ሰብአይ
seb'ay
The Tigrinya word for husband is ሰብአይ (seb'ay).
ሰብአይ is a noun used to refer to a male partner in a marriage.
Meaning: male partner in marriage (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
seb'ay
Did you know?
- The word ሰብአይ is shared with the word for 'man' or 'human being'. In Tigrinya, the term for a husband is fundamentally the same as the term for a male person.
- In many Tigrinya-speaking households, a wife might not use the word ሰብአይ when speaking directly to her husband, instead using terms of endearment or referring to him as 'father of [child's name]'.
- The term ሰብአይ shares a deep linguistic root with the Ge'ez language, the ancient liturgical language of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
Example conversation
Haimanot is introducing her husband to Jonas.
- ዮናስ Yonasእዚ መን እዩ?ezi men eyu?Who is this?
- ሃይማኖት Haymanotእዚ ሰብአይ ትርፊ እዩ።ezi seb-ay tirfi eyu.This is my husband.
- ዮናስ Yonasሰላም ንዓኻ።selam ni-aka.Hello to you.
- ሃይማኖት Haymanotንዓኻ እውን ሰላም እዩ።ni-aka eun selam eyu.Hello to you too.
