Intensive and Conative Aspect

This unit introduces two important verbal aspects in Amharic: the intensive and the conative. The intensive aspect, formed by geminating (doubling) a consonant in the verb stem, indicates that an action is performed thoroughly or repeatedly. The conative aspect, which uses the prefix /l(i)-/ combined with forms like /sil/ and /sittil/, expresses attempted or desired action — trying to do something without necessarily completing it.

Basic Sentences

Amharic	English
bərun kəffəttə	he opened the door wide (intensive)
meTShafun Kəddəsə	he tore the book to pieces (intensive)
libsun hassələ	he washed the clothes thoroughly (intensive)
ləməhid sil awtobus Təbbəkku	I waited for a bus in order to go
ləməbəlat sittil, tərra	while trying to eat, he gave up
ləməsrat sil, bet hedku	in order to work, I went home
ləməTTat sil, beTam rəTTu	in order to come, he ran hard
ləmənnaggər sil, Kəyyərə	in order to speak, he waited
sira ləməsrat sittil, dakkəmə	while trying to work, he got tired
ləmeTShaf limaTTa sil hedku	I went in order to bring a book

Key Vocabulary

Amharic	English
kəffətə	he opened (simple); kəffəttə: he opened wide (intensive)
Kəddəsə	he tore to pieces (intensive of Kəddəsə)
hassələ	he washed thoroughly (intensive)
l(i)-	in order to, for the purpose of (prefix)
sil	because, in order to, since
sittil	while (attempting), even as
dakkəmə	he got tired
tərra	he gave up, he quit
rəTTə	he ran
Təbbəkə	he waited
Kəyyərə	he waited, he stayed
libəs	clothing
bər	door

Grammar Notes

The Intensive Aspect

The intensive is formed by geminating (lengthening) a root consonant, typically the middle radical. It conveys thoroughness, repetition, or intensified action:

Simple	Intensive	Meaning shift
kəfətə (opened)	kəffəttə	opened wide, flung open
səbərə (broke)	səbbərrə	smashed to pieces
hasələ (washed)	hassələ	scrubbed thoroughly
Kədəsə (tore)	Kəddəsə	ripped to shreds

The gemination pattern varies by verb class but always signals greater intensity or completeness of the action.

The Conative Aspect

The conative expresses an attempt or effort to perform an action. It is formed with the infinitive prefix /lə-/ followed by the infinitive verb stem:

• ləməhid — to go (infinitive), used as “in order to go” or “trying to go”
• ləməbəlat — to eat, “in order to eat” or “trying to eat”

/l(i)-/ with /sil/

When the infinitive form appears with /sil/ (because, in order to), it expresses purpose:

Amharic	English
ləməhid sil	in order to go
ləməsrat sil	in order to work
ləmənnaggər sil	in order to speak

/l(i)-/ with /sittil/

When combined with /sittil/ (while, even as), the construction expresses attempted but incomplete or ongoing action:

Amharic	English
ləməbəlat sittil	while trying to eat
ləməsrat sittil	while trying to work
ləməhid sittil	while trying to go

Drills

Drill 1: Simple to Intensive

Convert each simple verb to its intensive form:

Simple	Intensive
kəfətə	kəffəttə
səbərə	səbbərrə
hasələ	hassələ
Kədəsə	Kəddəsə
nəkəsə (touched)	nəkkəssə (touched repeatedly)

Drill 2: Purpose Clauses with /sil/

Form purpose clauses using the cue:

Cue	Response
go / work	ləməhid sil sira sərrahu (I worked in order to go)
eat / come	ləməbəlat sil meTTahu (I came in order to eat)
speak / wait	ləmənnaggər sil Təbbəkku (I waited in order to speak)
read / sit	ləmanəbbəb sil Kəmmərku (I sat in order to read)

Drill 3: Conative with /sittil/

Create sentences expressing attempted action:

Cue	Response
eat / give up	ləməbəlat sittil, tərra (while trying to eat, he gave up)
go / get tired	ləməhid sittil, dakkəmə (while trying to go, he got tired)
work / stop	ləməsrat sittil, aKKomə (while trying to work, he stopped)
speak / forget	ləmənnaggər sittil, rəssa (while trying to speak, he forgot)

Drill 4: Mixed Intensive and Conative

Translate into Amharic:

1. He opened the door wide in order to go out. → bərun kəffəttə ləmewTat sil
2. While trying to wash the clothes, she got tired. → libsun ləmattəb sittil, dakkəmačč
3. He smashed the glass to pieces. → birčiKKon səbbərrə
4. In order to speak Amharic, I practiced. → bə-amarıñña ləmənnaggər sil ləmmədku
5. While trying to read, he fell asleep. → ləmanəbbəb sittil, təñña

Narrative

Mark amarıñña ləmənnaggər sil beTam ləmmədə. bə-meTShaf ləmanəbbəb sittil, aSKami honəbbət, ginbar aTTərra aydellam — indegena indegena ləmmədə. hassələ — yəw hullu hassələ — amarıñña gize bisəTT beTam Kəllətəffa new. bərun kəffəttə, weTTa, inna ke-sew gar tənaggərə. ləmənnaggər sil bərtam Kəyyərə, ginbar sewočču rəddutt. ahun Tiru Tiru amarıñña yinaggeral. ləməmmar sittil, man yidakkəmal?

Mark practiced a lot in order to speak Amharic. While trying to read books, it was difficult for him, but he did not give up — he practiced again and again. He scrubbed through — he washed through everything — Amharic when given time is very easy. He opened the door wide, went out, and spoke with people. He waited patiently in order to speak, and the people helped him. Now he speaks good Amharic. While trying to learn, who gets tired?