ጽቡቕ
ts'buq
The English word 'beautiful' is translated into Tigrinya as ጽቡቕ (ts'buq).
The word ጽቡቕ is used to mean both 'beautiful' and 'good' depending on the context in which it is used.
Meaning: attractive (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
When describing a feminine noun, the adjective changes from ጽቡቕ to ጽቡቕቲ.
How do you pronounce it?
ts'buq
Did you know?
- In Tigrinya, the same word ጽቡቕ is used to describe a 'beautiful' person and a 'good' person. This reflects a cultural view where inner goodness and outer beauty are conceptually linked.
- The Tigrinya word ጽቡቕ shares a linguistic root with other Ethio-Semitic languages, meaning that speakers of Amharic will recognize a very similar word for 'good' or 'beautiful'.
- When praising someone's beauty, it is common to add ብጣዕሚ meaning 'very' to emphasize the compliment. Using ጽቡቕ alone can sometimes be perceived as a neutral or modest observation.
Example conversation
Yonas and Selam are looking at a flower garden.
- ዮናስ Yonasሰላም፣ እዚ ጽቡቕ አበባ እዩ።Selam, ezi tsibuq abeba eyu.Selam, this is a beautiful flower.
- ሰላም Selamእወ፣ ብጣዕሚ ይስሕብ።ewo, bit'a'mi yisihib.Yes, it is very attractive.
- ዮናስ Yonasጽቡቕ ይርአ።tsibuq yir'a.It looks beautiful.
- ሰላም Selamናይ ርእሰይ እዩ።nay ri'sey eyu.It is mine.
