Language/Amharic/Grammar/Complex-Sentence

Complex Sentence (dïbïlïk’ aräftä nägäroč ድብልቅ አረፍተ ነገሮች)

A Complex sentence is a sentence, which is formed from a dependant clause and a simple sentence. A dependant clause is formed using a preposition and a gerundive affix. Here are examples of these prepositons:

• lä(to), kä(from/since)
• ïndä- (as/ as soon), sïlä- (because/for that reason)

These prepositions, act like transitional phrases, but also provide a reason/rationale, for the dependent clause.

Finish this lesson and explore these related pages: “to be” and “to have”, Direct and Indirect Object Affixes, Simple Past Tense Forms of Other Verbs (Negative) & Using Phrasal Verbs in Amharic.

Example

He came; ïssu mät’a እሱ መጣ

because he came; ïssu sïlä mät’a እሱ ስለመጣ

the meeting started. sїbsäba täjämärä ስብሰባው ተጀመረ፡፡ 

ስለ sïlä and the other prepositions above are typically only found in complex setences. Each clause alone, of a complex sentence, can express meaning; but using these prepositions provides more relevance and context when used. The first clause starts the idea, and by using the preposition to connect the clauses, the thought of the speaker is completed.

Here is another example using እንደ ïndä

• I finished my work. sïrayen č’äräsku ስራዬን ጨረስኩ፡፡
• As soon as I finish my work; sïrayen ïndä č’äräsku ስራዬን እንደጨረስኩ
• As soon as I finish my work I will come. sïrayen ïndä č’äräsku ïmät’alähu ስራዬን እንደጨረስኩ እመጣለሁ፡፡

Gerundive Affix

2 consecutive actions are put in the same sentence using the gerundive verbs.

Examine these examples:

gäbäya hedku ገበያ ሄድኩ፡፡

gäbäya heje ገበያ ሄጄ

gäbäya heje doro gäzahu ገበያ ሄጄ ዶሮ ገዛሁ፡፡

mïsa bäla ምሳ በላ፡፡

mïsa bälto ምሳ በልቶ

mïsa bälto sïra hedä ምሳ በልቶ ስራ ሄደ፡፡

lïju hagär gobäňä ልጁ ሀገር ጎበኘ፡፡

lïju hagär gobňïto ልጁ ሃገር ጎብኝቶ

lïju hagär gobňïto tämälïsä. ልጁ ሃገር ጎብኝቶ ተመለሰ፡፡

Source

https://www.livelingua.com/peace-corps/Amharic/Amharic%20Peace%20Corps%20Language%20Manual-2015.pdf

Other Lessons

• Gender
• Conjugation of the verb መኖር “to live” (present tense)
• The Past Perfect Tense
• Expressing “Let me” or “May I” “Shall I”
• “to be” and “to have”
• Making Suggestions Using “Let”
• Indirect Object Pronouns
• The Possessive Forms (second method)
• bästä prefix
• Adjectives