Common Amharic idioms and proverbs with their figurative meanings, for an upper-level learner. Front: the Amharic idiom (romanization in parentheses). Back: English meaning and usage note.
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- ጎበኝ ያሸፈነ ሳጥን (Goben yashafen satne)
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A visitor broke into a box. Means an unexpected or surprising discovery, often negative.- ስር የበሰለ ሳጥን (Sir yebessale satne)
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A box rotten from within. Means internal corruption or decay hidden beneath a good exterior.- ጂብ ሲያውቅ ሰው (Jib siyawk saw)
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When a donkey knows, a person should certainly know. Means if even a simple creature understands, a person should too.- ዓሳ ከደም (Asa kadem)
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Fish from blood. Means something impossible or contradictory, like getting water from a stone.- ሞት ስር አየር (Mot sir ayer)
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Death is the end. Means inevitable fate, or nothing lasts forever.- ብርቢታ ይጮሃል (Brbitta yichohal)
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Darkness cries out. Means suffering in silence or hidden pain becoming evident.- ሙቅ ቅር (Muk ker)
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Hot heart. Means being angry, passionate, or quick to anger.- ብርድ ቅር (Berd ker)
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Cold heart. Means being calm, indifferent, or unmoved by emotion.- ጃንቦ ተኩላ (Janbo tekula)
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Hyena's meal. Means an easy target or prey, someone defenseless.- ወላጅ በእጅ (Walaj beej)
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Parent in hand. Means having power or control over someone important to you.- ዋያ ያጣ (Waya yata)
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Lost the view. Means losing perspective, objectivity, or one's way in a situation.- ጫማ በግምባር (Chama begember)
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Shoe in the river. Means lost or wasted effort that goes nowhere.- ልብ ሰማ (Leb sama)
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Heart heard. Means intuition, inner knowing, or listening to one's conscience.- ጦር በጦር (Tor betur)
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Spear with spear. Means fighting fire with fire, or meeting force with force.- ወርወራ ተደርገ (Werewera tedarge)
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Whipped around. Means experiencing sudden reversal of fortune or being turned upside down.
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