Overview

This lesson focuses on common Amharic vocabulary related to food, drinks, and kitchen items. These are everyday words you’ll hear constantly in Ethiopian households, cafés, and restaurants. You’ll learn practical phrases, basic grammar patterns, and simple sentences you can start using right away.

1. Key Vocabulary — Food & Drinks

2. Key Vocabulary — Kitchen Items

3. Useful Phrases

A. Ordering or Asking for Food

እባክህ እንጀራ ትሰጠኛለህ?
Ebakeh ənjera təset’egnalleh?
Please, can you give me injera? (to a man)

ቡና እፈልጋለሁ።
Buna əfeligalu.
I want coffee.

B. Talking About Food

እንጀራ እወዳለሁ።
Ənjera əwedalu.
I love injera.

ዛሬ ዶሮ በቀለ ነው።
Zare doro beqele new.
Today’s food is doro wot.

C. In the Kitchen

ሳህን አምጣልኝ።
Sahən amtsalñ.
Bring me a plate.

ቢላ የት ነው?
Bila yet new?
Where is the knife?

4. Grammar Note: “I want / I like”

Two super useful verbs:

I want → እፈልጋለሁ (əfeligalu)

• እንጀራ እፈልጋለሁ → I want injera

• ቡና እፈልጋለሁ → I want coffee

I like → እወዳለሁ (əwedalu)

• ዳቦ እወዳለሁ → I like bread

• ፍራፍሬ እወዳለሁ → I like fruit

These two phrases will make you sound way more natural.

5. Cultural Notes 

Injera is the center of everything.

In most Ethiopian homes, a meal starts with injera. People will judge how good a household is based on how soft the injera is.

Dining is communal.

People share a large plate rather than individual plates. “Gursha,” feeding someone with your hand, is a sign of love and respect.

Coffee is a whole ceremony.

If someone offers you buna, it’s rude to say no unless you REALLY can’t stay.

6. Practice Exercise

Try saying the following out loud:

1. Buna əfeligalu. — I want coffee.

2. Ənjera əwedalu. — I like injera.

3. Bila yet new? — Where is the knife?

4. Ebakesh dabo t’sët’egnalesh? — Please, can you give me bread? (to a woman)

Then create 3 of your own sentences using the vocab above.