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