Did you know that Amharic, like Arabic and Hebrew, is a Semitic language? This means it has a root-based word formation system, making it different from English. Once you recognize a root word, you can easily understand many related words!

For example, let’s take the root word መፃፍ, which means to write:

✍ መጽሐፍ = Book
✍ መፃፍ = To write
✍ መፃፊያ = A tool used for writing (like a pen or table)
✍ ፀሐፊ = A writer or scribe
✍ ጽሑፍ = A written article or text
✍ ፃፈ = He wrote
✍ ፃፈች = She wrote

Command:

✍ ፃፍ = Write
✍ ፃፊ = Write
✍ ፃፉ Write

🏢 ጽፈት ቤት = Office
📚 መጽሐፍ ቤት = Library
📚 የጽህፈት መሳሪያ Stationery

🎓 ትምህርት = Education
🎓 መማር = Learning
🎓 ተማሪ = Student (one who learns)
🎓 አስተማሪ = Teacher (one who teaches)

How Is This Different from English?

In English, words related to writing and education do not follow a consistent pattern like this:
📖 Book → No obvious relation to “writing”
✍ Writer → Ends in “-er,” but “scribe” and “clerk” are unrelated
✏ Pen → No connection to “writing” in its spelling
🏫 School, student, teacher → No shared root

Why Is This Important?

If you know how to read the Amharic Fidel, knowing the Amharic words also will be easy for you, because if you know the root words once, it helps you recognize and understand new related words more easily! Instead of memorizing unrelated vocabulary, you can build connections and expand your knowledge systematically.

So, if you’re learning Amharic, pay attention to the roots—they are your best tool for mastering the language!

What other root-based words have you noticed in Amharic? Let’s discuss in the comments! 👇🏾