ጽቡቕ
tsebuq
The English word "cute" is translated into Tigrinya as ጽቡቕ (tsebuq).
The term ጽቡቕ is used to describe something or someone that is attractive or pleasing in a youthful, dainty, quaint or fun-spirited way.
Meaning: attractive or pleasing in a youthful, dainty, quaint or fun-spirited way (adj)
How do you pronounce it?
tsebuq
Did you know?
- While ጽቡቕ describes a 'cute' person, the same word is used to describe a 'good' or 'correct' answer in a classroom setting.
- In Tigrinya, the word ጽቡቕ can function as an adverb meaning 'well'. For example, one can say they are doing 'well' using the same root word used to call a baby 'cute'.
- The root of the word is shared with other Semitic languages, meaning you might see similar phonetic patterns in 'Arabic' or 'Hebrew' words for 'good'.
Example conversation
Efrem and Selam are looking at a baby photo.
- ኤፍሬም Efremርአይ! እቲ ብድመተይ ጽቡቕ እዩ።re'ay! eti bidmetey tsibuq eyu.Look! The baby is cute.
- ሰላም Selamእወ፣ ኣዝዩ ጽቡቕ እዩ።ewe, azyu tsibuq eyu.Yes, he is very cute.
- ኤፍሬም Efremንመን እዩ ዝመስል?nimen eyu zimisil?Who does he look like?
- ሰላም Selamንዓኺ ይመስል እዩ።n'akhi yimesil eyu.He looks like you.
