MesobLingo Grammar Guide · Tigrinya

Tigrinya demonstratives

Demonstratives in Tigrinya are the words for this and that, plus their plurals, these and those. Tigrinya changes them for gender and number, so "this" is not one word but several. Here is each form, with audio.

Tigrinya demonstratives: the basic rule

Demonstratives: These are words that point to a person or thing.

English examples

this, that, these, those

Why it matters

They help you point out exactly who or what you mean.

Examples

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English

this (m)

Tigrinya

ezi

Example

This is my father.

ezi (this - m) aboy (my father) iyu (is)

English

this (f)

Tigrinya

ezia

Example

This is my mother.

ezia (this - f) adey (my mother) iya (is)

English

that (m)

Tigrinya

eti

Example

That is my father.

eti (that - m) aboy (my father) iyu (is)

English

that (f)

Tigrinya

etia

Example

That is my mother.

etia (that - f) adey (my mother) iya (is)

English

these (m. pl)

Tigrinya

eziom

Example

Arent these men coming

eziom (these) sebut (men) aymetsun (not coming) dyom (arent)

English

these (f. pl)

Tigrinya

ezien

Example

I like these pants.

ezien (these - f. pl) sire(pants) fetyeyen (I like)

English

those (m. pl)

Tigrinya

etiom

Example

Its those men.

etiom (those - m. pl) asebut (men) iyom (are/is)

English

those (f. pl)

Tigrinya

etien

Example

Those are girls.

etien (those - f. pl) awalid (girls/women) iyen (are)

Now use it. Hear Tigrinya spoken by a native speaker and build the sentence yourself.

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