ነበር
/neber/
How to say "was" in Amharic
The Amharic word for "was" is ነበር, pronounced neber.
Dictionary form
ነበር is a form of መሆን (mehon) — “to be”. Amharic verbs and nouns change shape by person, gender, number, and tense; look up the dictionary form to see the full set.
Word details
- Ge’ez script
- ነበር
- Transliteration
- neber
- Part of speech
- verb
- English meaning
- was
Related forms
ሁን/hun/be! (imperative)ሆን/hon/be! / exist! (let it be)ብሎኛል/blonyal/(he) has told me / he says to me (reported)ይሆናልህ/yhonalh/you (m.sg) will beመሆኑም/mehonum/also the fact that it is/wasነበራቸው/neberachew/they were (for them) / he was for themነበረ/nebere/he was / it wasነበሩ/neberu/they were / he was (polite)ነበረዋል/neberewal/she was / it was (her)ነበራት/neberat/she was / it was (for her)ነበረኝ/nebereny/it was me / it was (to) meነበሩና/neberuna/because they wereአልሆንም/alhonm/I am not / I did not becomeነበረም/neberem/he was also / he was (indeed)አሉ/alu/they are / there areሆኑ/honu/they becameነበረባቸው/neberebachew/they had it / he had them (polite)ነበሩት/neberut/it was (to him/her) / they were (respected)ነበራቸውም/neberachewm/they also had / they had it tooሆኖታል/honotal/it has become (and is so)ነበረብኝ/neberebny/I had itነዎት/newot/you are (polite)ሆነዋል/honewal/they/it have becomeመሆናችሁ/mehonachhu/your (pl) beingሆነኝ/honeny/it became (for) meነበረባችን/neberebachn/we had itሆነና/honena/it became (for) usነበረባችሁ/neberebachhu/you (pl) had itነበረብሽ/neberebsh/you had it (to a woman)መሆናት/mehonat/to beነኝም/nenym/I am tooነበረበት/neberebet/it was there/at himከሆነውም/kehonewm/even from what happenedከሆነው/kehonew/from what happened / from what isሆኖም/honom/even though (it) was / although beingእንሆን/inhon/let’s be / we will beትሆናለህ/thonaleh/you (m.sg.) will beሊሆንም/lihonm/even to be / even to becomeትሆናለች/thonalech/she will beይሆናሉ/yhonalu/they will beእሆናለሁ/ihonalehu/I will beእንደሆነ/indehone/as it was / as it happenedትሆናለሽ/thonalesh/you (f.sg.) will beሊሆኑ/lihonu/to be / to become (they)ነበረችው/neberechw/she was (him/it)ነበሩባቸው/neberubachew/they were with themነበራቸውልኝ/neberachewlny/they were them for meነበሩለት/neberulet/they were for herነበሩላችሁ/neberulachhu/they were for you (pl)ነበራቸውለት/neberachewlet/they were them for herነበሩላት/neberulat/they were for herነበሩላችን/neberulachn/they were for usነበራትም/neberatm/she had it (too)ነበራቸውላቸው/neberachewlachew/they were them for themነበሩልኝ/neberulny/they were for meነበራቸውላችሁ/neberachewlachhu/they were them for you (pl)ትሆናለዎት/thonalewot/she will be for you (formal)እሆናል/ihonal/I will beትሆናላችሁ/thonalachhu/she will be for you allትሆናለችም/thonalechm/she will not beእሆናለን/ihonalen/we will beእሆናለች/ihonalech/she will beትሆናለው/thonalew/she will be for himእሆናለው/ihonalew/he will beእሆናለት/ihonalet/she will be (for her)እንሆናለዎት/inhonalewot/we will be (for you, formal)ትሆናለት/thonalet/she will be for herይሆናሉና/yhonaluna/they will be, indeedእሆናለህ/ihonaleh/you will beትሆኑኝ/thonuny/you (pl) will be for meትሆናለኝ/thonaleny/she will be for meይሆናሉት/yhonalut/they will be itትሆኑለው/thonulew/you (pl) will be for himትሆኑ/thonu/you (pl) will be / they will beትሆኑን/thonun/you (pl) will be (object marker)ይሆናልና/yhonalna/for it will beትሆናሉ/thonalu/you (pl/formal) will beትሆኑለት/thonulet/you (pl) will be for herትሆኑላችሁ/thonulachhu/you (pl) will be for you (pl)ትሆናለን/thonalen/she will be for usትሆናልህ/thonalh/you (m) will beይሆናሉም/yhonalum/they will be (indeed)ይሆናሉናም/yhonalunam/and they will be (indeed)ይሆናልም/yhonalm/it will (indeed) beይሆኑናም/yhonunam/and they will be (indeed)ይሆኑለው/yhonulew/they will be for himይሆኑለን/yhonulen/they will be for usይሆናለት/yhonalet/she will be / for herይሆኑም/yhonum/they will (indeed) beይሆናለን/yhonalen/we will beይሆኑላቸው/yhonulachew/they will be for themይሆናልዎት/yhonalwot/you will be (polite)ይሆናልኝ/yhonalny/it will be for meይሆኑን/yhonun/they will be (object‑focused)ይሆናለው/yhonalew/he will be / it will beይሆናላችሁ/yhonalachhu/you (pl) will beእሆንም/ihonm/I will be (indeed)እሆንብለህ/ihonbleh/I will be for youእሆንብለው/ihonblew/I will be for himእንሆንናም/inhonnam/we will be then (indeed)እሆንልህ/ihonlh/I will be for you (m.sg.)እሆንልሃለሁ/ihonlhalehu/I will be for youእሆንለት/ihonlet/I will be for herእንሆንማ/inhonma/shall we be then?እሆንለው/ihonlew/I will be for himእሆንለን/ihonlen/I will be for usእንሆንም/inhonm/we will be (indeed)እሆንናም/ihonnam/I will be then (indeed)እሆንና/ihonna/I will be thenእሆንላቸው/ihonlachew/I will be for themሆናሉ/honalu/they will be / they becomeሆኑና/honuna/and they became / and they didሆናለች/honalech/she will be / she becomesሆናለት/honalet/he will be / he becomesሆናለን/honalen/we will be / we becomeሆንኩ/honku/I became / I wasሆንህ/honh/you became (m.sg.)ሆኖአለን/honoalen/we have been / turned outሆኖነበረ/hononebere/it had been (he)ትሆን/thon/you will be / she will beሆንኩት/honkut/I did it / I made him/it becomeእሆንለዎት/ihonlewot/I will be for you (pl./pol.)ሆኖአልን/honoaln/we have been / turned outሆንሽ/honsh/you became (f.sg.)ሆኖአል/honoal/he has become / it has becomeእሆንለሁ/ihonlehu/I will be forእሆንለች/ihonlech/I will be for herናችን/nachn/we areትሆንለታለች/thonletalech/she will be for herናቸውም/nachewm/they are also / they are tooነውክን/newkn/are we?እንዳለሁ/indalehu/as I saidእንዲህሆኖ/indihhono/thusእንዳሉ/indalu/as they sayትሆናለችሁ/thonalechhu/you (pl.) will beነበሮት/neberot/it was for herእንዳይሆን/indayhon/so that it won’t beስንትሆናለች/snthonalech/how old will she beእንሆናለንም/inhonalenm/we will be (indeed)ሆነች/honech/she becameበመሆኑ/bemehonu/thereforeከሆነማ/kehonema/if it is thenየሆነ/yehone/which is / that isየሚሆኑ/yemihonu/that will be (pl.)የሚሆን/yemihon/that will be / that can beቢሆናም/bihonam/even if it isከሆነም/kehonem/even if it is / if it is alsoሊሆናል/lihonal/it may beእስከሚሆን/iskemihon/until it becomesይሆኑና/yhonuna/for they will beሚሆን/mihon/that is/which isየሚሆኑት/yemihonut/those that areእሆናላቸው/ihonalachew/they will beስለሆነ/slehone/thereforeነበራትን/neberatn/but she had itይሁን/yhun/let it be / may it beእንዳይሆናቸው/indayhonachew/so that they won’t becomeእየሆነ/iyehone/while becomingአሁንምሆኖ/ahunmhono/even now beingመሆናቸውን/mehonachewn/their beingለመሆን/lemehon/to beአይደለምና/aydelemna/because it is notትሆንለት/thonlet/she will be for himይሁንና/yhunna/however / but thenስላለ/slale/because there isሳይሆን/sayhon/instead of beingሆናል/honal/it has becomeእንደሌለ/indelayle/as if there is notይሆን/yhon/it may beመሆናቸው/mehonachew/their beingመሆንና/mehonna/and/because beingእያለሁ/iyalehu/while I amካልሆነ/kalhone/if not / if it is notቢሆንም/bihonm/even ifባይሆን/bayhon/if it were notእሆናለዎት/ihonalewot/I will be for you (polite)ትሆኑለን/thonulen/you (pl) will be for usነበረን/neberen/we wereቢሆን/bihon/if it isሆኖአለች/honoalech/she has becomeሆኑት/honut/they became him/it / they did itአልነበረችም/alneberechm/she was notነበረባት/neberebat/she used to haveነውናቸው/newnachew/it is theyእያለች/iyalech/while she isእያሉ/iyalu/while they areትሆኑልኝ/thonulny/you (pl) will be for meእያለን/iyalen/while we areእያሉት/iyalut/while they/you (pol.) are itእያልተው/iyaltew/while they said/left itእየሆነኩ/iyehoneku/as I am becomingነበራችን/neberachn/we hadናት/nat/she isይሆኑኝ/yhonuny/they will be for meአልሆንም/alhonm/I am not / it is notናቸው/nachew/they areነበሩበት/neberubet/they were in it / thereነው/new/isሆነ/hone/becameመሆን/mehon/to beነዎትም/newotm/you are (polite) tooእንዴትሆነ/indaythone/how is itእሆንበት/ihonbet/I will be in/at itይሆናላቸው/yhonalachew/they will be (polite/for them)ሆነ/hone/became / happenedነበረችን/neberechn/she was (we)እንዳልነበረ/indalnebere/as it wasn’tይሆኑ/yhonu/they will beትሆናላቸው/thonalachew/she will be for themነውና/newna/because it isሆናለሁ/honalehu/I will be / I becomeነበሩላቸው/neberulachew/they were for themእሆናላችሁ/ihonalachhu/you will be (pl.)ነውታ/newta/is it she? / is she the one?ነበሩበን/neberuben/they were in/with usሆኖ/hono/being / having becomeነበራቸሁ/neberachehu/I had them / they hadነበሩትን/neberutn/they were him / it was him (obj)ይሆናል/yhonal/it will beሆኖች/honoch/they have becomeእሆናለሁም/ihonalehum/I will be (indeed)ሆንኩኝ/honkuny/I became (myself) / I did (it to myself)ነበራችንም/neberachnm/she was also us / she was ours tooትሆኑና/thonuna/you (pl) will be, you knowይሆኑላችሁ/yhonulachhu/they will be for you (pl)እንሆናላችሁ/inhonalachhu/we will be (for you pl.)እሆንልሽ/ihonlsh/I will be for you (f.sg.)ይሆናለች/yhonalech/she will beነውም/newm/it is alsoእሆን/ihon/I will beነበረች/neberech/she wasእንሆንና/inhonna/we will be thenትሆኑላት/thonulat/you (pl) will be for herሆኗል/honwal/has becomeመሆናችን/mehonachn/our beingነዉ/newu/isይሆናሉልህ/yhonalulh/they will become for youነበሩበው/neberubew/they were in/with him/itነበረው/neberew/he was / it was (him)እንሆናለው/inhonalew/we will be (for him)ነበሩለን/neberulen/they were for usብሆን/bhon/if I amይሆኑለት/yhonulet/they will be for herእያለችሁ/iyalechhu/while you (pl.) areእስከሆነ/iskehone/until (it) becameእሆንብለዋለሁ/ihonblewalehu/I will be for herእያለ/iyale/while he is / as it isናችው/nachw/she is (polite)ነውናም/newnam/because it is alsoሆነውና/honewna/they have become (indeed)ሆነሽ/honesh/you became (f.sg.)እንሆናለት/inhonalet/we will be for herእንዳለ/indale/as it is saidነበረና/neberena/because he was / because it wasከሆነ/kehone/if it isስለሚሆን/slemihon/becauseእንዳልሆን/indalhon/so that I won’t beየሆንኩ/yehonku/that I wasትሆናልኝ/thonalny/you (m/f) will be for meይሆኑላት/yhonulat/they will be for herሆነህ/honeh/you became (m.sg.)ነበራችሁ/neberachhu/you (pl) hadትሆናል/thonal/she will be / it will beነበረብዎ/neberebwo/you had it (polite)ይሆኑታል/yhonutal/they will be (to her)እንዲሆኑ/indihonu/so that they becomeመሆንም/mehonm/also to beእንሆናላቸው/inhonalachew/we will be for themእያሉኝ/iyaluny/while they/you (pol.) are to meበመሆኑም/bemehonum/thereforeትሆኑላቸው/thonulachew/you (pl) will be for themነበራቸውለን/neberachewlen/they were them for usይሆናልናም/yhonalnam/and it will be (indeed)እንድትሆን/indthon/so that you beነሱ/nesu/they areሊሆንልዎት/lihonlwot/may be for youትሆንላችሁ/thonlachhu/you (pl) will beነበረበትም/neberebetm/it was there/at him tooእንዴትሆናለታል/indaythonaletal/how will it beያልሆነ/yalhone/that is not / that which is notእያለኩ/iyaleku/while I was sayingሆነውም/honewm/and then they becameነበራችው/neberachw/she was them / it was (f.) themሆነ/hone/becameእሆናሉ/ihonalu/they will beሳለ/sale/while he wasእሆንልዎት/ihonlwot/I will be for you (polite/plural)ነበራቸውን/neberachewn/they were them (obj)ይሆኑት/yhonut/they will be it / for himይሆናሉኝ/yhonaluny/they will be for meእንዲሆንም/indihonm/so that it may beአይሆንም/ayhonm/it will not beነበረብህ/neberebh/it was with you (m.sg.)እንሆናለን/inhonalen/we will beብትሆን/bthon/if you areነህ/neh/you are (to a man)ነህ/neh/you areነን/nen/we areነኝ/neny/I amነኝ/neny/I amነው/new/it is / isናችሁ/nachhu/you (pl.) areሆኜ/honyay/having becomeሆኖኛል/hononyal/it has become for meእሆንላችሁ/ihonlachhu/I will be for you allናት/nat/she is / it is (feminine form)
ነበር in example sentences
ቅዳሜ ሁልጊዜ ገበያ እሄድ ነበር።
I used to go to the market every Saturday.
ይዞት ቢቆይ ኖሮ ባልሸጠውም ነበር።
If he had kept it for himself he would not have sold it.
ትናንት ዓርብ ነበር
Yesterday was Friday.
ትናንት ሐሙስ ነበር
Yesterday was Thursday.
ትናንት ትምህርት ቤት ነበር
Was there school yesterday?
የሕዝቡ ድካም እና የጦርነት ርካሽ የቀኑ ነገር ነበሩ፣ ግን ተስፋ እንዳይጠፋ ይፈልግ ነበር።
The exhaustion of the people and the cheapness of war were the order of the day, but he wanted hope not to disappear.
Frequently asked questions
What does ነበር mean in English?
ነበር (neber) means "was" in English.
How do you pronounce ነበር?
ነበር is pronounced neber.
What part of speech is ነበር?
ነበር is a verb in Amharic.
What is the dictionary form of ነበር?
ነበር is a form of መሆን (mehon), meaning "to be".
Learn ነበር in context.Gursha teaches Amharic through real conversations — script, sound, and the situations you'll actually use.