| u + a = uw + a | e.g. fəlləguwaccəw [fəllıgu + accəw] |
| 'they wanted them' | |
| o + a = ow + a | e.g. fəllıgowal [fəllıgo + al] |
| 'he was wanted' | |
| i + a = iy + a | e.g. tıfəllıgiyalləš [tıfəllıgi + alləš] |
| 'you(f) want' |
Note 3.5 Verb: /nə-/ 'be'.
The verb stem /nə-/ plus Verb Suffixed Pronouns (Note 3.2.1) constitute verb forms expressing simple equations: 'I am', 'you are', etc. These forms, illustrated in the Structure Sentences, may be either suffixed or separate words (e.g. /Tırúnəw/ or /Tırú nəw/ 'it's good'). They are themselves unstressed and the stress is regularly on the previous syllable, as in /təmariwóc nən/ 'we are students'.
The complete set of such pronouns is:
| Singular | Plural | |||||
| nəñ | I am | nən | we are | |||
| nəh | you (m.) are | |||||
| nəš | you (f.) are | naccıhu | you are | |||
| nəwo/nəwot | you (pol.) are | |||||
| nəw | he is | naccəw | they are | |||
| nat/nəc | she is | (or: he/she (pol.) is) | ||||
Note 3.6. Formation of the Plural
| təmariwoc nən. | We are students. |
| astəmariwoc naccıhu | You are teachers. |
The general plural suffix in Amharic for both masculine and feminine is /-(w)oc/ (/-oc/ after consonants and /-woc/ after vowels.) With some speakers, words ending in vowels may drop the vowel and the suffix /-oc/ is affixed to the preceding consonant. Thus the Amharic word for 'students' may be either /təmariwoc/ or /təmaroc/. Before vowels the plural suffix is usually /-(w)occ/, as in /məSıhafoccaccıhu/ 'your books.'
| ato təsəmmánna ato ləmma ityoPıyawiyan naccəw. | Mr. Tesemma and Mr. Lemma are Ethiopians. |
The plural suffix /-yan/ is used exclusively with nouns denoting nationality ending in /-awi/ e.g. /ityoPıyawi/ 'Ethiopian' /ityoPıyawiyan/ 'Ethiopians', /amerikawi/ 'American', /amerikawiyan/ 'Americans', /ınglizawi/ 'Englishman', /ınglizawiyan/ 'Englishmen', /fərənsawi/ 'Frenchman', /ferensawiyan/ 'Frenchmen'. The use of the plural will be taken up in later units.
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