Possessive Suffixes for Plural Owners
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In Amharic, you attach a suffix to the end of a noun to show who owns it.
- For 'our' (plural owner), add '-achin' to the noun: betachin (our house).
- For 'your' (plural owner), add '-achihu' to the noun: betachihu (your house).
- For 'their' (plural owner), add '-achew' to the noun: betachew (their house).
Plural Possessive Suffixes
| Owner | Suffix | Example (Noun: Bet) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
|
We
|
-achin
|
betachin
|
our house
|
|
You (plural)
|
-achihu
|
betachihu
|
your house
|
|
They
|
-achew
|
betachew
|
their house
|
Meanings
These suffixes indicate possession by a group of people (we, you all, they).
Possession
Indicates that an object belongs to a group.
“betachin (our house)”
“betachihu (your house)”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Noun + Suffix
|
betachin
|
|
Negative
|
Aydelem + Noun + Suffix
|
aydelem betachin
|
|
Question
|
Noun + Suffix + wey?
|
betachin wey?
|
|
Plural Object
|
Noun + Plural Marker + Suffix
|
betochachin
|
|
Formal
|
Noun + Suffix
|
betachew
|
|
Informal
|
Noun + Suffix
|
betachin
|
طيف الرسمية
betachin (General)
betachin (General)
betachin (General)
betachin (General)
Possessive Suffix Map
Owners
- achin our
- achihu your
- achew their
أمثلة حسب المستوى
betachin
our house
betachihu
your house
betachew
their house
mirtachin
our choice
mikirachin
our advice
mikirachihu
your advice
mikirachew
their advice
betachin new
It is our house
betachin yewede
Our house is beautiful
betachihu yewede
Your house is beautiful
betachew yewede
Their house is beautiful
betachin aydelem
It is not our house
betachin le-mewded
For our house to be loved
betachihu le-mewded
For your house to be loved
betachew le-mewded
For their house to be loved
betachin be-mewded
By our house
betachin yewede mehonu
The fact that our house is beautiful
betachihu yewede mehonu
The fact that your house is beautiful
betachew yewede mehonu
The fact that their house is beautiful
betachin yewede new
It is our house that is beautiful
betachin yewede mehonun
Knowing that our house is beautiful
betachihu yewede mehonun
Knowing that your house is beautiful
betachew yewede mehonun
Knowing that their house is beautiful
betachin yewede mehonu-n
It is our house that is beautiful (emphatic)
سهل الخلط
Learners mix up -e (my) with -achin (our).
Learners add -u/-wa (the) to the possessive.
Learners don't know where to put -och (plural marker).
أخطاء شائعة
bet-achin-e
betachin
achin bet
betachin
bet-achin-u
betachin
bet-achin-och
betochachin
bet-achihu-e
betachihu
bet-achew-i
betachew
bet-achin-n
betachin
bet-achin-achin
betachin
bet-achihu-achihu
betachihu
bet-achew-achew
betachew
bet-achin-n-achin
betachin
bet-achihu-n-achihu
betachihu
bet-achew-n-achew
betachew
أنماط الجُمل
___ new.
___ yewede new.
___ aydelem.
___ le-mewded new.
Real World Usage
betachin?
betachin!
mikirachin
betachin
mirtachin
mikirachew
Consistency
Don't double up
Listen for the suffix
Use it naturally
Smart Tips
Just add -achin to the noun.
Just add -achihu to the noun.
Just add -achew to the noun.
Put -och before the suffix.
النطق
Suffix stress
Stress usually falls on the suffix.
Statement
betachin new.
Falling intonation at the end.
احفظها
وسيلة تذكّر
Think of 'achin' as 'our chin', 'achihu' as 'you all chew', and 'achew' as 'they chew'.
ربط بصري
Imagine a group of people holding a house. For 'our', they touch their chins. For 'your', they all chew gum. For 'their', they point to a third group chewing.
Rhyme
Our is achin, your is achihu, their is achew, that is what we do!
Story
We (achin) built a house. You all (achihu) visited it. They (achew) liked it. Now we all share the house.
Word Web
تحدٍّ
Write 3 sentences using these suffixes for objects in your room.
ملاحظات ثقافية
Possessive suffixes are used in all social interactions to show belonging and community.
These suffixes are derived from ancient Semitic pronominal markers.
بدايات محادثة
betachin yewede new?
betachin yewede new?
betachin yewede new?
betachin yewede new?
مواضيع للكتابة اليومية
أخطاء شائعة
Test Yourself
bet___ (our house)
bet___ (their house)
Find and fix the mistake:
betachin-e
betachin / new
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
bet___ (your plural house)
mirt___ (our choice)
Find and fix the mistake:
betachihu-u
Score: /8
تمارين تطبيقية
8 exercisesbet___ (our house)
bet___ (their house)
Find and fix the mistake:
betachin-e
betachin / new
Match: achin, achihu, achew
bet___ (your plural house)
mirt___ (our choice)
Find and fix the mistake:
betachihu-u
Score: /8
الأسئلة الشائعة (8)
-achin is for 'our', -e is for 'my'.
Yes, they attach to almost any noun.
Sometimes the suffix changes slightly.
Yes, they are standard in all registers.
It's a common habit from English.
betochachew.
No, these suffixes are gender-neutral.
Yes, just add 'wey' or a question mark.
Scaffolded Practice
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3
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Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
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notre/votre/leur
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unser/euer/ihr
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watashitachi no...
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suffixes
Specific suffix forms differ.
de
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