ይቕሬታ!
Yiqreta!
The English word 'sorry' is translated into Tigrinya as ይቕሬታ! (Yiqreta!)
ይቕሬታ! is used to express regret for a mistake or to apologize. It also serves a polite social function, such as asking for someone's attention or excusing yourself, similar to the English phrase 'excuse me'.
Meaning: expression of regret or sorrow (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word ይቕሬታ literally means 'forgiveness'.
How do you pronounce it?
Yiqreta!
Did you know?
- In formal traditional settings, an apology might be extended through a third-party mediator rather than saying ይቕሬታ directly to the offended person.
- The script used to write ይቕሬታ is called Ge'ez, one of the oldest writing systems still in use in the world today.
- Tigrinya belongs to the Semitic language family, making the structure of ይቕሬታ a distant relative of words for 'mercy' or 'forgiveness' in Arabic and Hebrew.
Examples in context
- ይቕሬታ! ብዛዕባ እቲ ስህተት።Yiqreytā! Biza'aba iti sihtet.Sorry! About the mistake.
Example conversation
Ma'ar accidentally bumps into Ephrem in a crowded hallway.
- መዓር Me'arይቕሬታ! ርክበካ እየ።Yiqre'ta! Rikbeka iye.Sorry! I bumped into you.
- ኤፍሬም Efremጸናን እዩ፣ የግዳምሉይ።Tsenan iyu, yegdamlui.It's okay, don't worry about it.
- መዓር Me'arክነብር ክእልል ትኽእልዶ?Kinebir k'ilil tikhildo?Can you move a little?
- ኤፍሬም Efremእወ፣ ክሳብ እዚ ክንቀሳቐስ ይኽእል እየ።Iwe, kisab izi kinqesaqes yikh'il iye.Yes, I can move this way.
