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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
1200hahahahahahe
1201huhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhu
1202hihihihihihihihi
1203hahahahahaha
1204hehehehehehE
1205he/hh/hihə/høheh/həheh
1206hohohohohʷohohohoho
1208lalalalale
1209lululululululululu
120Alililililililili
120Blalalalalala
120ClelelʸelelelE
120Dle/ll/lilə/lølel/ləlel
120Elololololʷololololo
120FlwalwalwälwālWa
1210ḥahä/ḥäḥaḥăhahaḥaHe
1211ḥuhuhu/ḥuḥūḥuhuhuhuḥuHu
1212ḥihi/ḥiḥīḥihihihiḥiHi
1213ḥāha/ḥaḥāḥahahahaḥāHa
1214ḥéhe/ḥeḥēḥeheheheḥēHE
1215ḥe/ḥh/hihə/hø/ḥə/ḥøḥeḥĕh/həḥeH
1216ḥohoho/ḥoḥōḥohʷohohoḥoHo
1217ḥwāHWa
1218mamamamame
1219mumumumumumumumumu
121Amimimimimimimimi
121Bmamamamamama
121CmememʸemememE
121Dme/mm/mimə/mømem/məmem
121Emomomomomʷomomomomo
1380mwamWe
1381mwimWi
¹121FmwamwamwämwāmWa
1382mwēmWE
1383mwemW
1220śasaśäšaśăśa‘se
1221śusuśušūśusususuśu‘su
1222śiśišīśisisisiśi‘si
1223śāśašāśasasasaśā‘sa
1224śéśešēśesʸeseseśē‘sE
1225śe/śs/siśə/śøšeśĕs/səśe‘s
1226śosośošōśosʷososośo‘so
1227śwā‘sWa
1228rarararare
1229rururururururururu
122Ariririririririri
122Brararararara
122CrererʸerererE
122Dre/rr/rirə/rører/rərer
122Erororororʷororororo
²122FrwarwarwärwārWa
1230sasasasase
1231sususususususususu
1232sisisisisisisisi
1233sasasasasasa
1234sesesʸesesesE
1235se/ss/sisə/søses/səses
1236sososososʷososososo
1237swaswaswäswāsWa
1238šashašächăšäshäšəšaxe
1239šushušuchušushušušuxu
123Ašishīšichišishišišixi
123Bšāshāšachašashašašāxa
123CšéshēšechešeshešešēxE
123Dše/šsh/shišə/šøchĕš/šəshïšɪšex
123Ešoshošochošʷoshošošoxo
123FšwašwashwäšwāxWa
1240qakaqaḳäqaqe
1241qukuquququḳuKuququ
1242qiqiqiqiḳiKiqiqi
1243qaqaqaḳaKaqa
1244qeqeqʸeḳeKeqE
1245qe/qk/kiqə/qøqeq/qəḳïqeq
1246qokoqoqoqʷoḳoKoqoqo
1247
1248qwakwaquäquaquăqwåḳweKwəqwaqWe
124AqwikwīquiquīquiqwiḳwiKwiqwiqWi
124BqwākwāquaquāquaqwaḳwäKwaqwāqWa
124CqwékwēquequēqueqweḳweKweqwēqWE
124Dqwekwiquəquequĕqwə/qwŭḳwïKwɪqweqW
2DC0q́a‘qe
2DC1q́u‘qu
2DC2q́i‘qi
2DC3q́ā‘qa
2DC4q́ē‘qE
2DC5q́e‘q
2DC6q́o‘qo
1250q̣aQe
1251qiq̣uQu
1252qaq̣iQi
1253q̣āQa
1254q̣ēQE
1255qoq̣eQ
1256q̣oQo
1258q̣waQWe
125Aq̣wiQWi
125Bq̣wāQWa
125Cq̣wēQWE
125Dq̣weQW
1260bababababe
1261bububububububububu
1262bibibibibibibibi
1263babababababa
1264bebebʸebebebE
1265be/bb/bibə/bøbeb/bəbeb
1266bobobobobʷobobobobo
1384bwabwäbwabWe
1385bwibWi
1267bwabwābWa
1386bwēbWe
1387bwebW
1268vavave
1269vuvuvuvu
126Avivivivi
126Bvava
126CvevE
126Dve/vvev
126Evovovovo
126FvwāvWa
1270tatatatate
1271tututututututututu
1272titititititititi
1273tatatatatata
1274tetetʸetetetE
1275te/tt/titə/tøtet/tətet
1276tototototʷototototo
1277twatwatwätwātWa
1278čachačätchăčächäčace
1279čuchučutchučuchucučucu
127Ačichīčitchičichicičici
127Bčāchāčatchačachacačāca
127CčéchēčetchečechecečēcE
127Dče/čch/chičə/čøtchĕč/čəchïčec
127Ečochočotchočʷochocočoco
127FčwačwachwäčwācWa
1280ẖahä/ḫäḫaḫăhahaẖa‘he
1281ẖuhuhu/ḫuḫūḫuhuhuhuẖu‘hu
1282ẖihi/ḫiḫīḫihihihiẖi‘hi
1283ẖāha/ḫaḫāḫahahahaẖā‘ha
1284ẖéhe/ḫeḫēḫeheheheẖē‘hE
1285ẖe/ẖh/hihə/hø/ḫə/ḫøḫeḫĕh/həẖe‘h
1286ẖohoho/ḫoḫōḫohʷohohoẖo‘ho
1288ẖwahwahuä/ḫuäḫuaḫuăhwåhwehwəẖwahWe
128Aẖwihwīhui/ḫuiḫuīḫuihwihwihwiẖwihWi
128Bẖwāhwāhua/ḫuaḫuāḫuahwahwähwaẖwāhWa
128Cẖwéhwēhue/ḫueḫuēḫuehwehwehweẖwēhWE
128Dẖwehwihuə/ḫuəḫueḫuĕhwə/hwŭhwïhwɪẖwehW
1290nanananane
1291nununununununununu
1292nininininininini
1293nanāʼnanananana
1294nenenʸenenenE
1295ne/nn/ninə/nønen/nənen
1296nononononʷonononono
³1297nwanwanwänwānWa
1298ñañañägnăñän̄äñəñaNe
1299ñuñuñugnuñun̄uñuñuNu
129Añiñīñigniñin̄iñiñiNi
129Bñāñāñagnañan̄añañāNa
129Cñéñēñegneñen̄eñeñēNE
129Dñe/ññ/ñiñə/ñøgnĕñ/ñən̄ïñɪñeN
129Eñoñoñognoñʷon̄oñoñoNo
129Fñwañwan̄wäñwāNWa
12A0ʼaāʾäʼaʾăaäaʼae/a
12A1ʼuuʾuʼūʾuuuuʼuu/U
12A2ʼiīʾiʼīʾiiiiʼii
12A3ʼāāʾaāʾaaaaʼāA/a
12A4ʼéēʾeʼēʾeʸeeeʼēE
12A5ʼeiʾə/ʾøʼeʾĕəïɪʼeI
12A6ʼooʾoʼōʾoʷoooʼoo/O
12A7ăɑ-ʼwaea
12A8kakakakake
12A9kukukukukukukukuku
12AAkikikikikikikiki
12ABkakakakakaka
12ACkekekʸekekekE
12ADke/kk/kikə/køkek/kəkek
12AEkokokokokʷokokokoko
12AF
12B0kwakwakuäkuakuăkwåkwekwəkwakWe
12B2kwikwīkuikuīkuikwikwikwikwikWi
12B3kwākwākuakuākuakwakwäkwakwākWa
12B4kwékwēkuekuēkuekwekwekwekwēkWE
12B5kwekwikuəkuekuĕkwə/kwŭkwïkwɪkwekW
2DC8ḱa‘ke
2DC9ḱu‘ku
2DCAḱi‘ki
2DCBḱā‘ka
2DCCḱē‘kE
2DCDḱe‘k
2DCEḱo‘ko
12B8xakhakhăḵaKe
12B9xukhuhukhuhuhuhuḵuKu
12BAxikhīhikhihihihiḵiKi
12BBkhāhakhahahahaḵāKa
12BCkhēhekhehʸeheheḵēKE
12BDxe/xkh/khihə/høkhĕh/həḵeK
12BExokhohokhohʷohohoḵoKo
12C0ḵwaKWe
12C2ḵwiKWi
12C3hwäḵwāKWa
12C4ḵwēKWE
12C5ḵweKW
2DD0h́aXe
2DD1h́uXu
2DD2h́iXi
2DD3h́āXa
2DD4h́ēXE
2DD5h́eX
2DD6h́oXo
12C8wawawawawe
12C9wuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwu
12CAwiwiwiwiwiwiwiwi
12CBwawawawawawa
12CCwewewʸewewewE
12CDwe/ww/wiwə/wøwew/wə/wŭwew
12CEwowowowowowowowowo
12D0ʻaāʿäʽaʿăaäaʻa‘e
12D1ʻuuʿuʽūʿuuuuʻu‘u/‘U
12D2ʻiīʿiʽīʿiiiiʻi‘i
12D3ʻāāʿaʽāʿaaaaʻā‘A/‘a
12D4ʻéēʿeʽēʿeʸeeeʻē‘E
12D5ʻeiʿə/ʿøʽeʿĕəïɪʻe‘I
12D6ʻooʿoʽōʿoʷoooʻo‘o/‘O
12D8zazazazaze
12D9zuzuzuzuzuzuzuzuzu
12DAzizizizizizizizi
12DBzazazazazaza
12DCzezezʸezezezE
12DDze/zz/zizə/zøzez/zəzez
12DEzozozozozʷozozozozo
12DFzwazwazwäzwāzWa
12E0žazhažäžäzhäžəžaZe
12E1žuzhužujužuzhužužuZu
12E2žizhīžijižizhižižiZi
12E3žāzhāžajažazhažažāZa
12E4žézhēžeježezhežežēZE
12E5že/žzh/zhižə/žøž/žəzhïžɪžeZ
12E6žozhožojožʷozhožožoZo
12E7žwažwazhwäžwāZWa
12E8yayajayaye
12E9yuyuyujuyuyuyuyuyu
12EAyiyijiyiyiyiyiyi
12EByajayayayaya
12ECyejeyeyeyeyE
12EDye/yy/yiyə/yøjey/yəyey
12EEyoyoyojoyoyoyoyoyo
12F0dadadadade
12F1dududududududududu
12F2didididididididi
12F3dadadadadada
12F4dededʸedededE
12F5de/dd/didə/døded/dəded
12F6dododododʷododododo
12F7dwadwadwädwādWa
12F8ḍaDe
12F9ḍuDu
12FAḍiDi
12FBḍāDa
12FCḍēDE
12FDḍeD
12FEḍoDo
12FFḍwāDWa
1300ǧajaǧädjăǧäǧaje
1301ǧujuǧudjuǧujujuǧuju
1302ǧiǧidjiǧijijiǧiji
1303ǧāǧadjaǧajajaǧāja
1304ǧéǧedjeǧejejeǧējE
1305ǧe/ǧj/jiǧə/ǧødjĕǧ/ǧəǧej
1306ǧojoǧodjoǧʷojojoǧojo
1307ǧwaǧwajwäǧwājWa
1308gagagagage
1309gugugugugugugugugu
130Agigigigigigigigi
130Bgagagagagaga
130CgegegʸegegegE
130Dge/gg/gigə/gøgeg/gəgeg
130Egogogogogʷogogogogo
1310gwagwaguäguaguăgwågwegwəgwagWe
1312gwigwīguiguīguigwigwigwigwigWi
1313gwāgwāguaguāguagwagwägwagwāgWa
1314gwégwēgueguēguegwegwegwegwēgWE
1315gwegwiguəgueguĕgwə/gwŭgwïgwɪgwegW
2DD8ǵa‘ge
2DD9ǵu‘gu
2DDAǵi‘gi
2DDBǵā‘ga
2DDCǵē‘gE
2DDDǵe‘g
2DDEǵo‘go
1318g̣aGe
1319g̣uGu
131Ag̣iGi
131Bg̣āGa
131Cg̣ēGE
131Dg̣eG
131Eg̣oGo
2D93g̣waGWe
2D94g̣wiGWi
131Fg̣wāGWa
2D95g̣wēGWE
2D96g̣weGW
1320ṭataṭäṭaṭăṭɑṭäṭaTe
1321ṭutuṭuṭūṭuṭuṭuTuṭuTu
1322ṭiṭiṭīṭiṭiṭiTiṭiTi
1323ṭāṭaṭāṭaṭaṭaTaṭāTa
1324ṭéṭeṭēṭeṭʸeṭeTeṭēTE
1325ṭe/ṭt/tiṭə/ṭøṭeṭĕṭ/ṭəṭïṭeT
1326ṭotoṭoṭōṭoṭʷoṭoToṭoTo
1327ṭwāṭwaṭwäṭwāTWa
1328ċachač̣ätch’ăč̣äcḥäč̣aCe
1329ċuchuč̣utch’uč̣ucḥuCuč̣uCu
132Aċichīč̣itch’ič̣icḥiCič̣iCi
132Bċāchāč̣atch’ač̣acḥaCač̣āCa
132Cċéchēč̣etch’eč̣ecḥeCeč̣ēCE
132Dċe/ċch/chič̣ə/č̣øtch’ĕč̣/č̣əcḥïč̣eC
132Eċochoč̣otch’oč̣ʷocḥoCoč̣oCo
132Fċwāč̣wacḥwäč̣wāCWa
1330p̣ap̣aṗäp̣ap̣ăp̣ɑp̣äp̣aPe
1331p̣up̣uṗup̣ūp̣up̣up̣uPup̣uPu
1332p̣ip̣īṗip̣īp̣ip̣ip̣iPip̣iPi
1333p̣āp̣āṗap̣āp̣ap̣ap̣aPap̣āPa
1334p̣ép̣ēṗep̣ēp̣ep̣ʸep̣ePep̣ēPE
1335p̣e/p̣p̣/p̣iṗə/ṗøp̣ep̣ĕp̣/p̣əp̣ïp̣eP
1336p̣op̣oṗop̣ōp̣op̣ʷop̣oPop̣oPo
1337p̣wāPWa
1338ṣatsaṣäṣaṣăṣɑṣäṣaSe
1339ṣutsuṣuṣūṣuṣuṣuSuṣuSu
133AṣitsīṣiṣīṣiṣiṣiSiṣiSi
133BṣātsāṣaṣāṣaṣaṣaSaṣāSa
133CṣétsēṣeṣēṣeṣʸeṣeSeṣēSE
133Dṣe/ṣts/tsiṣə/ṣøṣeṣĕṣ/ṣəṣïṣeS
133EṣotsoṣoṣōṣoṣʷoṣoSoṣoSo
133FṣwāṣwaṣwäṣwāSWa
1340ṡatsaṣä/ẓäḍaḍăṣɑṣäc̣a‘Se
1341ṡutsuṣu/ẓuḍūḍuṣuṣuSuc̣u‘Su
1342ṡitsīṣi/ẓiḍīḍiṣiṣiSic̣i‘Si
1343ṡātsāṣa/ẓaḍāḍaṣaṣaSac̣ā‘Sa
1344ṡétsēṣe/ẓeḍēḍeṣʸeṣeSec̣ē‘SE
1345ṡe/ṡts/tsiṣə/ṣø/ẓə/ẓøḍeḍĕṣ/ṣəṣïc̣e‘S
1346ṡotsoṣo/ẓoḍōḍoṣʷoṣoc̣o‘So
1348fafafafafe
1349fufufufufufufufufu
134Afifififififififi
134Bfafafafafafa
134CfefefʸefefefE
134Dfe/ff/fifə/føfef/fəfef
134Efofofofofʷofofofofo
1388fwafwäfwafWe
1389fwifWi
134FfwāfwāfWa
138AfwēfWE
138BfwefW
1350papapapape
1351pupupupupupupupupu
1352pipipipipipipipi
1353papapapapapa
1354pepepʸepepepE
1355pe/pp/pipə/pøpep/pəpep
1356popopopopʷopopopopo
138CpwapWe
138DpwipWi
1357pwāpWa
138EpwēpWE
138FpwepW
1358ryaryarya~ri
1359myamya~mA
135Afyafya~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.