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