Abstract Nouns and Obligation

This unit introduces the abstract noun suffix /-(i)nnet/ and the use of /meKnat/ (“reason”) to express obligation and explanation.

Basic Sentences (መሠረታዊ ዓረፍተ ነገሮች)

Amharic (Romanized)	English
TiruNNinnet yasfelligal.	Goodness is needed.
yetilliQinnet misTir min new?	What is the secret of greatness?
konjo-nnet-wa yitaweqal.	Her beauty is well-known.
dehna-nnet yifellgal.	Health (well-being) is needed.
yeisswo tinniš-innet misTir aydelem.	His smallness is not a secret.
meKnat-u min new?	What is the reason?
be meKnat yih sira yiseral.	For this reason, the work is done.
meKnat-u irgaTTiNNa aydelem.	The reason is not certain.
ye sira meKnat-u min new?	What is the reason for the work?
ye TiruNNinnet meKnat astemar new.	The reason for goodness is education.

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Key Vocabulary

Amharic	English		Amharic	English
-(i)nnet	abstract noun suffix		meKnat	reason
TiruNNinnet	goodness		tilliQinnet	greatness
konjo-nnet	beauty		dehna-nnet	well-being, health
tinniš-innet	smallness		balege-nnet	cleverness
irgaTTiNNa	certain, sure		misTir	secret
astemar	education		meKnat-u	the reason

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Grammar Notes

1. Abstract Noun Suffix /-(i)nnet/

The suffix /-(i)nnet/ is added to adjectives and nouns to create abstract nouns, similar to English “-ness,” “-ity,” or “-hood”:

Base Word	Abstract Noun	English
TiruNNa (good)	TiruNNinnet	goodness
tilliq (big)	tilliQinnet	greatness
tinniš (small)	tinniš-innet	smallness
konjo (beautiful)	konjo-nnet	beauty
dehna (well, fine)	dehna-nnet	well-being, health
balege (clever)	balege-nnet	cleverness
saw (person)	saw-innet	humanity, personhood
gwadd (friend)	gwadde-nnet	friendship
niguS (king)	niguS-innet	kingship
lij (child)	lij-innet	childhood

Rules for attachment:

• After consonants: add /-innet/ — /tilliq/ → /tilliQinnet/
• After vowels: add /-nnet/ — /konjo/ → /konjo-nnet/
• Some forms involve consonant changes at the boundary

2. Use of /meKnat/ — “reason”

/meKnat/ is a noun meaning “reason” or “cause.” It is used in several constructions:

Asking for a reason:

Amharic	English
meKnat-u min new?	What is the reason?
ye sira-w meKnat min new?	What is the reason for the work?
lemin? meKnat-u min new?	Why? What is the reason?

Giving a reason:

Amharic	English
be meKnat yih sira yiseral.	For this reason, the work is done.
meKnat-u yeisswo dehna-nnet new.	The reason is his well-being.
ye TiruNNinnet meKnat astemar new.	The reason for goodness is education.

With /be-/ (because of):

Amharic	English
be meKnat-u almeTTam.	Because of the reason, he didn’t come.
be dehna-nnet meKnat yihedal.	He goes because of health reasons.

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Drills (ልምምዶች)

Drill 1 — Form Abstract Nouns

Base	Abstract Noun
TiruNNa (good)	TiruNNinnet
tilliq (big)	tilliQinnet
tinniš (small)	tinniš-innet
konjo (beautiful)	konjo-nnet
dehna (well)	dehna-nnet
balege (clever)	balege-nnet
saw (person)	saw-innet
gwadde (friend)	gwadde-nnet

Drill 2 — Use Abstract Nouns in Sentences

Abstract Noun	Sentence	English
TiruNNinnet	TiruNNinnet yasfelligal.	Goodness is needed.
tilliQinnet	tilliQinnet yifellgal.	Greatness is needed.
konjo-nnet	konjo-nnet-wa yitaweqal.	Her beauty is known.
dehna-nnet	dehna-nnet yasfelligal.	Health is needed.

Drill 3 — Questions and Answers with /meKnat/

Question	Answer
meKnat-u min new?	meKnat-u yeisswo sira new. (The reason is his work.)
lemin almeTTam?	be dehna-nnet meKnat almeTTam. (He didn’t come for health reasons.)
ye TiruNNinnet meKnat min new?	meKnat-u astemar new. (The reason is education.)

Drill 4 — Translation

1. Goodness is needed. — /TiruNNinnet yasfelligal./
2. What is the reason? — /meKnat-u min new?/
3. Her beauty is famous. — /konjo-nnet-wa yitaweqal./
4. For this reason, he went. — /be meKnat yih hede./
5. Friendship is important. — /gwadde-nnet yasfelligal./
6. What is the secret of greatness? — /yetilliQinnet misTir min new?/

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Narrative

weyzero almaz yeTiruNNinnet misTir-in tawqaleč. isswa “TiruNNinnet be sira-m be nuro-m yasfelligal” tilaleč. meKnat-u min new? meKnat-u yeisswa balege-nnet inna ye astemar-wa new. be timhirt bet bizu temariwoč alleggu. kehullu yibellT dehna-nnet-aččew Tiru new. ye dehna-nnet meKnat timhirt inna sira new. almaz “tilliQinnet be tinniš-innet yijemmiral” tilaleč. meKnat-u — and and neger yeTiruNNinnet meKnat yihonal.

Translation: Mrs. Almaz knows the secret of goodness. She says, “Goodness is needed in work and in life.” What is the reason? The reason is her cleverness and her education. At the school, there are many students. Their well-being is the best of all. The reason for well-being is study and work. Almaz says, “Greatness begins with smallness.” The reason — each small thing can be a reason for goodness.