Concessive Constructions

Concessive Constructions

Unit 35 introduces concessive constructions with /inkwan/, including its use with /yiKriTma/ (“let alone”) and its role in expressing “even though.” These forms allow speakers to make emphatic concessions and contrasts.

---

Basic Sentences

Romanized Amharic	English
inkwan ïssu, ïne ïnKa aläwKäw.	Even he, even I know it.
inkwan mäkina, ïgïr ïnKa mähed ayičïlïm.	Let alone by car, he can’t even go on foot.
inkwan amariñña, ïngïlizïñña ïnKa yinagräral.	Let alone Amharic, he even speaks English.
yimäTTa yiKriTma, aydäwïlïm ïnKa.	Let alone come, he didn’t even call.
yihed yiKriTma, käbet ïnQa alwäTTam.	Let alone go, he didn’t even leave the house.
mäTTom ïnQa, sïra aysäram.	Even though he came, he doesn’t work.
hedku ïnQa, mïnïm alaKähum.	Even though I went, I didn’t find anything.
birr Kïbbe ïnQa, almäTTam.	Even though he has money, he didn’t come.
inkwan mäshafun, wäräKätunim alaKnäbbähum.	Let alone the book, I didn’t read even the paper.
yibälla yiKriTma, wuha ïnQa altäTTam.	Let alone eat, he didn’t even drink water.

---

Key Vocabulary

Romanized Amharic	English
inkwan	even, let alone
ïnKa / ïnQa	even, also (emphatic)
yiKriTma	let alone (literally: “let it be forgiven”)
mäTTom ïnQa	even though he came
hedku ïnQa	even though I went
birr	money
Kïbbe	he has plenty
aldäwwälïm	he didn’t call
alwäTTam	he didn’t leave, he didn’t go out
altäTTam	he didn’t drink
alaKähum	I didn’t find
aysäram	he doesn’t work

---

Grammar Notes

1. /inkwan/ — “Even” and “Let Alone”

The particle /inkwan/ introduces an emphatic element. It can mean “even” or set up a “let alone” construction:

“Even” usage:

inkwan ïssu aläwKäw. Even he knows it.

“Let alone” usage (with a second element using /ïnKa/):

inkwan mäkina, ïgïr ïnKa mähed ayičïlïm. Let alone by car, he can’t even go on foot.

The pattern is: inkwan [greater thing], [lesser thing] ïnKa [negative verb].

2. /inkwan/ with /yiKriTma/

/yiKriTma/ (literally “let it be forgiven / left aside”) is paired with /inkwan/ for stronger “let alone” emphasis:

Pattern	Example	Translation
[verb] yiKriTma, … ïnQa [negative]	yimäTTa yiKriTma, aydäwïlïm ïnQa.	Let alone come, he didn’t even call.
[verb] yiKriTma, … ïnQa [negative]	yibälla yiKriTma, wuha ïnQa altäTTam.	Let alone eat, he didn’t even drink water.

3. “Even Though” Constructions

“Even though” is expressed by the gerund form + /ïnQa/:

Gerund + ïnQa	Meaning
mäTTom ïnQa	even though he came
hedku ïnQa	even though I went
birr Kïbbe ïnQa	even though he has money
ïyyä awKä ïnQa	even though he knows

The gerund form agrees with the subject, and the main clause often contains a contrasting or negative statement.

---

Drills

Drill 1 — “Let alone” with /inkwan … ïnKa/

Cue	Response
mäkina / ïgïr / mähed ayičïlïm	inkwan mäkina, ïgïr ïnKa mähed ayičïlïm.
amariñña / ïngïlizïñña / yinagräral	inkwan amariñña, ïngïlizïñña ïnKa yinagräral.
bet / kïfïl / yälläwïm	inkwan bet, kïfïl ïnKa yälläwïm.
wäTäT / wuha / yälläwïm	inkwan wäTäT, wuha ïnKa yälläwïm.

Drill 2 — “Let alone” with /yiKriTma/

Cue	Response
yimäTTa / aydäwïlïm	yimäTTa yiKriTma, aydäwïlïm ïnQa. (Let alone come, he didn’t even call.)
yihed / käbet alwäTTam	yihed yiKriTma, käbet ïnQa alwäTTam. (Let alone go, he didn’t even leave the house.)
yibälla / wuha altäTTam	yibälla yiKriTma, wuha ïnQa altäTTam. (Let alone eat, he didn’t even drink water.)
yiKnïb / mäshafun alkäffätäm	yiKnïb yiKriTma, mäshafun ïnQa alkäffätäm. (Let alone read, he didn’t even open the book.)

Drill 3 — “Even though” with gerund + /ïnQa/

Cue	Response
mäTTa / sïra aysäram	mäTTom ïnQa, sïra aysäram. (Even though he came, he doesn’t work.)
hedku / mïnïm alaKähum	hedku ïnQa, mïnïm alaKähum. (Even though I went, I found nothing.)
birr allä / almäTTam	birr Kïbbe ïnQa, almäTTam. (Even though he has money, he didn’t come.)
bälläčč / ättrabbačč	bällom ïnQa, ättrabbačč. (Even though she ate, she was hungry.)

---

Narrative

yä ato Bäkälä lïj tïmhïrt bet yihedal. gïn inkwan tïmhïrt bet mähed, mäshaf maKnäb ïnKa ayïwäddïm. abatu birr yilïkal gïn lïju yïbälla yiKriTma, mäshaf ïnQa aygäzzam. abatu näggrut ïnQa, ayisämam. “inkwan tïmhïrt, sïra ïnKa mäsrat alačïlïm” alä abatu. gïn lïju mäTTom ïnQa, sïra aysäram.

Translation: Ato Bekele’s son goes to school. But let alone going to school, he doesn’t even like reading books. His father sends him money, but let alone eat, he doesn’t even buy books. Even though his father told him, he doesn’t listen. “Let alone study, he can’t even work,” said his father. But even though the boy came, he doesn’t work.