 |publisher=Harrassowitz |isbn=978-3-447-03372-5 |location=Wiesbaden |pages= |url-access=registration |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref>{{Rp|page=173}}

Some [[kinship]]-terms have two plural forms with a slightly different meaning. For example, {{transliteration|am|wändǝmm}} 'brother' can be pluralized as {{transliteration|am|wändǝmm-očč}} 'brothers' but also as {{transliteration|am|wändǝmmam-ač}} 'brothers of each other'. Likewise, {{transliteration|am|ǝhǝt}} 'sister' can be pluralized as {{transliteration|am|ǝhǝt-očč}} ('sisters'), but also as {{transliteration|am|ǝtǝmm-am-ač}} 'sisters of each other'.

In [[compound (linguistics)|compound words]], the plural marker is suffixed to the second noun: {{transliteration|am|betä krǝstiyan}} 'church' (lit. house of Christian) becomes {{transliteration|am|betä krǝstiyan-očč}} 'churches'.

====Archaic forms====
[[Amsalu Aklilu]] has pointed out that Amharic has inherited a large number of old plural forms directly from Classical Ethiopic (Geʽez) (Amharic: {{Langx|am-latn|gǝ'ǝz|label=none}}).<ref name="Leslau" />{{Rp|page=172}} There are basically two archaic pluralising strategies, called external and internal plural. The external plural consists of adding the suffix ''-an'' (usually masculine) or {{lang|am-latn|-at}} (usually feminine) to the singular form. The internal plural employs vowel quality or [[apophony]] to pluralize words, similar to English ''man'' vs. ''men'' and ''goose'' vs. ''geese''. Sometimes combinations of the two systems are found. The archaic plural forms are sometimes used to form new plurals, but this is only considered grammatical in more established cases.
* Examples of the external plural: {{transliteration|am|mämhǝr}} 'teacher', {{transliteration|am|mämhǝr-an}}; {{transliteration|am|ṭäbib}} 'wise person', {{transliteration|am|ṭäbib-an}}; {{transliteration|am|kahǝn}} 'priest', {{transliteration|am|kahǝn-at}}; {{Lang|am-latn|qal}} 'word', {{transliteration|am|qal-at}}.
* Examples of the internal plural: {{transliteration|am|dǝngǝl}} 'virgin', {{transliteration|am|dänagǝl}}; {{Lang|am-latn|hagär}} 'land', {{transliteration|am|ahǝgur}}.
* Examples of combined systems: {{transliteration|am|nǝgus}} 'king', {{transliteration|am|nägäs-t}}; {{transliteration|am|kokäb}} 'star', {{transliteration|am|käwakǝb-t}}; {{transliteration|am|mäṣǝhaf}} 'book', {{transliteration|am|mäṣahǝf-t}}.

====Definiteness====
If a noun is definite or ''specified'', this is expressed by a suffix, the ''article'', which is -''u'' or -''w'' for masculine singular nouns and {{Lang|am-latn|-wa}}, {{Lang|am-latn|-itwa}} or {{Lang|am-latn|-ätwa}} for feminine singular nouns. For example:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! masculine sg
! masculine sg definite
! feminine sg
! feminine sg definite
|-
|{{fs interlinear|ቤት|bet|house}}
|{{fs interlinear|ቤቱ|bet'''-u'''|'''the''' house}}
|{{fs interlinear|ሠራተኛ|särratäñña|maid}}
|{{fs interlinear|ሠራተኛዋ|särratäñña'''-wa'''|'''the''' maid}}
|}

In singular forms, this article distinguishes between the male and female gender; in plural forms this distinction is absent, and all definites are marked with -''u'', e.g. {{Lang|am-latn|bet-očč-u}} 'the houses', {{Lang|am-latn|gäräd-očč-u}} 'the maids'. As in the plural, [[Morphophonology|morphophonological]] alternations occur depending on the final consonant or vowel.
<!--table to be inserted-->

====Accusative====
Amharic has an accusative marker, -''(ə)n''.  Its use is related to the definiteness of the object, thus Amharic shows [[differential object marking]].  In general, if the object is definite, possessed, or a proper noun, the accusative must be used, but if the direct object is not determined, the accusative marker is generally not used.<ref name="Leslau" />{{Rp|pages=181–182 ff.}}

{{fs interlinear|indent=2|lang = am
|ልጁ ውሻውን አባረረ
|lǝǧ-u wǝšša-w-ǝn abbarrär-ä.
|child-M.DEF dog-DEF-ACC drove.away-3MS.SUBJ
|'The boy drove the dog away.'}}

{{fs interlinear|indent=2|lang = am
|ውሻዋ በግ ነከሰች
|wǝšša-wa bäg näkkäs-äčč.
|dog-F.DEF sheep bit-3FS.SUBJ
|'The dog (F) bit a sheep.'}}

The accusative suffix is usually placed after the first word of the noun phrase:

{{fs interlinear|indent=2|lang = am
|ይህን ሰዓት ገዛ
|Yǝh-ǝn sä'at gäzz-a.
|this-ACC watch bought-3MS.SUBJ
|'He bought this watch.'}}

====Nominalization====
Amharic has various ways to derive nouns from other words or other nouns. One way of nominalizing consists of a form of ''vowel agreement'' (similar vowels on similar places) inside the three-radical structures typical of [[Semitic languages]]. For example:
* CəCäC: – {{transliteration|am|ṭǝbäb}} 'wisdom'; {{transliteration|am|hǝmäm}} 'sickness'
* CəCCaC-e: – {{transliteration|am|wǝffar-e}} 'obesity'; {{transliteration|am|č'ǝkkan-e}} 'cruelty'
* CəCC-ät: – {{transliteration|am|rǝṭb-ät}} 'moistness'; {{transliteration|am|'ǝwq-ät}} 'knowledge'; {{transliteration|am|wəfr-ät}}  'fatness'.
There are also several nominalising suffixes.
* {{transliteration|am|-ǝnna}}: – 'relation'; {{transliteration|am|krǝst-ənna}} 'Christianity'; {{transliteration|am|sənf-ənna}} 'laziness'; {{transliteration|am|qes-ǝnna}} 'priesthood'.
* ''-e'', suffixed to place name X, yields 'a person from X': {{transliteration|am|goǧǧam-e}} 'someone from [[Gojjam]]'.
* {{transliteration|am|-äñña}} and {{transliteration|am|-täñña}} serve to express profession, or some relationship with the base noun: {{transliteration|am|ǝgr-äñña}} 'pedestrian' (from {{transliteration|am|ǝgǝr}} 'foot'); {{transliteration|am|bärr-äñña}} 'gate-keeper' (from {{transliteration|am|bärr}} 'gate').
* {{transliteration|am|-ǝnnät}} and {{transliteration|am|-nnät}} – '-ness'; {{transliteration|am|ityop̣p̣yawi-nnät}} '[[Ethiopian nationalism|Ethiopianness]]'; {{transliteration|am|qǝrb-ənnät}} 'nearness' (from {{transliteration|am|qǝrb}} 'near').

===Verbs===

====Conjugation====

As in other [[Semitic languages]], Amharic verbs use a combination of prefixes and suffixes to indicate the subject, distinguishing three persons, two numbers, and (in the second and third persons singular) two genders.

====Gerund====
Along with the infinitive and the present participle, the gerund is one of three [[non-finite verb]] forms. The infinitive is a nominalized verb, the present participle expresses incomplete action, and the gerund expresses completed action, e.g. {{transliteration|am|ali məsa}} '''{{Lang|am-latn|bälto}}''' {{Lang|am-latn|wädä gäbäya hedä}} 'Ali, having eaten lunch, went to the market'. There are several usages of the gerund depending on its morpho-syntactic features.

=====Verbal use=====
The gerund functions as the head of a subordinate clause (see the example above). There may be more than one gerund in one sentence. The gerund is used to form the following tense forms:
* present perfect    '''{{transliteration|am|nägro}}''' {{transliteration|am|-all/näbbär}} 'He has said'.
* past perfect       '''{{transliteration|am|nägro}}''' {{transliteration|am|näbbär}} 'He had said'.
* possible perfect   '''{{transliteration|am|nägro}}''' {{transliteration|am|yǝhonall}} 'He (probably) has said'.

=====Adverbial use=====
The gerund can be used as an adverb: '''{{Lang|am-latn|alfo alfo}}''' {{transliteration|am|yǝsǝqall}} 'Sometimes he laughs'. (From {{Lang|am|ማለፍ}} 'to pass')

===Adjectives===
[[Adjective]]s are words or constructions used to qualify nouns. Adjectives in Amharic can be formed in several ways: they can be based on nominal patterns, or derived from nouns, verbs and other parts of speech. Adjectives can be nominalized by way of suffixing the nominal article (see [[Amharic language#Nouns|Nouns]] above). Amharic has few primary adjectives. Some examples are {{transliteration|am|dägg}} 'kind, generous', {{transliteration|am|dǝda}} 'mute, dumb, silent', {{transliteration|am|bič̣a}} 'yellow'.

====Nominal patterns====
:CäCCaC – {{transliteration|am|käbbad}} 'heavy'; {{transliteration|am|läggas}} 'generous'
:CäC(C)iC – {{transliteration|am|räqiq}} 'fine, subtle'; {{transliteration|am|addis}} 'new'
:CäC(C)aCa – {{transliteration|am|säbara}} 'broken'; {{transliteration|am|ṭämama}} 'bent, wrinkled'
:CəC(C)əC – {{transliteration|am|bǝlǝh}} 'intelligent, smart'; {{transliteration|am|dǝbbǝq}} 'hidden'
:CəC(C)uC – {{transliteration|am|kǝbur}} 'worthy, dignified'; {{transliteration|am|ṭǝqur}} 'black'; {{transliteration|am|qəddus}} 'holy'

====Denominalizing suffixes====
:{{transliteration|am|-äñña}} – {{transliteration|am|hayl-äñña}} 'powerful' (from {{Lang|am-latn|hayl}} 'power'); {{transliteration|am|ǝwnät-äñña}} 'true' (from {{transliteration|am|ǝwnät}} 'truth')
:{{transliteration|am|-täñña}} – {{transliteration|am|aläm-täñña}} 'secular' (from {{Lang|am-latn|aläm}} 'world')
:{{transliteration|am|-awi}} – {{transliteration|am|lǝbb-awi}} 'intelligent' (from {{transliteration|am|lǝbb}} 'heart'); {{transliteration|am|mǝdr-awi}} 'earthly' (from {{transliteration|am|mǝdr}} 'earth'); {{Lang|am-latn|haymanot-awi}} 'religious' (from {{Lang|am-latn|haymanot}} 'religion')

====Prefix {{Lang|am-latn|yä}}====
:{{Lang|am-latn|yä-kätäma}} 'urban' ({{lit|from the city}}); {{transliteration|am|yä-krǝstǝnna}} 'Christian' ({{lit|of Christianity}}); {{transliteration|am|yä-wǝšät}} 'wrong' ({{lit|of falsehood}}).

====Adjective noun complex====
The adjective and the noun together are called the 'adjective noun complex'. In Amharic, the adjective precedes the noun, with the verb last; e.g. {{transliteration|am|kǝfu geta}} 'a bad master'; {{IPA|təlləq bet särra}} (lit. big house he-built) 'he built a big house'.

If the adjective noun complex is [[definiteness|definite]], the definite article is suffixed to the adjective and not to the noun, e.g. {{transliteration|am|tǝllǝq-u bet}} (lit. big-<small>def</small> house) 'the big house'. In a possessive construction, the adjective takes the definite article, and the noun takes the pronominal possessive suffix, e.g. {{transliteration|am|tǝllǝq-u bet-e}} (lit. big-<small>def</small> house-my) {{Gloss|my big house}}.

When enumerating adjectives using {{transliteration|am|-nna}} 'and', both adjectives take the definite article: {{transliteration|am|qonǧo-wa-nna astäway-wa lǝǧ mäṭṭačč}} (lit. pretty-<small>def</small>-and intelligent-<small>def</small> girl came) {{gloss|the pretty and intelligent girl came}}. In the case of an indefinite plural adjective noun complex, the noun is plural and the adjective may be used in singular or in plural form. Thus, 'diligent students' can be rendered {{transliteration|am|tǝgu tämariʷočč}} (lit. diligent student-<small>PLUR</small>) or {{transliteration|am|təguʷočč tämariʷočč}} (lit. diligent-<small>PLUR</small> student-<small>PLUR</small>).