Signification
Asking about someone's emotional state or reaction.
Contexte culturel
Young people in Addis Ababa are increasingly using 'ምን ተሰማህ?' to discuss mental health and personal growth, moving away from traditional emotional reserve. During confession (Nis-ha), a priest might ask 'ምን ተሰማህ?' to gauge the sincerity of a person's repentance. In poetry, this question is often used to ask about the 'Gold' (hidden meaning) of a verse. Hosts often ask this after a guest tries a traditional dish like Kitfo or Tej for the first time.
Use the feminine form
Always remember to use 'ምን ተሰማሽ?' with women. It shows a much higher level of fluency and respect for the language's grammar.
Don't over-ask
In some traditional Ethiopian circles, asking about feelings too many times can be seen as intrusive. Gauge the person's comfort level.
Signification
Asking about someone's emotional state or reaction.
Use the feminine form
Always remember to use 'ምን ተሰማሽ?' with women. It shows a much higher level of fluency and respect for the language's grammar.
Don't over-ask
In some traditional Ethiopian circles, asking about feelings too many times can be seen as intrusive. Gauge the person's comfort level.
Expect indirectness
If someone says 'It was okay' (ደህና ነበር), they might be hiding a stronger emotion. Look at their body language.
The 'Te-' prefix
Whenever you see 'te-' at the start of a verb, think 'passive' or 'reflexive'. It helps you decode many other Amharic words.
Teste-toi
Choose the correct form to ask a woman how she felt.
ፊልሙን ስታይ ____?
The suffix '-sh' is used for feminine subjects.
Fill in the missing word to ask 'What did you feel?'.
____ ተሰማህ?
'ምን' means 'what', which is the standard word for this phrase.
Match the phrase to the correct person.
You are talking to your grandfather.
The '-wot' suffix is the polite form for elders.
Complete the dialogue.
A: ስራውን አገኘሁት! B: በጣም ደስ ይላል! ____?
B is asking about A's emotional reaction to the good news.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Gender Suffixes
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesፊልሙን ስታይ ____?
The suffix '-sh' is used for feminine subjects.
____ ተሰማህ?
'ምን' means 'what', which is the standard word for this phrase.
You are talking to your grandfather.
The '-wot' suffix is the polite form for elders.
A: ስራውን አገኘሁት! B: በጣም ደስ ይላል! ____?
B is asking about A's emotional reaction to the good news.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYes, if someone gets hurt, you can ask 'ምን ተሰማህ?' to mean 'What did you feel?'. However, 'ምን ያምሃል?' (What hurts you?) is more specific.
Usually, because you are asking about a reaction to something that happened. For current feelings, you say 'ምን ይሰማሃል?' (What are you feeling?).
You can say 'ደስ አለኝ' (I was happy), 'አዘንኩ' (I was sad), or 'ምንም አልተሰማኝም' (I felt nothing).
No, it is generally considered caring and empathetic, provided you use the correct formality level.
'ምን' asks for the 'what' (the emotion), while 'እንዴት' asks for the 'how' (the intensity or manner). Both are common.
Only if you are discussing a project's impact or team morale, and use the formal 'ምን ተሰማዎት?'.
No! That is 'ምን ሰማህ?'. The 'te' is the difference between hearing and feeling.
ምን ተሰማቸው? (Min tesemachew?)
Young people might say 'እንዴት አየኸው?' (How did you see it?) to mean 'How did you feel about it?'.
Yes, 'ምግቡን ስትቀምሰው ምን ተሰማህ?' is perfectly natural.
Expressions liées
እንዴት ነህ?
similarHow are you?
ደስ አለህ?
specialized formAre you happy?
አዘንክ?
specialized formAre you sad?
ምን አዲስ ነገር አለ?
similarWhat's new?
ስሜትህ ምንድነው?
synonymWhat is your feeling?
አልተመቸኝም
contrastI wasn't comfortable
