Verb Classification Charts

This unit presents comprehensive verb classification charts covering all regular verb paradigms introduced in earlier units. Charts I through V organize three-radical, three-radical /a-/, two-radical /-a/, two-radical /-e/, and four-radical verbs into a single reference. Use this unit to review and consolidate verb conjugation patterns.

Basic Sentences (መሠረታዊ ዓረፍተ ነገሮች)

Amharic	English
sebber-ku	I broke
sebber-k	you (m.) broke
sebbere	he broke
felled-ku	I wanted
felled-k	you (m.) wanted
felleg-allehu	I want
hedku	I went
hedk	you (m.) went
hedečč	she went
meta	he came
meTTahu	I came
atterfef-ku	I shook

Key Vocabulary

Amharic	English
sebbere	he broke (3-radical)
fellege	he wanted (3-radical /a-/)
hede	he went (2-radical /-a/)
meta	he came (2-radical /-e/)
atterfefe	he shook (4-radical)
negere	he told (3-radical)
kebbede	he opened (3-radical)
same	he heard (2-radical /-a/)
qere	he remained (2-radical /-e/)
astewareqe	he informed (4-radical)
yigbal	paradigm, form
sirs	root

Grammar Notes

Chart I — Three-Radical Verbs (Type: sebbere)

Perfective and imperfective paradigms for the basic three-radical pattern:

Subject	Perfective	Imperfective
ine	sebber-ku	isebr-allehu
anta	sebber-k	tisebr-alleh
anči	sebber-š	tisebr-iyaleš
issu	sebbere	yisebr-al
isswa	sebber-ečč	tisebr-aleč
inña	sebber-n	inisebr-allen
innante	sebber-aččihu	tisebr-allaččihu
innassu	sebber-u	yisebr-alu

Jussive: yisbir (let him break), gerund: sebro

Chart II — Three-Radical Verbs in /a-/ (Type: fellege)

Subject	Perfective	Imperfective
ine	felled-ku	ifellig-allehu
anta	felled-k	tifellig-alleh
anči	felled-š	tifellig-iyaleš
issu	fellege	yifellig-al
isswa	felleg-ečč	tifellig-aleč
inña	felled-n	inifellig-allen
innante	felled-aččihu	tifellig-allaččihu
innassu	felleg-u	yifellig-alu

Jussive: yifellg (let him want), gerund: felligo

Chart III — Two-Radical Verbs in /-a/ (Type: hede)

Subject	Perfective	Imperfective
ine	hed-ku	ihed-allehu
anta	hed-k	tihed-alleh
anči	hed-š	tihed-iyaleš
issu	hede	yihed-al
isswa	hed-ečč	tihed-aleč
inña	hed-n	inihed-allen
innante	hed-aččihu	tihed-allaččihu
innassu	hed-u	yihed-alu

Jussive: yihid (let him go), gerund: hedo

Chart IV — Two-Radical Verbs in /-e/ (Type: meta)

Subject	Perfective	Imperfective
ine	meTTa-hu	imeT-allehu
anta	meTTa-h	timeT-alleh
anči	meTTa-š	timeT-iyaleš
issu	meTTa	yimeT-al
isswa	meTTa-čč	timeT-aleč
inña	meTTa-n	inimeT-allen
innante	meTTa-ččihu	timeT-allaččihu
innassu	meTTa-u	yimeT-alu

Jussive: yimTa (let him come), gerund: meeTo

Chart V — Four-Radical Verbs (Type: atterfefe)

Subject	Perfective	Imperfective
ine	atterfef-ku	atterfif-allehu
anta	atterfef-k	t-atterfif-alleh
anči	atterfef-š	t-atterfif-iyaleš
issu	atterfefe	y-atterfif-al
isswa	atterfef-ečč	t-atterfif-aleč
inña	atterfef-n	inn-atterfif-allen
innante	atterfef-aččihu	t-atterfif-allaččihu
innassu	atterfef-u	y-atterfif-alu

Jussive: yatterfif (let him shake), gerund: atterfifo

Drills (ልምምዶች)

Drill 1 — Identify the Verb Type

Classify each verb by chart number:

Verb	Type
sebbere (broke)	Chart I — 3-radical
fellege (wanted)	Chart II — 3-radical /a-/
hede (went)	Chart III — 2-radical /-a/
meta (came)	Chart IV — 2-radical /-e/
atterfefe (shook)	Chart V — 4-radical
negere (told)	Chart I — 3-radical
same (heard)	Chart III — 2-radical /-a/

Drill 2 — Conjugate in the Perfective (ine)

Verb	Perfective (ine)
sebbere	sebber-ku
fellege	felled-ku
hede	hed-ku
meta	meTTa-hu
atterfefe	atterfef-ku
negere	negger-ku

Drill 3 — Conjugate in the Imperfective (issu)

Verb	Imperfective (issu)
sebbere	yisebr-al
fellege	yifellig-al
hede	yihed-al
meta	yimeT-al
atterfefe	y-atterfif-al

Drill 4 — Give the Jussive Form

Verb	Jussive (issu)
sebbere	yisbir
fellege	yifellg
hede	yihid
meta	yimTa
atterfefe	yatterfif

Narrative

yih timhirt yigbal-očč-in yasayyal. ye-amarigNa gisočč yileyyayu aynet naččew. and-and gisočč sost sirs allebaččew, le-misale sebbere inna negere. le-loččum gisočč hullet sirs allebaččew — inde hede inna meta. arat sirs yallaččew gisočč-im allu — inde atterfefe. yennih-in yigbal-očč maTTen yifelligal. bešam tiqim naččew inna biyyeqen yiTTeqemalu.

This lesson presents verb paradigms. Amharic verbs are of various types. Some verbs have three radicals, for example sebbere and negere. Other verbs have two radicals — like hede and meta. There are also verbs with four radicals — like atterfefe. It is necessary to study all these paradigms. They are very useful and are used every day.