Tigrinya

Banner of the State of Eritrea

Ertära Ertära Ertära
Be‘al dema ’nalqese tedemsisu
Meswa’äta bhharänet tedebisu.

Mewa’al nekxisa eb solama,
Tä’märtu tsän‘at kuynu säma,
Ertära-za hhaben wutsuwat,
Ameskira hhaqi kemtäsowet,

CHORUS:
Ertära ertära
Ab ‘alem chebitato gbu’ä kbära.

Natsänet zemtsä’ lä‘ulä nihh,
Nähäntsa nälmä‘at käsärähh,
Sälthane känelbäsa gräma,
Hhädära-lena gämja känsläma.

Eritrea, Eritrea, Eritrea,
Her enemy decimated
And her sacrifices vindicated by liberation.

Steadfast in her goal,
Symbolising endurance,
Eritrea, the pride of her oppressed people,
Proved that the truth prevails.

CHORUS:
Eritrea, Eritrea
Holds her rightful place in the world.

Tigrinya is the national language of Eritrea. There are actually twice as many speakers of the language is the neighbouring country Ethiopia, but I came in contact with the language when I visited my father who is currently working for the Red Cross in Eritrea. We were there in March 2005, and pictures from the trip can be found here. My knowledge of the language is still very limited, but it helped that I had already studied the related Amharic, and that the friendly eritreans are very willing to teach anyone interested, and very grateful when someone takes an interest in their language.

Tigrinya script

About the language

Facts about Eritrea

My books on the language include: Tigrinya Phrase book - the red sea press