9: Prepositions


Ge’ez prepositions stand as independent words with three very important exceptions:

በ᎗
be-
in / into / by [locative]
ቤት= bebét – in the house
le-
for / to [dative]
ት” = lebét – to the house
እም᎗
əm-
from / out of [ablative]
እምት” = əmbét – from the house














These three also assimilate into many of the prepositions below, to nuance their meanings (predictably.) Here’s a list of all the important prepositions, in order of frequency in texts:
ኅበ
xebe
with, near, by

ቤተ፡ነጉሥ፡ውእቱ፡ኀበ፡ሀገር።
The house of the king is near the city.
ውስተ
wəste
within, inside

ወስተ፡ሀገር፡ውእቱ።
It is inside the city.
ዲበ
dibe
on, over

ዲበ፡ደብር፡ውእቱ።
It is on the mountain.
ላዕለ
laºle
upon, concerning

ላዕለ፡ዝክታብ
Concerning this book…
ታሕተ
taḥte
Under

ታሕተ፡ዛዕፅ፡አንተ።
You are under this tree.
ከመ
keme
like, similar to

ከመ፡ወለተ፡ንጉሥ፡ይእቲ።
She is like a princess.
ምስለ
məsle
in the company of

ምስለ፡ሊቃነ፡ዛቲ፡ሀገር፡ንሕነ።
We are in the company of the elders of this town.
እንተ
ənte
by way of, through

እንተ፡ቤት፡ካህን
…through the priest’s house
በእንተ
be'nte
about, concerning

በእንተ፡አግበርተ፡አምላክ
…concerning the Lord’s servants.
ድኅረ
dəxre
behind, after

ድኅረ፡ቤተ፡ክርስቲያን፡ አነ።
I am behind the church.
ቅድመ
qədme
in front of, before

ቅድመ፡ዛቤት፡አንቲ።
You [f.] are in front of the house.
እስከ
əske
until, up to, as far as

መድረ፡ንጉሥ፡እስከ፡አድባር፡ይእቲ።
The land of the king [extends] up to the mountains.
ማከለ
makele
Among

ነቢይ፡ውእቱ፡ማከለ፡ነቢያት።
He is a prophet among the prophets.