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Amharic transliteration table

This table displays the transliteration systems used by the American Library Association - Library of Congress (ALA-LC), Alone-Stokes, Bright and Daniels, Campbell, Chaîne, Cohen, Dawkins, US Department of State, and the ethiop TeX package. It also shows the transcription system used by The System for Ethiopic Representation in ASCII (SERA).

The table is ostensibly for the Amharic language, however it seems clear that at least a few of the resources were extended to handle Ethiopic characters in use by other Ethiopian languages. For example, Chaîne mentions characters in the Tigrai language, and ethiop and SERA have extensive additions beyond Amharic.

GlyphUSVALA-LCAlone-StokesB&DCampbellChaîneCohenDawkinsDept of StateethiopSERA
ሀ1200hahāhähahăhahähahahe
ሁ1201huhuhuhūhuhuhuhuhuhu
ሂ1202hihīhihīhihihihihihi
ሃ1203hāhāhahāhahahahahāha
ሄ1204héhēhehēhehehehehēhE
ህ1205he/hh/hihə/høhehĕh/həhïhɪheh
ሆ1206hohohohōhohʷohohohoho
ለ1208lalalälalălɑläləlale
ሉ1209lulululūlulululululu
ሊ120Alilīlilīlililililili
ላ120Blālālalālalalalalāla
ሌ120ClélēlelēlelʸelelelēlE
ል120Dle/ll/lilə/lølelĕl/ləlïlɪlel
ሎ120Elolololōlolʷololololo
ሏ120FlwalwalwälwālWa
ሐ1210ḥahāhä/ḥäḥaḥăhahähaḥaHe
ሑ1211ḥuhuhu/ḥuḥūḥuhuhuhuḥuHu
ሒ1212ḥihīhi/ḥiḥīḥihihihiḥiHi
ሓ1213ḥāhāha/ḥaḥāḥahahahaḥāHa
ሔ1214ḥéhēhe/ḥeḥēḥeheheheḥēHE
ሕ1215ḥe/ḥh/hihə/hø/ḥə/ḥøḥeḥĕh/həhïhɪḥeH
ሖ1216ḥohoho/ḥoḥōḥohʷohohoḥoHo
ሗ1217ḥwāHWa
መ1218mamamämamămɑmäməmame
ሙ1219mumumumūmumumumumumu
ሚ121Amimīmimīmimimimimimi
ማ121Bmāmāmamāmamamamamāma
ሜ121CmémēmemēmemʸemememēmE
ም121Dme/mm/mimə/mømemĕm/məmïmɪmem
ሞ121Emomomomōmomʷomomomomo
ᎀ1380mwamWe
ᎁ1381mwimWi
ሟ¹121FmwamwamwämwāmWa
ᎂ1382mwēmWE
ᎃ1383mwemW
ሠ1220śasaśäšaśăsɑsäsəśa‘se
ሡ1221śusuśušūśusususuśu‘su
ሢ1222śisīśišīśisisisiśi‘si
ሣ1223śāsāśašāśasasasaśā‘sa
ሤ1224śésēśešēśesʸeseseśē‘sE
ሥ1225śe/śs/siśə/śøšeśĕs/səsïsɪśe‘s
ሦ1226śosośošōśosʷososośo‘so
ሧ1227śwā‘sWa
ረ1228rararärarărɑrärərare
ሩ1229rurururūrurururururu
ሪ122Arirīrirīriririririri
ራ122Brārārarārararararāra
ሬ122CrérērerērerʸerererērE
ር122Dre/rr/rirə/rørerĕr/rərïrɪrer
ሮ122Erorororōrorʷororororo
ሯ²122FrwarwarwärwārWa
ሰ1230sasasäsasăsɑsäsəsase
ሱ1231susususūsusususususu
ሲ1232sisīsisīsisisisisisi
ሳ1233sāsāsasāsasasasasāsa
ሴ1234sésēsesēsesʸesesesēsE
ስ1235se/ss/sisə/søsesĕs/səsïsɪses
ሶ1236sosososōsosʷososososo
ሷ1237swaswaswäswāsWa
ሸ1238šashašächăšäshäšəšaxe
ሹ1239šushušuchušushušušuxu
ሺ123Ašishīšichišishišišixi
ሻ123Bšāshāšachašashašašāxa
ሼ123CšéshēšechešeshešešēxE
ሽ123Dše/šsh/shišə/šøchĕš/šəshïšɪšex
ሾ123Ešoshošochošʷoshošošoxo
ሿ123FšwašwashwäšwāxWa
ቀ1240qakaqäqaqăqɑḳäKəqaqe
ቁ1241qukuquqūququḳuKuququ
ቂ1242qikīqiqīqiqiḳiKiqiqi
ቃ1243qākāqaqāqaqaḳaKaqāqa
ቄ1244qékēqeqēqeqʸeḳeKeqēqE
ቅ1245qe/qk/kiqə/qøqeqĕq/qəḳïKɪqeq
ቆ1246qokoqoqōqoqʷoḳoKoqoqo
ቇ1247
ቈ1248qwakwaquäquaquăqwåḳweKwəqwaqWe
ቊ124AqwikwīquiquīquiqwiḳwiKwiqwiqWi
ቋ124BqwākwāquaquāquaqwaḳwäKwaqwāqWa
ቌ124CqwékwēquequēqueqweḳweKweqwēqWE
ቍ124Dqwekwiquəquequĕqwə/qwŭḳwïKwɪqweqW
ⷀ2DC0q́a‘qe
ⷁ2DC1q́u‘qu
ⷂ2DC2q́i‘qi
ⷃ2DC3q́ā‘qa
ⷄ2DC4q́ē‘qE
ⷅ2DC5q́e‘q
ⷆ2DC6q́o‘qo
ቐ1250qăq̣aQe
ቑ1251qiq̣uQu
ቒ1252qaq̣iQi
ቓ1253q̣āQa
ቔ1254qĕq̣ēQE
ቕ1255qoq̣eQ
ቖ1256q̣oQo
ቘ1258q̣waQWe
ቚ125Aq̣wiQWi
ቛ125Bq̣wāQWa
ቜ125Cq̣wēQWE
ቝ125Dq̣weQW
በ1260bababäbabăbɑbäbəbabe
ቡ1261bubububūbubububububu
ቢ1262bibībibībibibibibibi
ባ1263bābābabābababababāba
ቤ1264bébēbebēbebʸebebebēbE
ብ1265be/bb/bibə/bøbebĕb/bəbïbɪbeb
ቦ1266bobobobōbobʷobobobobo
ᎄ1384bwabwäbwabWe
ᎅ1385bwibWi
ቧ1267bwabwābWa
ᎆ1386bwēbWe
ᎇ1387bwebW
ቨ1268vavəvave
ቩ1269vuvuvuvu
ቪ126Avivivivi
ቫ126Bvāvavāva
ቬ126CvévevēvE
ቭ126Dve/vvɪvev
ቮ126Evovovovo
ቯ126FvwāvWa
ተ1270tatatätatătɑtätətate
ቱ1271tutututūtutututututu
ቲ1272titītitītitititititi
ታ1273tātātatātatatatatāta
ቴ1274tétētetētetʸetetetētE
ት1275te/tt/titə/tøtetĕt/tətïtɪtet
ቶ1276totototōtotʷototototo
ቷ1277twatwatwätwātWa
ቸ1278čachačätchăčächäcəčace
ቹ1279čuchučutchučuchucučucu
ቺ127Ačichīčitchičichicičici
ቻ127Bčāchāčatchačachacačāca
ቼ127CčéchēčetchečechecečēcE
ች127Dče/čch/chičə/čøtchĕč/čəchïcɪčec
ቾ127Ečochočotchočʷochocočoco
ቿ127FčwačwachwäčwācWa
ኀ1280ẖahāhä/ḫäḫaḫăhahähaẖa‘he
ኁ1281ẖuhuhu/ḫuḫūḫuhuhuhuẖu‘hu
ኂ1282ẖihīhi/ḫiḫīḫihihihiẖi‘hi
ኃ1283ẖāhāha/ḫaḫāḫahahahaẖā‘ha
ኄ1284ẖéhēhe/ḫeḫēḫeheheheẖē‘hE
ኅ1285ẖe/ẖh/hihə/hø/ḫə/ḫøḫeḫĕh/həhïhɪẖe‘h
ኆ1286ẖohoho/ḫoḫōḫohʷohohoẖo‘ho
ኈ1288ẖwahwahuä/ḫuäḫuaḫuăhwåhwehwəẖwahWe
ኊ128Aẖwihwīhui/ḫuiḫuīḫuihwihwihwiẖwihWi
ኋ128Bẖwāhwāhua/ḫuaḫuāḫuahwahwähwaẖwāhWa
ኌ128Cẖwéhwēhue/ḫueḫuēḫuehwehwehweẖwēhWE
ኍ128Dẖwehwihuə/ḫuəḫueḫuĕhwə/hwŭhwïhwɪẖwehW
ነ1290nananänanănɑnänənane
ኑ1291nunununūnunununununu
ኒ1292ninīninīnininininini
ና1293nānānanāʼnananananāna
ኔ1294nénēnenēnenʸenenenēnE
ን1295ne/nn/ninə/nønenĕn/nənïnɪnen
ኖ1296nonononōnonʷonononono
ኗ³1297nwanwanwänwānWa
ኘ1298ñañañägnăñän̄äñəñaNe
ኙ1299ñuñuñugnuñun̄uñuñuNu
ኚ129Añiñīñigniñin̄iñiñiNi
ኛ129Bñāñāñagnañan̄añañāNa
ኜ129Cñéñēñegneñen̄eñeñēNE
ኝ129Dñe/ññ/ñiñə/ñøgnĕñ/ñən̄ïñɪñeN
ኞ129Eñoñoñognoñʷon̄oñoñoNo
ኟ⁴129Fñwañwan̄wäñwāNWa
አ12A0ʼaāʾäʼaʾăaäaʼae/a
ኡ12A1ʼuuʾuʼūʾuuuuʼuu/U
ኢ12A2ʼiīʾiʼīʾiiiiʼii
ኣ12A3ʼāāʾaāʾaaaaʼāA/a
ኤ12A4ʼéēʾeʼēʾeʸeeeʼēE
እ12A5ʼeiʾə/ʾøʼeʾĕəïɪʼeI
ኦ12A6ʼooʾoʼōʾoʷoooʼoo/O
ኧ12A7ăɑ-ʼwaea
ከ12A8kakakäkakăkɑkäkəkake
ኩ12A9kukukukūkukukukukuku
ኪ12AAkikīkikīkikikikikiki
ካ12ABkākākakākakakakakāka
ኬ12ACkékēkekēkekʸekekekēkE
ክ12ADke/kk/kikə/køkekĕk/kəkïkɪkek
ኮ12AEkokokokōkokʷokokokoko
ኯ12AF
ኰ12B0kwakwakuäkuakuăkwåkwekwəkwakWe
ኲ12B2kwikwīkuikuīkuikwikwikwikwikWi
ኳ12B3kwākwākuakuākuakwakwäkwakwākWa
ኴ12B4kwékwēkuekuēkuekwekwekwekwēkWE
ኵ12B5kwekwikuəkuekuĕkwə/kwŭkwïkwɪkwekW
ⷈ2DC8ḱa‘ke
ⷉ2DC9ḱu‘ku
ⷊ2DCAḱi‘ki
ⷋ2DCBḱā‘ka
ⷌ2DCCḱē‘kE
ⷍ2DCDḱe‘k
ⷎ2DCEḱo‘ko
ኸ12B8xakhahäkhăhɑhähəḵaKe
ኹ12B9xukhuhukhuhuhuhuḵuKu
ኺ12BAxikhīhikhihihihiḵiKi
ኻ12BBxākhāhakhahahahaḵāKa
ኼ12BCxékhēhekhehʸeheheḵēKE
ኽ12BDxe/xkh/khihə/høkhĕh/həhïhɪḵeK
ኾ12BExokhohokhohʷohohoḵoKo
ዀ12C0ḵwaKWe
ዂ12C2ḵwiKWi
ዃ12C3hwäḵwāKWa
ዄ12C4ḵwēKWE
ዅ12C5ḵweKW
ⷐ2DD0h́aXe
ⷑ2DD1h́uXu
ⷒ2DD2h́iXi
ⷓ2DD3h́āXa
ⷔ2DD4h́ēXE
ⷕ2DD5h́eX
ⷖ2DD6h́oXo
ወ12C8wawawäwawăwåwäwəwawe
ዉ12C9wuwuwuwūwuwuwuwuwuwu
ዊ12CAwiwīwiwīwiwiwiwiwiwi
ዋ12CBwāwāwawāwawawawawāwa
ዌ12CCwéwēwewēwewʸewewewēwE
ው12CDwe/ww/wiwə/wøwewĕw/wə/wŭwïwɪwew
ዎ12CEwowowowōwowowowowowo
ዐ12D0ʻaāʿäʽaʿăaäaʻa‘e
ዑ12D1ʻuuʿuʽūʿuuuuʻu‘u/‘U
ዒ12D2ʻiīʿiʽīʿiiiiʻi‘i
ዓ12D3ʻāāʿaʽāʿaaaaʻā‘A/‘a
ዔ12D4ʻéēʿeʽēʿeʸeeeʻē‘E
ዕ12D5ʻeiʿə/ʿøʽeʿĕəïɪʻe‘I
ዖ12D6ʻooʿoʽōʿoʷoooʻo‘o/‘O
ዘ12D8zazazäzazăzɑzäzəzaze
ዙ12D9zuzuzuzūzuzuzuzuzuzu
ዚ12DAzizīzizīzizizizizizi
ዛ12DBzāzāzazāzazazazazāza
ዜ12DCzézēzezēzezʸezezezēzE
ዝ12DDze/zz/zizə/zøzezĕz/zəzïzɪzez
ዞ12DEzozozozōzozʷozozozozo
ዟ12DFzwazwazwäzwāzWa
ዠ12E0žazhažäjăžäzhäžəžaZe
ዡ12E1žuzhužujužuzhužužuZu
ዢ12E2žizhīžijižizhižižiZi
ዣ12E3žāzhāžajažazhažažāZa
ዤ12E4žézhēžeježezhežežēZE
ዥ⁵12E5že/žzh/zhižə/žøjĕž/žəzhïžɪžeZ
ዦ12E6žozhožojožʷozhožožoZo
ዧ12E7žwažwazhwäžwāZWa
የ12E8yayayäjajăyäyäyəyaye
ዩ12E9yuyuyujūjuyuyuyuyuyu
ዪ12EAyiyīyijījiyiyiyiyiyi
ያ12EByāyāyajājayayayayāya
ዬ12ECyéyēyejējeyeyeyeyēyE
ይ12EDye/yy/yiyə/yøjejĕy/yəyïyɪyey
ዮ12EEyoyoyojōjoyoyoyoyoyo
ደ12F0dadadädadădɑdädədade
ዱ12F1dudududūdudududududu
ዲ12F2didīdidīdidididididi
ዳ12F3dādādadādadadadadāda
ዴ12F4dédēdedēdedʸedededēdE
ድ12F5de/dd/didə/dødedĕd/dədïdɪded
ዶ12F6dodododōdodʷododododo
ዷ12F7dwadwadwädwādWa
ዸ12F8ḍaDe
ዹ12F9ḍuDu
ዺ12FAḍiDi
ዻ12FBḍāDa
ዼ12FCḍēDE
ዽ12FDḍeD
ዾ12FEḍoDo
ዿ12FFḍwāDWa
ጀ1300ǧajaǧädjăǧäjäjəǧaje
ጁ1301ǧujuǧudjuǧujujuǧuju
ጂ1302ǧijīǧidjiǧijijiǧiji
ጃ1303ǧājāǧadjaǧajajaǧāja
ጄ1304ǧéjēǧedjeǧejejeǧējE
ጅ1305ǧe/ǧj/jiǧə/ǧødjĕǧ/ǧəjïjɪǧej
ጆ1306ǧojoǧodjoǧʷojojoǧojo
ጇ1307ǧwaǧwajwäǧwājWa
ገ1308gagagägagăgɑgägəgage
ጉ1309gugugugūgugugugugugu
ጊ130Agigīgigīgigigigigigi
ጋ130Bgāgāgagāgagagagagāga
ጌ130CgégēgegēgegʸegegegēgE
ግ130Dge/gg/gigə/gøgegĕg/gəgïgɪgeg
ጎ130Egogogogōgogʷogogogogo
ጐ1310gwagwaguäguaguăgwågwegwəgwagWe
ጒ1312gwigwīguiguīguigwigwigwigwigWi
ጓ⁶1313gwāgwāguaguāguagwagwägwagwāgWa
ጔ1314gwégwēgueguēguegwegwegwegwēgWE
ጕ1315gwegwiguəgueguĕgwə/gwŭgwïgwɪgwegW
ⷘ2DD8ǵa‘ge
ⷙ2DD9ǵu‘gu
ⷚ2DDAǵi‘gi
ⷛ2DDBǵā‘ga
ⷜ2DDCǵē‘gE
ⷝ2DDDǵe‘g
ⷞ2DDEǵo‘go
ጘ1318g̣aGe
ጙ1319g̣uGu
ጚ131Ag̣iGi
ጛ131Bg̣āGa
ጜ131Cg̣ēGE
ጝ131Dg̣eG
ጞ131Eg̣oGo
ⶓ2D93g̣waGWe
ⶔ2D94g̣wiGWi
ጟ131Fg̣wāGWa
ⶕ2D95g̣wēGWE
ⶖ2D96g̣weGW
ጠ1320ṭataṭäṭaṭăṭɑṭäTəṭaTe
ጡ1321ṭutuṭuṭūṭuṭuṭuTuṭuTu
ጢ1322ṭitīṭiṭīṭiṭiṭiTiṭiTi
ጣ1323ṭātāṭaṭāṭaṭaṭaTaṭāTa
ጤ1324ṭétēṭeṭēṭeṭʸeṭeTeṭēTE
ጥ1325ṭe/ṭt/tiṭə/ṭøṭeṭĕṭ/ṭəṭïTɪṭeT
ጦ1326ṭotoṭoṭōṭoṭʷoṭoToṭoTo
ጧ1327ṭwāṭwaṭwäṭwāTWa
ጨ1328ċachač̣ätch’ăč̣äcḥäCəč̣aCe
ጩ1329ċuchuč̣utch’uč̣ucḥuCuč̣uCu
ጪ132Aċichīč̣itch’ič̣icḥiCič̣iCi
ጫ132Bċāchāč̣atch’ač̣acḥaCač̣āCa
ጬ132Cċéchēč̣etch’eč̣ecḥeCeč̣ēCE
ጭ132Dċe/ċch/chič̣ə/č̣øtch’ĕč̣/č̣əcḥïCɪč̣eC
ጮ132Eċochoč̣otch’oč̣ʷocḥoCoč̣oCo
ጯ132Fċwāč̣wacḥwäč̣wāCWa
ጰ1330p̣ap̣aṗäp̣ap̣ăp̣ɑp̣äPəp̣aPe
ጱ1331p̣up̣uṗup̣ūp̣up̣up̣uPup̣uPu
ጲ1332p̣ip̣īṗip̣īp̣ip̣ip̣iPip̣iPi
ጳ1333p̣āp̣āṗap̣āp̣ap̣ap̣aPap̣āPa
ጴ1334p̣ép̣ēṗep̣ēp̣ep̣ʸep̣ePep̣ēPE
ጵ1335p̣e/p̣p̣/p̣iṗə/ṗøp̣ep̣ĕp̣/p̣əp̣ïPɪp̣eP
ጶ1336p̣op̣oṗop̣ōp̣op̣ʷop̣oPop̣oPo
ጷ1337p̣wāPWa
ጸ1338ṣatsaṣäṣaṣăṣɑṣäSəṣaSe
ጹ1339ṣutsuṣuṣūṣuṣuṣuSuṣuSu
ጺ133AṣitsīṣiṣīṣiṣiṣiSiṣiSi
ጻ133BṣātsāṣaṣāṣaṣaṣaSaṣāSa
ጼ133CṣétsēṣeṣēṣeṣʸeṣeSeṣēSE
ጽ133Dṣe/ṣts/tsiṣə/ṣøṣeṣĕṣ/ṣəṣïSɪṣeS
ጾ133EṣotsoṣoṣōṣoṣʷoṣoSoṣoSo
ጿ133FṣwāṣwaṣwäṣwāSWa
ፀ1340ṡatsaṣä/ẓäḍaḍăṣɑṣäSəc̣a‘Se
ፁ1341ṡutsuṣu/ẓuḍūḍuṣuṣuSuc̣u‘Su
ፂ1342ṡitsīṣi/ẓiḍīḍiṣiṣiSic̣i‘Si
ፃ1343ṡātsāṣa/ẓaḍāḍaṣaṣaSac̣ā‘Sa
ፄ1344ṡétsēṣe/ẓeḍēḍeṣʸeṣeSec̣ē‘SE
ፅ1345ṡe/ṡts/tsiṣə/ṣø/ẓə/ẓøḍeḍĕṣ/ṣəṣïSɪc̣e‘S
ፆ1346ṡotsoṣo/ẓoḍōḍoṣʷoṣoSəc̣o‘So
ፈ1348fafafäfafăfɑfäfəfafe
ፉ1349fufufufūfufufufufufu
ፊ134Afifīfifīfifififififi
ፋ134Bfāfāfafāfafafafafāfa
ፌ134CféfēfefēfefʸefefefēfE
ፍ134Dfe/ff/fifə/føfefĕf/fəfïfɪfef
ፎ134Efofofofōfofʷofofofofo
ᎈ1388fwafwäfwafWe
ᎉ1389fwifWi
ፏ⁷134FfwāfwāfWa
ᎊ138AfwēfWE
ᎋ138BfwefW
ፐ1350papapäpapăpɑpäpəpape
ፑ1351pupupupūpupupupupupu
ፒ1352pipīpipīpipipipipipi
ፓ1353pāpāpapāpapapapapāpa
ፔ1354pépēpepēpepʸepepepēpE
ፕ1355pe/pp/pipə/pøpepĕp/pəpïpɪpep
ፖ1356popopopōpopʷopopopopo
ᎌ138CpwapWe
ᎍ138DpwipWi
ፗ1357pwāpWa
ᎎ138EpwēpWE
ᎏ138FpwepW
ፘ1358ryaryarya~ri
ፙ1359myamya~mA
ፚ135Afyafya~fi

1 There are glyph variants for U+121F.

2 There is a glyph variant for U+122F.

3 There is a glyph variant for U+1297.

4 There is a glyph variant for U+129F.

5 There is a glyph variant for U+12E5.

6 There are glyph variants for U+1313.

7 There are glyph variants for U+134F.

  • Alone, John Philip Herbert Mackenzie. The Alone-Stokes Short Manual of the Amharic Language (with vocabularies). Macmillan , 1946 .
  • Campbell, George L. Concise Compendium of the World's Languages. Routledge , 2011 .
  • Chaîne, Marius. Grammaire éthiopienne. Imprimerie catholique , 1907 .
  • Cohen, Marcel. Traité de langue amharique (Abyssinie). Institut d'ethnologie , 1970 .
  • Dawkins, C. H. The fundamentals of Amharic. Sudan Interior Mission , 1969 .
  • Hale, Getatchew. “Ethiopic Writing”. The World's Writing Systems , edited by Peter T. Daniels and William Bright , Oxford University Press , 1996 , pp. 569-576 .
  • Obolensky, Serge, et al. Amharic Basic Course. USA Department of State , 1965 .

This article formerly appeared on ScriptSource.