Spatial Expressions with /k(e)-/

This unit introduces spatial expressions built with the prefix /k(e)-/, which indicates direction, origin, or position relative to a point. You will learn to combine /k(e)-/ with the demonstrative locatives /wedih-wedezzih/ (here, around here) and /wediya-wedezziya/ (there, around there), enabling you to give and understand spatial directions with greater precision.

Basic Sentences

Amharic	English
kezzih bota wede bet hedku	From this place I went home
kezziya meTTa	He came from there
kewedih nəñ	I am from here
kewediya yimeTTal	He will come from there
kezzih wede wediya hidalləh?	Are you going from here to there? (masc.)
kezziya wede wedih thediyalləš?	Are you coming from there to here? (fem.)
kezzih aydellam, kewediya new	It’s not from here, it’s from there
kewedih eska wediya ruku new	It’s far from here to there
kezzih Kirb new	It’s close to here
kewedezzih meTTa	He came from around here
kewedezziya yisemmal	It can be heard from around there
kezzih bota Kirb yigermal	It can be found close to this place

Key Vocabulary

Amharic	English
k(e)-	from, out of (prefix)
wedih	here, this place
wedezzih	around here, in this vicinity
wediya	there, that place
wedezziya	around there, in that vicinity
bota	place, location
Kirb	near, close
ruku	far, distant
eska	until, up to
wede	toward, to
aydellam	it is not
meTTa	he came, he arrived
hedku	I went
yigermal	it can be found
yisemmal	it can be heard
akababiw	the surroundings, the area

Grammar Notes

The Prefix /k(e)-/

The prefix /k(e)-/ attaches to nouns, demonstratives, and locative expressions to indicate origin or separation — “from” or “out of.” The vowel /e/ is often dropped before a consonant cluster:

• ke- before vowels and single consonants: ke-addis abeba (from Addis Ababa)
• k- before certain consonant clusters: k-bet or ke-bet (from the house)

/k(e)-/ with /wedih/ and /wedezzih/

When /k(e)-/ combines with /wedih/ (here) and /wedezzih/ (around here), it creates expressions meaning “from here” and “from around here”:

Expression	Meaning
kewedih	from here
kewedezzih	from around here
kezzih	from this (contracted form)

/k(e)-/ with /wediya/ and /wedezziya/

The same prefix combines with /wediya/ (there) and /wedezziya/ (around there):

Expression	Meaning
kewediya	from there
kewedezziya	from around there
kezziya	from that (contracted form)

Spatial Direction Pairs

Amharic spatial expressions often come in here/there pairs. Combined with /wede/ (toward), they create directional contrasts:

From → To	Amharic
from here to there	kezzih wede wediya
from there to here	kezziya wede wedih
from around here to around there	kewedezzih wede wedezziya

Drills

Drill 1: Substitution — /k(e)-/ with Locatives

Replace the locative in each sentence with the cue given:

Base sentence	Cue	Response
kewedih meTTa	wediya	kewediya meTTa
kezzih hedku	ezziya	kezziya hedku
kewedezzih yisemmal	wedezziya	kewedezziya yisemmal
kezziya timeTTiyalləš	ezzih	kezzih timeTTiyalləš

Drill 2: Question and Answer — Spatial Origin

Answer the questions using the cue in parentheses:

Question	Cue	Answer
ke-yet meTTa?	wedih	kewedih meTTa
ke-yet new yehedut?	wediya	kewediya new yehedut
ke-yet akababiw yisemmal?	wedezzih	kewedezzih yisemmal
ke-yet nəñ?	wedezziya	kewedezziya nəñ

Drill 3: Translation

Translate into Amharic:

1. He came from there. → kewediya meTTa
2. I am from around here. → kewedezzih nəñ
3. It’s far from here to there. → kezzih eska wediya ruku new
4. She went from here. → kezzih hedečč
5. It can be found around there. → kewedezziya yigermal

Narrative

ke-yet meTTah? kewediya meTTahu, ke-addis abeba. kezziya eska wedih ruku new. ginbar, be-awroplan sihed ruku aydellam. kezzih bota beTam Tiru new. akababiw beTam Kirb new ke-gebeya. kewedih eska wediya, eska bet, Kirb new. kewedezzih hullu bota yigermal — genzeb mewsediya, meblabiya bet, Tena Tabiya. kezzih bota ameseginalehu.

Where did you come from? I came from there, from Addis Ababa. From there to here is far. However, by airplane it is not far. This place is very nice. The surroundings are very close to the market. From here to there, to the house, it is close. Around here everything can be found — a bank, a restaurant, a clinic. I am grateful for this place.