ሰላም እንደምን ነህ?
selam indemine neh?
The English phrase "hello how are you" is translated into Amharic as ሰላም እንደምን ነህ? (selam indemine neh?)
This phrase is a common greeting used to start a conversation and ask about someone's well-being. You can use the full phrase ሰላም እንደምን ነህ? or simply say ሰላም as a common, shorter way to say "hello" or "peace". Another way to ask if someone is doing well is to use the phrase Dehna neh? which means "Are you fine?"
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "Peace, how are you?" where ሰላም means "peace".
Which one should you use?
While ሰላም እንደምን ነህ? is a full question, simply saying ሰላም is a shorter way to say "hello".
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb ending changes depending on who you are addressing. To address a female, the ending changes from neh to nesh, resulting in ሰላም እንደምን ነሽ? To address someone with respect or formally, use newot instead of neh or nesh, resulting in ሰላም እንደምን ነዎት?
How do you pronounce it?
selam indemine neh?
When do people say it?
A standard response to this greeting is ደህና ነኝ, which means "I am well".
Did you know?
- The word ሰላም shares a root with the Arabic 'salam' and the Hebrew 'shalom' because it originates from Aramaic.
- In Ethiopia, a simple greeting is often accompanied by a slight bow or a handshake that involves both hands to show respect. This physical gesture complements the verbal politeness used when addressing elders.
- While you might say 'how are you' to be polite, in many Ethiopian social contexts, it is common to follow up with multiple questions about one's family, health, and work to show genuine care.
Examples in context
- ሰላም እንደምን ነህ? ስራ እንዴት ነው?selam endemini neh? sira indet new?Hello, how are you? How is work?
Example conversation
Two friends meeting on the street.
- አቤል Abelሰላም እንደምን ነህ?Selam indemen neh?Hello, how are you?
- ቤተልሔም Betelhemሰላም! ደህና ነኝ፣ አንተስ?Selam! Dehna negn, antes?Hello! I am fine, and you?
- አቤል Abelእኔም ደህና ነኝ።Eniem dehna negn.I am fine too.
- ቤተልሔም Betelhemመልካም ቀን ይሁንልህ።Melkam ken yihunilih.Have a nice day.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ሰላም, CC BY-SA 4.0.
