Auxiliary Verbs
1. To Be
is/are/was/were...
She is a teacher.
Nuer:
Jɛn ɛ ŋi̱i̱c.
Amharic:
አስተማሪ ነች። āsitemarī nech.
They are happy.
Nuer:
kɛn tɛth lo̱ckiɛn
Amharic:
ደስተኞች ናቸው። desitenyochi nachewi.
2. To Have
We have a good neighbor.
Nuer:
te kɔn kɛ guän thieekä mi gɔaa
Amharic:
ጥሩ ጎረቤት አለን። t’iru gorebēti ālen.
I have a new car.
Nuer:
Ɣän ta̱a̱kɛ thurbil mi̱ pay ben.
Amharic:
አዲስ መኪና አለኝ። ādīs mekīna āleny.
3. To Do
Do you want to go?
Nuer:
ji̱n go̱o̱ri ɣöö bi jiɛn?
Amharic:
መሄድ ትፈልጋለህ? mehēdi tifeligaleh?
I do my homework every day.
Nuer:
ɛ Ɣän la̱t cieŋda̱ ɛ lät ni ciaŋ.
Amharic:
የቤት ስራዬን በየቀኑ እሰራለሁ። yebēt sirayēn beyek’enu iseralehu.
4. Can
mi deri luäŋ
I can speak three languages.
Nuer:
Ɣän ruacä kɛ thuk diɔ̱k.
Amharic:
ሶስት ቋንቋዎችን መናገር እችላለሁ. sosit k’wanik’wawochin menageri ichilalehu.
Can you help me?
Nuer:
Ji̱n deri ɣä luäk?
Amharic:
ልትረዳኝ ትችላለህ፧ litiredany tichilalehi፧.
5. Will
mi bi la̱t nhiam
I will help you with your work.
Nuer:
Ɣän bä ji̱ luäk kɛ la̱tdu.
Amharic:
በስራዎ እረዳዎታለሁ. besirawo iredawotalehu.
We will go to church tomorrow.
Nuer:
kɔn banɛ wä duel kuɔth i ruun.
Amharic:
ነገ ወደ ቤተ ክርስቲያን እንሄዳለን። nege wede bēte kirisitīyani inihēdaleni.
6. Should
mi tho̱pi luek
You should see a doctor.
Nuer:
Ji̱n biɛ dhil wä kä di̱ktöör.
Amharic:
ሐኪም ማየት አለብዎት. ḥākīmi mayeti ālebiwoti.
We should read for the exam.
Nuer:
Kɔn banɛ dhil kuen kɛ kui̱ ɣɔ̱nä.
Amharic:
ለፈተና ማንበብ አለብን. lefetena manibebi ālebini.
7. May
mi diɛwi
You may leave now.
Nuer:
Dɔ̱ŋ deri jiɛɛn ɛn täämɛ.
Amharic:
አሁን ትተው መሄድ ይችላሉ። āhuni titewi mehēdi yichilalu.
May I come in?
Nuer:
Ɣän dëë ben rɛc?
Amharic:
ልግባ? ligiba?
8. Must
mi bi dhil la̱t
You must finish your work.
Nuer:
Kä ji̱n biɛ dhil thuk ɛn la̱tdu.
Amharic:
ስራህን መጨረስ አለብህ። sirahini mech’eresi ālebihi.
We must leave by 5 PM.
Nuer:
Bi kɔn dhil jiɛɛn kɛ thaak 5 PM.
Amharic:
ከቀኑ 5 ሰአት ላይ መውጣት አለብን። kek’enu 5 se’āti layi mewit’ati ālebini.
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