ስሜ … ነው
səme … näw
To say "my name is" in Amharic, use ስሜ … ነው (səme … näw).
This phrase is used to identify yourself by stating your name.
Meaning: a way to identify oneself (phrase)
How does it change in a sentence?
When using ስሜ … ነው, you must place the person's name in the middle of the phrase, between the subject and the verb. The word ነው (näw) functions as the third-person singular copula "is" to complete the sentence structure.
How do you pronounce it?
səme … näw
Did you know?
- In Ethiopia, it is common to introduce yourself by your father's name rather than a family surname. For example, if your father is named Abebe, you are identified as the child of Abebe.
- When writing 'my name is' in the Ge'ez script, the characters are arranged in an abugida, where each character represents a consonant and a vowel simultaneously rather than separate letters.
- In Ethiopia, many people have names that describe the circumstances of their birth, such as 'Tesfaye' meaning 'my hope', which makes 'my name is' more than just a label but a description of a life event.
