{{Short description|Script used for languages in Ethiopia and Eritrea}} {{About|the script|the language|Geʽez}} {{Redirect|Hahu|the airport with the ICAO code "HAHU"|Humera Airport}} {{Infobox writing system | name = Geʽez | type = [[Abugida]] | caption = The base characters of Geʽez | languages = [[Afroasiatic languages|Afro-Asiatic languages]] and [[Nilo-Saharan languages]]. Generally [[Ethio-Semitic languages]] (e.g. [[Geʽez]], [[Tigrinya language|Tigrinya]], [[Amharic]], [[Tigre language|Tigre]], [[Gurage languages|Gurage]], [[Harari language|Harari]], etc.), but also some [[Cushitic languages]] and [[Nilotic languages]]. [[Bilen language|Bilen]], [[Meʼen language|Meʼen]], as one of two scripts in [[Anuak language|Anuak]], are examples, and unofficially used in other [[languages of Ethiopia]] and [[languages of Eritrea]]. <br> Native to: the [[Horn of Africa]] – [[Ethiopia]] and [[Eritrea]]. | sample = Geez script sample.svg | time = {{circa|1st century CE}} to present (abjad until {{Circa|4th century CE}}) | fam1 = [[Egyptian hieroglyphs]]<ref>{{cite journal|last=Himelfarb |first=Elizabeth J. |title=First Alphabet Found in Egypt |journal=Archaeology |volume=53 |issue=1 |date=Jan–Feb 2000 |page=21}}</ref> | fam2 = [[Proto-Sinaitic script]] | fam3 = [[South Semitic scripts]] | fam4 = [[Ancient South Arabian script]]<ref>{{cite book |title=The World's Writing Systems |year=1996 |editor1-last=Daniels |editor1-first=Peter T. |editor2-last=Bright |editor2-first=William |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-507993-7 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780195079937/page/89 |pages=89, 98, 569–570 |url-access=registration}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter=Geʽez (Aksum) |first=Gene |last=Gragg |editor1-last=Woodard |editor1-first=Roger D. |title=The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the World's Ancient Languages |publisher=Cambridge University Press |date=2004 |pages= 431 |isbn=978-0-521-56256-0}}</ref> | unicode = {{ublist |class=nowrap |[https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U1200.pdf U+1200–U+137F] {{smaller|Ethiopic}} |[https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U1380.pdf U+1380–U+139F] {{smaller|Ethiopic Supplement}} |[https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U2D80.pdf U+2D80–U+2DDF] {{smaller|Ethiopic Extended}} |[https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/UAB00.pdf U+AB00–U+AB2F] {{smaller|Ethiopic Extended-A}}|[https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U1E7E0.pdf U+1E7E0–U+1E7FF] {{smaller|Ethiopic Extended-B}}}} | iso15924 = Ethi | children = [[Amharic language|Amharic]], [[Tigrinya language|Tigrinya]] and various other alphabets of Ethiopia and Eritrea }}

'''Geʽez''' ({{IPAc-en|'|g|i:|E|z}} {{respell|GEE|ez}};<ref>{{Cite OED|Geʽez|access-date=28 November 2024}}</ref> {{langx|gez|ግዕዝ|Gəʽəz}}, {{IPA|gez|ˈɡɨʕɨz|IPA|Ge'ez.ogg}}) is an [[abugida]] used to write several [[Afroasiatic languages|Afro-Asiatic]] and [[Nilo-Saharan languages|Nilo-Saharan]] languages of [[Ethiopia]] and [[Eritrea]]. It originated as an [[abjad]] (consonantal alphabet) and was first used to write the [[Geʽez|Geʽez language]], now the [[liturgical language]] of the [[Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church]], the [[Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church]], the [[Eritrean Catholic Church]], the [[Ethiopian Catholic Church]], and [[Haymanot]] [[Judaism]] of the [[Beta Israel]] Jewish community in Ethiopia. In the languages [[Amharic]] and [[Tigrinya language|Tigrinya]], the script is often called '''''{{transliteration|sem|fidäl}}''''' ({{lang|gez|ፊደል}}), meaning "script" or "letter". Under the [[Unicode Standard]] and [[ISO 15924]], it is defined as '''Ge'ez''' text. {{alphabet}} {{Contains special characters|Ge'ez}}

The Geʽez script has been adapted to write other languages, mostly [[Ethiopian Semitic languages|Ethiopian and Eritrean Semitic]], particularly Amharic in Ethiopia, and Tigrinya in both Eritrea and Ethiopia. It has also been used to write [[Sebat Bet Gurage language|Sebat Bet]] and other [[Gurage languages]] and at least 20 other languages of Ethiopia. In Eritrea it has traditionally been used for [[Tigre language|Tigre]] and just recently for [[Bilen language|Bilen]]. The Ge{{ayin}}ez script has also recently been used to write [[Anuak language|Anuak]], and used in limited extent to write some other [[Nilo-Saharan languages|Nilo-Saharan]] [[Nilotic languages|Nilotic]] languages, including [[Majang language|Majang]] languages. It was also used in the past to write some [[Omotic languages]], including [[Wolaytta language|Wolaytta]], [[Bench language|Bench]], [[Hamer language|Hamer]], and [[Kafa language|Kafa]].{{citation needed|date=September 2021}} For the representation of sounds, this article uses a system that is common (though not universal) among linguists who work on [[Ethiopian Semitic languages]]. This differs somewhat from the conventions of the [[International Phonetic Alphabet]]. See the articles on the individual languages for information on the pronunciation.

== History and origins == [[File:Ethiopian Scroll comprising prayers against various ailments Wellcome L0031387.jpg|thumb|upright|A painting of [[Gello#Legend of Saint Sisinnios|St. Sisinnios]] on horseback spearing the demon Wǝrzalyā on a Geʻez prayer scroll meant to dispel evil spirits that were thought to cause various ailments, [[Wellcome Collection]], London]]

The Geʽez script was derived from the [[Ancient South Arabian script]], and despite its name its origins are debated, and may have originated in what is now [[Yemen|Eritrea, Ethiopia, or Yemen]]. The earliest inscriptions of [[Semitic languages]] in [[Eritrea]] date to the 9th century BCE and are known as Epigraphic South Arabian (ESA), an [[abjad]] shared with contemporary kingdoms in the [[South Arabia|Southern part of the]] [[Arabian Peninsula]].

After the 7th and 6th centuries BCE, variants of the South Arabian script arose, evolving in the direction of the later Geʻez [[abugida]] or alphasyllabary. This evolution can be seen most clearly in evidence from inscriptions (mainly graffiti on rocks and caves) in the [[Tigray Region]] in northern Ethiopia and in multiple parts of [[Eritrea]] mainly in the former province of [[Akele Guzai]].<ref>Rodolfo Fattovich, "Akkälä Guzay" in Uhlig, Siegbert, ed. ''Encyclopaedia Aethiopica: A-C''. Wiesbaden, Otto Harrassowitz, 2003, p. 169.</ref> The oldest known example of the Ge{{ayin}}ez script is the [[Hawulti (monument)|Hawulti]] obelisk in [[Matara, Eritrea]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ullendorff |first1=Edward |title=The Obelisk of Maṭara |journal=Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland |date=1951 |issue=1/2 |pages=26–32 |jstor=25222457 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/25222457 |issn=0035-869X}}</ref>

By the first centuries CE<!-- not only precisely the 1st century-->,{{clarify|date=November 2019}} what is called "Old Ethiopic" or the "Old Geʻez writing system" arose, an abjad written [[right-to-left]]<ref name="Encyclopedia">{{cite web |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/literature-and-arts/language-linguistics-and-literary-terms/language-and-linguistics/ethiopic |title=Ethiopic |website=Encyclopedia.com |access-date=10 April 2021 |quote=Since the 4th cent. AD, when Ethiopia was Christianized, the Ethiopic script has been written from left to right, though previously the direction of writing was from right to left.}}</ref> (as opposed to [[boustrophedon]] like ESA) with letters basically identical to the first-order forms of the modern vocalized writing system (e.g. "k" in the form of "kä"). There were also minor differences, such as the letter "g" facing to the right instead of to the left as in vocalized Geʻez, and a shorter left leg of "l", as in ESA, instead of equally-long legs in vocalized Geʻez (somewhat resembling the [[Greek alphabet|Greek letter]] [[lambda]]).<ref>{{cite book |first1=Etienne |last1=Bernand |first2=A. J. |last2=Drewes |first3=Roger |last3=Schneider |title=Recueil des inscriptions de l'Ethiopie des périodes pré-axoumite et axoumite |volume=Tome I: Les documents |publisher=Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres |location=Paris |year=1991 |lccn=94111006 |url=https://archive.org/details/recueildesinscri0000bern_c7z9/ |url-access=registration}}</ref> [[wikt:vocalization|Vocalization]] of Geʻez occurred in the 4th century, and though the first completely vocalized texts known are inscriptions by Ezana, vocalized letters predate him by some years, as an individual vocalized letter exists in a [[Aksumite currency|coin]] of his predecessor, [[Wazeba of Axum]].<ref name="Hudson">{{cite journal |first=Grover |last=Hudson |title=Aspects of the history of Ethiopic writing |journal=Bulletin of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies |volume=25 |pages=1–12}}</ref><ref name="Munro-Hay">{{cite book |first=Stuart |last=Munro-Hay |title=Aksum: A Civilization of Late Antiquity |location=Edinburgh |publisher=University Press |year=1991 |isbn=978-0-7486-0106-6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030501053851/http://www.dskmariam.org/artsandlitreature/litreature/pdf/aksum.pdf |url=http://www.dskmariam.org/artsandlitreature/litreature/pdf/aksum.pdf |archive-date=2003-05-01}}</ref> Linguist Roger Schneider has also pointed out, in an unpublished early 1990s paper, anomalies in the known inscriptions of [[Ezana of Axum]] that imply that he was consciously employing an archaic style during his reign, indicating that vocalization could have occurred much earlier.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.ethiotrans.com/new_page_6.htm |title=Geʻez translations |publisher=Ethiopic Translation and Localization Services |access-date=August 17, 2013}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=August 2013}}

As a result, some {{Who|date=July 2011}} believe that the vocalization may have been adopted to preserve the pronunciation of Geʻez texts due to the already moribund or extinct status of Geʻez, and that, by that time, the common language of the people were already later the Eritrean and Ethiopian [[Afro-Asiatic languages]]. At least one of Wazeba's coins from the late 3rd or early 4th century contains a vocalized letter, some 30 or so years before Ezana.<ref>{{cite book |first=Stuart |last=Munro-Hay |title=Aksum: A Civilization of Late Antiquity |location=Edinburgh |publisher=University Press |year=1991 |isbn=978-0-7486-0106-6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030501053851/http://www.dskmariam.org/artsandlitreature/litreature/pdf/aksum.pdf#page=207&zoom=auto,-76,535 |url=http://www.dskmariam.org/artsandlitreature/litreature/pdf/aksum.pdf#page=207&zoom=auto,-76,535 |archive-date=2003-05-01 |page=207}}</ref> Kobishchanov, [[Peter T. Daniels]], and others have suggested possible influence from the [[Brahmic scripts]] in vocalization, as they are also [[abugida]]s, and the [[Kingdom of Aksum]] was an important part of major trade routes involving [[India]] and the [[Greco-Roman world]] throughout [[classical antiquity]].<ref>Yuri M. Kobishchanov. ''Axum'' (Joseph W. Michels, editor; Lorraine T. Kapitanoff, translator). University Park, Pennsylvania, Penn State University Press, 1979. {{ISBN|978-0-271-00531-7}}.</ref><ref>Peter T. Daniels, William Bright, "The World's Writing Systems", Oxford University Press. Oxford, 1996.</ref>

[[File:English-Amharic-Spanish sign.jpg|thumb|right|Geʻez script used to advertise [[injera]] ({{lang|am|እንጀራ}}) to the Eritrean and Ethiopian diaspora in the US]] According to the beliefs of the [[Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church]] and [[Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church]], the original consonantal form of the Geʻez ''fidäl'' was divinely revealed to [[Enos (biblical figure)|Enos]] "as an instrument for codifying the laws", and the present system of vocalisation is attributed to a team of Aksumite scholars led by [[Frumentius]] (''Abba Selama''), the same missionary said to have converted King Ezana to [[Christianity]] in the 4th century.<ref>[http://www.eotc-patriarch.org/ Official website of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church]</ref> It has been argued that the vowel marking pattern of the script reflects a South Asian system such as would have been known by Frumentius.<ref>Peter Unseth. Missiology and Orthography: The Unique Contribution of Christian Missionaries in Devising New Scripts. ''Missiology'' 36.3: 357–371.</ref> A separate tradition, recorded by Aleqa Taye, holds that the Geʻez consonantal writing system was first adapted by Zegdur, a legendary king of the Agʻazyan [[Sabaeans|Sabaean]] dynasty held to have ruled in Abyssinia (Eritrea and Ethiopia) {{Circa|1300 BCE}}.<ref>Aleqa Taye, ''History of the Ethiopian People'', 1914</ref>

Geʻez has 26 consonantal letters. Compared to the inventory of 29 consonants in the South Arabian writing system, the continuants ''[[ġayn|ġ]]'', ''[[Ẓāʼ|ẓ]]'', and South Arabian ''[[samekh|s<sup>3</sup>]]'' [[File:himjar za.PNG|14px|s]] (Geʻez Sawt ሠ being derived from South Arabian ''[[shin (letter)|s<sup>2</sup>]]'' [[File:himjar shin.PNG|14px]]) are missing, as are ''[[ḏāl|ḏ]]'' and ''[[ṯāʼ|ṯ]]''; these last two absences reflect the collapse of the [[interdental fricative|interdental]] with the [[alveolar fricative]]s. On the other hand, emphatic {{transliteration|sem|P̣ait}} ጰ, a Geʻez innovation, is a modification of {{transliteration|sem|Ṣädai}} ጸ, while Psa ፐ is based on Tawe ተ. [[File:Meskel Adebabay Millenium.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Sign in [[Amharic]] using the Geʻez script at the Ethiopian millennium celebration]] Thus, there are 24 correspondences of Geʻez and the South Arabian writing system: {| class="wikitable" |+ !<big>Transliteration</big> !<big>Geʽez</big> !<big>South Arabian</big> |- !<big>h [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless glottal fricative|h]]]</big> |<big>ሀ</big> |<big>𐩠</big> |- !<big>l [<nowiki/>[[Voiced dental, alveolar and postalveolar lateral approximants|l]]]</big> |<big>ለ</big> |<big>𐩡</big> |- !<big>ḥ [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless pharyngeal fricative|ħ]]]</big> |<big>ሐ</big> |<big>𐩢</big> |- !<big>m [<nowiki/>[[Voiced bilabial nasal|m]]]</big> |<big>መ</big> |<big>𐩣</big> |- !<big>ś [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless lateral fricative|ɬ]]]</big> |<big>ሠ</big> |<big>𐩦</big> |- !<big>r [<nowiki/>[[Voiced dental, alveolar and postalveolar trills|r]]]</big> |<big>ረ</big> |<big>𐩧</big> |- !<big>s [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless alveolar fricative|s]]]</big> |<big>ሰ</big> |<big>𐩪</big> |- !<big>q [<nowiki/>[[Velar ejective stop|kʼ]]]</big> |<big>ቀ</big> |<big>𐩤</big> |- !<big>b [<nowiki/>[[Voiced bilabial plosive|b]]]</big> |<big>በ</big> |<big>𐩨</big> |- !<big>t [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless dental and alveolar plosives|t]]]</big> |<big>ተ</big> |<big>𐩩</big> |- !<big>h̬ [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless uvular fricative|χ]]]</big> |<big>ኀ</big> |<big>𐩭</big> |- !<big>n [<nowiki/>[[Voiced dental, alveolar and postalveolar nasals|n]]]</big> |<big>ነ</big> |<big>𐩬</big> |- !<big>' [<nowiki/>[[Glottal stop|ʔ]]]</big> |<big>አ</big> |<big>𐩱</big> |- !<big>k [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless velar plosive|k]]]</big> |<big>ከ</big> |<big>𐩫</big> |- !<big>w [<nowiki/>[[Voiced labial–velar approximant|w]]]</big> |<big>ወ</big> |<big>𐩥</big> |- !<big>ʿ [<nowiki/>[[Voiced pharyngeal fricative|ʕ]]]</big> |<big>ዐ</big> |<big>𐩲</big> |- !<big>z [<nowiki/>[[Voiced alveolar fricative|z]]]</big> |<big>ዘ</big> |<big>𐩸</big> |- !<big>y [<nowiki/>[[Voiced palatal approximant|j]]]</big> |<big>የ</big> |<big>𐩺</big> |- !<big>d [<nowiki/>[[Voiced dental and alveolar plosives|d]]]</big> |<big>ደ</big> |<big>𐩵</big> |- !<big>g [<nowiki/>[[Voiced velar plosive|ɡ]]]</big> |<big>ገ</big> |<big>𐩴</big> |- !<big>ṭ [<nowiki/>[[Dental and alveolar ejective stops|tʼ]]]</big> |<big>ጠ</big> |<big>𐩷</big> |- !<big>ṣ [<nowiki/>[[Alveolar ejective affricate|t͡sʼ]]]</big> |<big>ጸ</big> |<big>𐩮</big> |- !<big>ḍ [<nowiki/>[[Alveolar lateral ejective affricate|tɬʼ]]]</big> |<big>ፀ</big> |<big>𐩳</big> |- !<big>f [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless labiodental fricative|f]]]</big> |<big>ፈ</big> |<big>𐩰</big> |} Many of the letter names are cognate with those of [[Phoenician alphabet|Phoenician]], and may thus be assumed for the [[Proto-Sinaitic script]]. {{clear}}

== Geʽez writing system == Two writing systems were used to write the Geʽez language: an [[abjad]] and, later, an [[abugida]].

=== Geʽez abjad === The abjad, used until the advent of Christianity (ca. AD 350), had 26 consonantal letters, transliterated as: :{{transliteration|sem|h, l, ḥ, m, ś, r, s, ḳ, b, t, ḫ, n, ʾ, k, w, ʿ, z, y, d, g, ṭ, p̣, ṣ, ṣ́, f, p}}

It was properly written right-to-left.<ref name="Encyclopedia"/> Vowels were not indicated.

=== Geʽez abugida === [[File:Ethiopic genesis (ch. 29, v. 11-16), 15th century (The S.S. Teacher's Edition-The Holy Bible - Plate XII, 1).jpg|200px|thumb|right|[[Book of Genesis|Genesis]] 29.11–16 in Geʽez]] Modern Geʽez is written from left to right.

During the adoption or introduction of [[Christianity]], the Geʽez abugida developed under the influence of Christian scripture by adding obligatory vocalic diacritics to the consonantal letters{{Citation needed|date=January 2026}}. The diacritics for the vowels, {{transliteration|sem|u, i, a, e, ə, o}}, were fused with the consonants in a recognizable but slightly irregular way, so that the system is laid out as a syllabary. The original form of the consonant was used when the vowel was {{transliteration|sem|ä}} ({{IPAslink|ə}}), the so-called [[inherent vowel]]. The resulting forms are shown below in their traditional order. For most consonants there is an eighth form for the [[diphthong]] ''{{transliteration|sem|-wa}}'' or ''{{transliteration|sem|-oa}}'', and for a number of those a ninth form for ''{{transliteration|sem|-jä}}''.

To represent a consonant with no following phonemic vowel, for example at the end of a syllable or in a [[consonant cluster]], the {{transliteration|sem|ə}} ({{IPAslink|ɨ}}) form is used (the character in the sixth column).

{| class="wikitable floatleft" style="text-align:center" |-valign=top !colspan="2"|<big>&nbsp;</big>!!<big>ä [<nowiki/>[[Near-open front unrounded vowel|æ]]]</big>!!<big>u [<nowiki/>[[Close back rounded vowel|u]]]</big>!!<big>i [<nowiki/>[[Close front unrounded vowel|i]]]</big>!!<big>a [<nowiki/>[[Open front unrounded vowel|aː]]]</big>!!<big>e [<nowiki/>[[Close-mid front unrounded vowel|e]]]</big>!!<big>ə [<nowiki/>[[Close central unrounded vowel|ɨ]]]</big>!!<big>o [<nowiki/>[[Close-mid back rounded vowel|o]]]</big>!!<big>wa [waː]</big>!!<big>jä [jæ]</big> |-style="font-size:2em" !style="font-size:0.5em"|<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[He (letter)|Hoy]]}}</big> !style="font-size:0.5em"|<big>h [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless glottal fricative|h]]]</big> |ሀ||ሁ||ሂ||ሃ||ሄ |ህ||ሆ||colspan="2" style="background:#cccccc"|&nbsp; |-style="font-size:2em" !style="font-size:0.5em"|<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Lamedh|Läwe]]}}</big> !style="font-size:0.5em"|<big>l [<nowiki/>[[Voiced dental, alveolar and postalveolar lateral approximants|l]]]</big> |ለ||ሉ||ሊ||ላ||ሌ |ል||ሎ||ሏ||style="background:#cccccc"|&nbsp; |-style="font-size:2em" !style="font-size:0.5em"|<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Heth (letter)|Ḥäwt]]}}</big> !style="font-size:0.5em"|<big>ḥ [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless pharyngeal fricative|ħ]]]</big> |ሐ||ሑ||ሒ||ሓ||ሔ |ሕ||ሖ||ሗ||style="background:#cccccc"|&nbsp; |-style="font-size:2em" !style="font-size:0.5em"|<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Mem|May]]}}</big> !style="font-size:0.5em"|<big>m [<nowiki/>[[Voiced bilabial nasal|m]]]</big> |መ||ሙ||ሚ||ማ||ሜ |ም||ሞ||ሟ||ፙ |-style="font-size:2em" !style="font-size:0.5em"|<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Śawt|Śäwt]]}}</big> !style="font-size:0.5em"|<big>ś [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless lateral fricative|ɬ]]]</big> |ሠ||ሡ||ሢ||ሣ||ሤ |ሥ||ሦ||ሧ||style="background:#cccccc"|&nbsp; |- ! colspan="2" |<big>&nbsp;</big> !<big>ä [<nowiki/>[[Near-open front unrounded vowel|æ]]]</big> !<big>u [<nowiki/>[[Close back rounded vowel|u]]]</big> !<big>i [<nowiki/>[[Close front unrounded vowel|i]]]</big> !<big>a [<nowiki/>[[Open front unrounded vowel|aː]]]</big> !<big>e [<nowiki/>[[Close-mid front unrounded vowel|e]]]</big> !<big>ə [<nowiki/>[[Close central unrounded vowel|ɨ]]]</big> !<big>o [<nowiki/>[[Close-mid back rounded vowel|o]]]</big> !<big>wa [waː]</big> !<big>jä [jæ]</big> |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Resh|Rəʾs]]}}</big> ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>r [<nowiki/>[[Voiced dental, alveolar and postalveolar trills|r]]]</big> |ረ||ሩ||ሪ||ራ||ሬ |ር||ሮ||ሯ||ፘ |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Sat (letter)|Sat]]}}</big> ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>s [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless alveolar fricative|s]]]</big> |ሰ||ሱ||ሲ||ሳ||ሴ |ስ||ሶ||ሷ|| style="background:#cccccc" |&nbsp; |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Qoph|Ḳaf]]}}</big> ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>q [<nowiki/>[[Velar ejective stop|kʼ]]]</big> |ቀ||ቁ||ቂ||ቃ||ቄ |ቅ||ቆ||ቋ|| style="background:#cccccc" |&nbsp; |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Beth (letter)|Bet]]}}</big> ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>b [<nowiki/>[[Voiced bilabial plosive|b]]]</big> |በ||ቡ||ቢ||ባ||ቤ |ብ||ቦ||ቧ|| style="background:#cccccc" |&nbsp; |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Taw (letter)|Täwe]]}}</big> ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>t [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless dental and alveolar plosives|t]]]</big> |ተ||ቱ||ቲ||ታ||ቴ |ት||ቶ||ቷ|| style="background:#cccccc" |&nbsp; |- ! colspan="2" |<big>&nbsp;</big> !<big>ä [<nowiki/>[[Near-open front unrounded vowel|æ]]]</big> !<big>u [<nowiki/>[[Close back rounded vowel|u]]]</big> !<big>i [<nowiki/>[[Close front unrounded vowel|i]]]</big> !<big>a [<nowiki/>[[Open front unrounded vowel|aː]]]</big> !<big>e [<nowiki/>[[Close-mid front unrounded vowel|e]]]</big> !<big>ə [<nowiki/>[[Close central unrounded vowel|ɨ]]]</big> !<big>o [<nowiki/>[[Close-mid back rounded vowel|o]]]</big> !<big>wa [waː]</big> !<big>jä [jæ]</big> |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Ḫarm]]}}</big> ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>h̬ [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless uvular fricative|χ]]]</big> |ኀ||ኁ||ኂ||ኃ||ኄ |ኅ||ኆ||ኋ|| style="background:#cccccc" |&nbsp; |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Nun (letter)|Nähas]]}}</big> ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>n [<nowiki/>[[Voiced dental, alveolar and postalveolar nasals|n]]]</big> |ነ||ኑ||ኒ||ና||ኔ |ን||ኖ||ኗ|| style="background:#cccccc" |&nbsp; |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Aleph (letter)|ʼÄlf]]}}</big> ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>' [<nowiki/>[[Glottal stop|ʔ]]]</big> |አ||ኡ||ኢ||ኣ||ኤ |እ||ኦ||ኧ|| style="background:#cccccc" | |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Kaph|Kaf]]}}</big> ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>k [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless velar plosive|k]]]</big> |ከ |ኩ |ኪ |ካ |ኬ |ክ |ኮ |ኳ | style="background:#cccccc" | |-style="font-size:2em" !style="font-size:0.5em"|<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Waw (letter)|Wäwe]]}}</big> !style="font-size:0.5em"|<big>w [<nowiki/>[[Voiced labial–velar approximant|w]]]</big> |ወ |ዉ |ዊ |ዋ |ዌ |ው |ዎ |colspan="2" style="background:#cccccc"|&nbsp; |- ! colspan="2" |<big>&nbsp;</big> !<big>ä [<nowiki/>[[Near-open front unrounded vowel|æ]]]</big> !<big>u [<nowiki/>[[Close back rounded vowel|u]]]</big> !<big>i [<nowiki/>[[Close front unrounded vowel|i]]]</big> !<big>a [<nowiki/>[[Open front unrounded vowel|aː]]]</big> !<big>e [<nowiki/>[[Close-mid front unrounded vowel|e]]]</big> !<big>ə [<nowiki/>[[Close central unrounded vowel|ɨ]]]</big> !<big>o [<nowiki/>[[Close-mid back rounded vowel|o]]]</big> !<big>wa [waː]</big> !<big>jä [jæ]</big> |-style="font-size:2em" !style="font-size:0.5em"|<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Ayin|ʽÄyn]]}}</big> !style="font-size:0.5em"|<big>ʿ [<nowiki/>[[Voiced pharyngeal fricative|ʕ]]]</big> |ዐ |ዑ |ዒ |ዓ |ዔ |ዕ |ዖ |colspan="2" style="background:#cccccc"|&nbsp; |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Zayin|Zäy]]}}</big> ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>z [<nowiki/>[[Voiced alveolar fricative|z]]]</big> |ዘ |ዙ |ዚ |ዛ |ዜ |ዝ |ዞ |ዟ | style="background:#cccccc" | |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Yodh|Yämän]]}}</big> ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>y [<nowiki/>[[Voiced palatal approximant|j]]]</big> |የ |ዩ |ዪ |ያ |ዬ |ይ |ዮ | colspan="2" style="background:#cccccc" |&nbsp; |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Daleth|Dänt]]}}</big> ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>d [<nowiki/>[[Voiced dental and alveolar plosives|d]]]</big> |ደ |ዱ |ዲ |ዳ |ዴ |ድ |ዶ |ዷ | style="background:#cccccc" | |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Gimel|Gäml]]}}</big> ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>g [<nowiki/>[[Voiced velar plosive|ɡ]]]</big> |ገ |ጉ |ጊ |ጋ |ጌ |ግ |ጎ |ጓ | style="background:#cccccc" | |- ! colspan="2" |<big>&nbsp;</big> !<big>ä [<nowiki/>[[Near-open front unrounded vowel|æ]]]</big> !<big>u [<nowiki/>[[Close back rounded vowel|u]]]</big> !<big>i [<nowiki/>[[Close front unrounded vowel|i]]]</big> !<big>a [<nowiki/>[[Open front unrounded vowel|aː]]]</big> !<big>e [<nowiki/>[[Close-mid front unrounded vowel|e]]]</big> !<big>ə [<nowiki/>[[Close central unrounded vowel|ɨ]]]</big> !<big>o [<nowiki/>[[Close-mid back rounded vowel|o]]]</big> !<big>wa [waː]</big> !<big>jä [jæ]</big> |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Teth|Ṭäyt]]}}</big> ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>ṭ [<nowiki/>[[Dental and alveolar ejective stops|tʼ]]]</big> |ጠ |ጡ |ጢ |ጣ |ጤ |ጥ |ጦ |ጧ | style="background:#cccccc" | |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>{{transliteration|sem|P̣äyt}}</big> ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>p̣ [<nowiki/>[[Bilabial ejective stop|pʼ]]]</big> |ጰ |ጱ |ጲ |ጳ |ጴ |ጵ |ጶ |ጷ | style="background:#cccccc" | |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Tsade|Ṣädäy]]}}</big> ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>ṣ [<nowiki/>[[Alveolar ejective affricate|t͡sʼ]]]</big> |ጸ |ጹ |ጺ |ጻ |ጼ |ጽ |ጾ |ጿ | style="background:#cccccc" | |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Ḍād|Ṣ́äppä]]}}</big> ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>ṣ́ [<nowiki/>[[Alveolar lateral ejective affricate|tɬʼ]]]</big> |ፀ |ፁ |ፂ |ፃ |ፄ |ፅ |ፆ | colspan="2" style="background:#cccccc" |&nbsp; |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>{{transliteration|sem|[[Pe (Semitic letter)|Äf]]}}</big> ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>f [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless labiodental fricative|f]]]</big> |ፈ |ፉ |ፊ |ፋ |ፌ |ፍ |ፎ |ፏ |ፚ |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>{{transliteration|sem|Psa}}</big> ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>p [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless bilabial plosive|p]]]</big> |ፐ |ፑ |ፒ |ፓ |ፔ |ፕ |ፖ |ፗ | style="background:#cccccc" | |}

{{clear}}

=== Labiovelar variants === The letters for the [[Labialized velar consonant|labialized velar]] consonants are variants of the non-labialized velar consonants: {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !rowspan="2" |Consonant !<big>q [<nowiki/>[[Velar ejective stop|kʼ]]]</big> !<big>h̬ [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless uvular fricative|χ]]]</big> !<big>g [<nowiki/>[[Voiced velar plosive|ɡ]]]</big>!!<big>k [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless velar plosive|k]]]</big> |-style="font-size:2em" |ቀ||ኀ||ገ||ከ |- !rowspan="2"|Labialized variant !<big>ḳw' [kʷʼ]</big> !<big>h̬w [χʷ]</big> !<big>gw [ɡʷ]</big>!!<big>kw [kʷ]</big> |-style="font-size:2em" |ቈ||ኈ||ጐ||ኰ |}

Unlike the other consonants, these labiovelar ones can be combined with only five different vowels:

{| class="wikitable floatleft" style="text-align:center" |- !<big>&nbsp;</big>!!<big>ä [<nowiki/>[[Near-open front unrounded vowel|æ]]]</big>!!<big>i [<nowiki/>[[Close front unrounded vowel|i]]]</big>!!<big>a [<nowiki/>[[Open front unrounded vowel|aː]]]</big>!!<big>e [<nowiki/>[[Close-mid front unrounded vowel|e]]]</big>!!<big>ə [<nowiki/>[[Close central unrounded vowel|ɨ]]]</big> |-style="font-size:2em" !style="font-size:0.5em"|<big>qw [kʷʼ]</big> |ቈ||ቊ||ቋ||ቌ||ቍ |-style="font-size:2em" !style="font-size:0.5em"|<big>h̬w [χʷ]</big> |ኈ||ኊ||ኋ||ኌ||ኍ |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>gw [ɡʷ]</big> |ጐ||ጒ||ጓ||ጔ||ጕ |- style="font-size:2em" ! style="font-size:0.5em" |<big>kw [kʷ]</big> |ኰ||ኲ||ኳ||ኴ||ኵ |}

{{clear}}

== Adaptations to other languages == The Geʽez abugida has been adapted to several modern languages of Eritrea and Ethiopia, frequently requiring additional letters. It has been speculated by some scholars in African studies that the Geʽez script had an influence on the [[Armenian alphabet]] after it may have been introduced to Armenia at the end of the fifth century.<ref>Richard Pankhurst. 1998. The Ethiopians: A History. p25</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bekerie |first=Ayele |date=2003 |title=Historical Overview of Ethiopic Writing System's Possible Influence on the Development of the Armenian Alphabet |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/27828819 |journal=International Journal of Ethiopian Studies |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=33–58 |jstor=27828819 |issn=1543-4133}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=Ancient civilizations of Africa |date=1995 |publisher=Heinemann [u.a.] |isbn=978-92-3-101708-7 |editor-last=Muḫtār |editor-first=Muḥammad Ǧamāl-ad-Dīn |edition=Repr |series=General history of Africa / UNESCO, International Scientific Committee for the Drafting of a General History of Africa |location=London |pages=399}}</ref>

=== Additional letters === Some letters were modified to create additional consonants for use in languages other than Geʽez. This is typically done by adding a horizontal line at the top of a similar-sounding consonant. {| class="wikitable floatleft" style="text-align:center" |- !rowspan="2" |Consonant !<big>b [<nowiki/>[[Voiced bilabial plosive|b]]]</big>!!<big>t [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless dental and alveolar plosives|t]]]</big> !<big>d [<nowiki/>[[Voiced dental and alveolar plosives|d]]]</big>!!<big>ṭ [<nowiki/>[[Dental and alveolar ejective stops|tʼ]]]</big> |-style="font-size:2em" |በ||ተ||ደ||ጠ |- !rowspan="2" |Affricated variant !<big>v [<nowiki/>[[Voiced labiodental fricative|v]]]</big>!!<big>č [t͡ʃ]</big> !<big>ǧ [d͡ʒ]</big>!!<big>č̣ [t͡ʃʼ]</big> |-style="font-size:2em" |ቨ||ቸ||ጀ||ጨ |}

{| class="wikitable floatleft" style="text-align:center" |- !rowspan="2" |Consonant !<big>q [<nowiki/>[[Velar ejective stop|kʼ]]]</big>!!<big>k [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless velar plosive|k]]]</big> |-style="font-size:2em" |ቀ||ከ |- !rowspan="2" |Affricated variant !<big>qʰ [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless uvular plosive|q]]]</big>!!<big>x [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless velar fricative|x]]]</big> |-style="font-size:2em" |ቐ||ኸ |- !rowspan="2"|Labialized variant !<big>qʰʷ [qʷ]</big>!!<big>xʷ [xʷ]</big> |-style="font-size:2em" |ቘ||ዀ |}

{| class="wikitable floatleft" style="text-align:center" |- !rowspan="2" |Consonant !<big>s [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless alveolar fricative|s]]]</big>!!<big>n [<nowiki/>[[Voiced dental, alveolar and postalveolar nasals|n]]]</big>!!<big>z [<nowiki/>[[Voiced alveolar fricative|z]]]</big> |-style="font-size:2em" |ሰ||ነ||ዘ |- !rowspan="2" |Palatalized variant !<big>š [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless postalveolar fricative|ʃ]]]</big>!!<big>ñ [<nowiki/>[[Voiced palatal nasal|ɲ]]]</big>!!<big>ž [<nowiki/>[[Voiced postalveolar fricative|ʒ]]]</big> |-style="font-size:2em" |ሸ||ኘ||ዠ |}

{| class="wikitable floatleft" style="text-align:center" |- !rowspan="2" |Consonant !<big>g [<nowiki/>[[Voiced velar plosive|ɡ]]]</big>!!<big>gw [ɡʷ]</big> |-style="font-size:2em" |ገ||ጐ |- !rowspan="2" |Nasal variant ! <big>[<nowiki/>[[Voiced velar nasal|ŋ]]]</big>!! <big>[ŋʷ]</big> |-style="font-size:2em" |ጘ||ⶓ |}

{{clear}}

The vocalised forms are shown below. Like the other labiovelars, these labiovelars can only be combined with five vowels.

{| class="wikitable floatleft" style="text-align:center" |- !<big>&nbsp;</big>!!<big>ä [<nowiki/>[[Near-open front unrounded vowel|æ]]]</big>!!<big>u [<nowiki/>[[Close back rounded vowel|u]]]</big>!!<big>i [<nowiki/>[[Close front unrounded vowel|i]]]</big>!!<big>a [<nowiki/>[[Open front unrounded vowel|aː]]]</big>!!<big>e [<nowiki/>[[Close-mid front unrounded vowel|e]]]</big>!!<big>ə [<nowiki/>[[Close central unrounded vowel|ɨ]]]</big>!!<big>o [<nowiki/>[[Close-mid back rounded vowel|o]]]</big>!!<big>wa [waː]</big> |- !<big>š [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless postalveolar fricative|ʃ]]]</big> |<big>ሸ</big> |<big>ሹ</big> |<big>ሺ</big> |<big>ሻ</big> |<big>ሼ</big> |<big>ሽ</big> |<big>ሾ</big> |<big>ሿ</big> |- !<big>qʰ [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless uvular plosive|q]]]</big> |<big>ቐ</big> |<big>ቑ</big> |<big>ቒ</big> |<big>ቓ</big> |<big>ቔ</big> |<big>ቕ</big> |<big>ቖ</big> |<big>&nbsp;</big> |- !<big>qʰʷ [qʷ]</big> |<big>ቘ</big> |<big>&nbsp;</big> |<big>ቚ</big> |<big>ቛ</big> |<big>ቜ</big> |<big>ቝ</big> |<big>&nbsp;</big> |<big>&nbsp;</big> |- !<big>v [<nowiki/>[[Voiced labiodental fricative|v]]]</big> |<big>ቨ</big> |<big>ቩ</big> |<big>ቪ</big> |<big>ቫ</big> |<big>ቬ</big> |<big>ቭ</big> |<big>ቮ</big> |<big>ቯ</big> |- !<big>č [t͡ʃ]</big> |<big>ቸ</big> |<big>ቹ</big> |<big>ቺ</big> |<big>ቻ</big> |<big>ቼ</big> |<big>ች</big> |<big>ቾ</big> |<big>ቿ</big> |- !<big>[ŋʷ]</big> |<big>ⶓ</big> |<big>&nbsp;</big> |<big>ⶔ</big> |<big>&nbsp;</big> |<big>ⶕ</big> |<big>ⶖ</big> |<big>&nbsp;</big> |<big>&nbsp;</big> |- !<big>ñ [<nowiki/>[[Voiced palatal nasal|ɲ]]]</big> |<big>ኘ</big> |<big>ኙ</big> |<big>ኚ</big> |<big>ኛ</big> |<big>ኜ</big> |<big>ኝ</big> |<big>ኞ</big> |<big>ኟ</big> |- !<big>x [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless velar fricative|x]]]</big> |<big>ኸ</big> |<big>ኹ</big> |<big>ኺ</big> |<big>ኻ</big> |<big>ኼ</big> |<big>ኽ</big> |<big>ኾ</big> |<big>&nbsp;</big> |- !<big>xʷ [xʷ]</big> |<big>ዀ</big> |<big>&nbsp;</big> |<big>ዂ</big> |<big>ዃ</big> |<big>ዄ</big> |<big>ዅ</big> |<big>&nbsp;</big> |<big>&nbsp;</big> |- !<big>ž [<nowiki/>[[Voiced postalveolar fricative|ʒ]]]</big> |<big>ዠ</big> |<big>ዡ</big> |<big>ዢ</big> |<big>ዣ</big> |<big>ዤ</big> |<big>ዥ</big> |<big>ዦ</big> |<big>ዧ</big> |- !<big>ǧ [d͡ʒ]</big> |<big>ጀ</big> |<big>ጁ</big> |<big>ጂ</big> |<big>ጃ</big> |<big>ጄ</big> |<big>ጅ</big> |<big>ጆ</big> |<big>ጇ</big> |- !<big>[<nowiki/>[[Voiced velar nasal|ŋ]]]</big> |<big>ጘ</big> |<big>ጙ</big> |<big>ጚ</big> |<big>ጛ</big> |<big>ጜ</big> |<big>ጝ</big> |<big>ጞ</big> |<big>ጟ</big> |- !<big>č̣ [t͡ʃʼ]</big> |<big>ጨ</big> |<big>ጩ</big> |<big>ጪ</big> |<big>ጫ</big> |<big>ጬ</big> |<big>ጭ</big> |<big>ጮ</big> |<big>ጯ</big> |}

{{clear}}

=== Letters used in modern abugidas === The [[Amharic#Alphabet|Amharic abugida]] uses all the basic consonants plus the ones indicated below. Some of the Geʽez labiovelar variants are also used.

The [[Tigrinya language#Writing system|Tigrinya abugida]] has all the basic consonants, the Geʽez labiovelar letter variants, except for {{transliteration|sem|ḫʷ}} ({{lang|gez|ኈ}}), plus the ones indicated below. A few of the basic consonants are falling into disuse in [[Eritrea]] (as they used "ጸ" for "ፀ"). See [[Tigrinya language#Writing system]] for details.

The [[Tigre language#Writing system|Tigre abugida]] uses the basic consonants except for {{transliteration|sem|ś}} ({{lang|gez|ሠ}}), {{transliteration|sem|ḫ}} ({{lang|gez|ኀ}}) and {{transliteration|sem|ḍ}} (ፀ). It also uses the ones indicated below. It does not use the Geʽez labiovelar letter variants.

The [[Bilen language#Writing system|Bilen abugida]] uses the basic consonants except for {{transliteration|sem|ś}} ({{lang|gez|ሠ}}), {{transliteration|sem|ḫ}} ({{lang|gez|ኀ}}) and {{transliteration|sem|ḍ}} (ፀ). It also uses the ones indicated below and the Geʽez labiovelar letter variants.

The [[Harari language#Modified Geʽez script|Harari abugida]] uses the basic consonants except for {{transliteration|sem|ś}} ({{lang|gez|ሠ}}), {{transliteration|sem|ḫ}} ({{lang|gez|ኀ}}), {{transliteration|sem|ʽ}} ({{lang|gez|ዐ}}), {{transliteration|sem|p̣}} ({{lang|gez|ጰ}}), {{transliteration|sem|ṣ}} ({{lang|gez|ጸ}}), and {{transliteration|sem|ḍ}} (ፀ). Although {{transliteration|sem|h}} ({{lang|gez|ሀ}}) is occasionally used, {{transliteration|sem|ḥ}} ({{lang|gez|ሐ}}) is strongly favored. As Harari used the Arabic script before adopting the Ge{{ayin}}ez script, Arabic phonemes entered the language due to loanwords and language contact and were ascribed to specific consonant forms when the Ge{{ayin}}ez script was first adopted for the language. {{transliteration|sem|ḥ}} from ({{lang|ar|ح}}) was assigned to ({{lang|gez|ሐ}}), {{transliteration|sem|ṫ}} from ({{lang|ar|ث}}) to ({{lang|gez|ሠ}}), {{transliteration|sem|gh}} from ({{lang|ar|غ}}) to ({{lang|gez|ኀ}}), {{transliteration|sem|kh}} from ({{lang|ar|خ}}) to ({{lang|gez|ኸ}}), {{transliteration|sem|ʽ}} from ({{lang|ar|ع}}) to ({{lang|gez|ዐ}}), {{transliteration|sem|dˁ}} from ({{lang|ar|ض}}) to ({{lang|gez|ጰ}}), and {{transliteration|sem|dh}} from ({{lang|ar|ذ}}) to ({{lang|gez|ፀ}}). It also uses the ones indicated below.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !<big>&nbsp;</big> !<big>š [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless postalveolar fricative|ʃ]]]</big>!!<big>qʰ [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless uvular plosive|q]]]</big>!!<big>qʰʷ [qʷ]</big> !<big>v [<nowiki/>[[Voiced labiodental fricative|v]]]</big>!!<big>č [t͡ʃ]</big>!!<big>[ŋʷ]</big> !<big>ñ [<nowiki/>[[Voiced palatal nasal|ɲ]]]</big> !<big>x [<nowiki/>[[Voiceless velar fricative|x]]]</big>!!<big>xʷ [xʷ]</big>!!<big>ž [<nowiki/>[[Voiced postalveolar fricative|ʒ]]]</big> !<big>ǧ [d͡ʒ]</big>!!<big>[<nowiki/>[[Voiced velar nasal|ŋ]]]</big>!!<big>č̣ [t͡ʃʼ]</big> |-style="font-size:2em" !<big>&nbsp;</big> |ሸ||ቐ||ቘ |ቨ||ቸ||ⶓ |ኘ |ኸ||ዀ||ዠ |ጀ||ጘ||ጨ |- !<big>Amharic</big> |✓||&nbsp;||&nbsp; |✓||✓||&nbsp; |✓ |✓||✓||✓ |✓||&nbsp;||✓ |- !<big>Tigrinya</big> |✓||✓||✓ |✓||✓||&nbsp; |✓ |✓||✓||✓ |✓||&nbsp;||✓ |- !<big>Tigre</big> |✓||&nbsp;||&nbsp; |&nbsp;||✓||&nbsp; |&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp; |✓||&nbsp;||✓ |&nbsp; |- !<big>Bilen</big> |✓||✓||&nbsp; |✓||✓||✓ |✓||&nbsp;||✓ |✓||✓||✓ |✓ |- !<big>Harari</big> |✓||&nbsp;||&nbsp; |✓||✓||&nbsp; |✓||✓||&nbsp; |&nbsp;||✓||&nbsp; |✓ |}

Note: "V" is used for words of foreign origin except for in some [[Gurage languages]], e.g. ''cravat'' 'tie' from [[French language|French]]. The consonant symbol "ኸ" is pronounced as "h" in Amharic.

== List order == For Geʽez, Amharic, Tigrinya and Tigre, the usual [[sort order]] is called ''haläħamä'' (h–l–ħ–m). Where the labiovelar variants are used, these come immediately after the basic consonant and are followed by other variants. In Tigrinya, for example, the letters based on {{lang|gez|ከ}} come in this order: {{lang|gez|ከ, ኰ, ኸ, ዀ}}. In Bilen, the sorting order is slightly different.

The alphabetical order is similar to that found in other [[South Semitic scripts]], as well as in the ancient [[Ugaritic alphabet]], which attests both the southern Semitic h-l-ħ-m order and the northern Semitic ʼ–b–g–d (''abugida'') order over three thousand years ago.

== Numerals == [[File:Ethiopia, matonya (0.01 birr), 1897, Menelik II.jpg|thumb|260px|Coin of Emperor [[Menelik II]]. On the [[Obverse and reverse|reverse]] is the date <span style="font-size:large;">፲፰፻፹፱</span> (1889). Punctuation marks in the text of the legend: <span style="font-size:large;">፡</span> and <span style="font-size:large;">።</span>]] {{numeral systems}} [[File:Menelik script cropped.jpg|thumb|Cursive Amharic script being developed by Emperor Menelik at his [[Ankober]] estate, 19th c.]] Geʽez uses an additional [[alphabetic numeral system]] comparable to the [[Hebrew numerals|Hebrew]], Arabic [[Abjad numerals|abjad]] and [[Greek numerals]]. It is reduced from these systems in that it lacks digits for the multiples of 100. For example, 475 is written ({{lang|gez|፬፻፸፭}}, that is "4-100-70-5", and 83,692 is ({{lang|gez|፰፼፴፮፻፺፪}} "8–10,000-30-6-100-90-2". The digits historically are Greek letters over- and under-lined with a [[vinculum (symbol)|vinculum]].

:{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !&nbsp;!!1!!2!!3!!4!!5!!6!!7!!8!!9 |-style="font-size:2em;line-height:1.3" !style="font-size:0.5em;text-align:right"|×&nbsp;1 |፩||፪||፫||፬||፭||፮||፯||፰||፱ |-style="font-size:2em;line-height:1.2" !style="font-size:0.5em;text-align:right"|×&nbsp;10 |፲||፳||፴||፵||፶||፷||፸||፹||፺ |-style="font-size:2em;line-height:1.3" !style="font-size:0.5em;text-align:right"|×&nbsp;100 |፻||colspan="8" rowspan="2" style="background:#cccccc"|&nbsp; |-style="font-size:2em;line-height:1.3" !style="font-size:0.5em;text-align:right"|×&nbsp;10,000 |፼ |} Ethiopian numerals were borrowed from the [[Greek numerals]], possibly via [[Coptic alphabet|Coptic uncial letters]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=kXZhBAAAQBAJ&q=Ethiopian+numerals+coptic&pg=PA148 "Ethiopian numerals Coptic" at Google Books]</ref> :{|style=font-size:200%;text-align:center |-style=font-size:50% !!!1!!2!!3!!4!!5!!6!!7!!8!!9!!10!!20!!30!!40!!50!!60!!70!!80!!90!!100 |- !style=font-size:50%|Ethiopic||፩||፪||፫||፬||፭||፮||፯||፰||፱||፲||፳||፴||፵||፶||፷||፸||፹||፺||፻ |-style=font-family:serif !style=font-size:50%;font-family:sans-serif|Greek |Α||Β||Γ||Δ||Ε||Ϛ||Ζ||Η||Θ||Ι||Κ||Λ||Μ||Ν||Ξ||Ο||Π||Ϙ||Ρ |-style=font-family:sans-serif !style=font-size:50%;font-family:serif|Coptic |Ⲁ||Ⲃ||Ⲅ||Ⲇ||Ⲉ||Ⲋ||Ⲍ||Ⲏ||Ⲑ||Ⲓ||Ⲕ||Ⲗ||Ⲙ||Ⲛ||Ⲝ||Ⲟ||Ⲡ||Ϥ||Ⲣ |}

== Punctuation == Punctuation, much of it modern, includes

:፠ section mark :፡ [[Word divider|word separator]] :። [[Full stop#Full stops in other scripts|full stop]] (period) :፣ comma :፥ colon :፤ semicolon :፦ preface colon. Uses:<ref>{{cite web|title=Notes on Ethiopic Localization|url=http://abyssiniagateway.net/fidel/l10n/|website=The Abyssinia Gateway|access-date=22 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140910072607/http://www.abyssiniagateway.net/fidel/l10n/|archive-date=2014-09-10|date=2013-07-22}}</ref> :: In transcribed interviews, after the name of the speaker whose transcribed speech immediately follows; compare the colon in western text :: In ordered lists, after the ordinal symbol (such as a letter or number), separating it from the text of the item; compare the colon, period, or right parenthesis in western text :: Many other functions of the colon in western text :፧ question mark :፨ paragraph separator

== Tone marks == Tone marks for multiline scored layout are:

: ᎐ ''yizet'' : ᎑ ''deret'' : ᎒ ''rikrik'' : ᎓ short ''rikrik'' : ᎔ ''difat'' : ᎕ ''kenat'' : ᎖ ''chiret'' : ᎗ ''hidet'' : ᎘ ''deret-hidet'' : ᎙ ''kurt''

== Unicode == {{Main|Ethiopic (Unicode block)|Ethiopic Supplement|Ethiopic Extended|Ethiopic Extended-A|Ethiopic Extended-B|l2=Ethiopic Supplement (Unicode block)|l3=Ethiopic Extended (Unicode block)|l4=Ethiopic Extended-A (Unicode block)|l5=Ethiopic Extended-B (Unicode block)}}

Ethiopic has been assigned [[Unicode]] 3.0 codepoints between U+1200 and U+137F (decimal 4608–4991), containing the consonantal letters for Geʽez, Amharic and Tigrinya, punctuation and numerals. Additionally, in Unicode 4.1, there is the supplement range from U+1380 to U+139F (decimal 4992–5023) containing letters for [[Sebat Bet Gurage language|Sebat Bet]] and tonal marks, and the extended range between U+2D80 and U+2DDF (decimal 11648–11743) containing letters needed for writing Sebat Bet, [[Meʼen language|Meʼen]] and [[Bilen language|Bilen]]. In Unicode 6.0, there is the extended-A range from U+AB00 to U+AB2F (decimal 43776–43823) containing letters for [[Gamo-Gofa-Dawro language|Gamo-Gofa-Dawro]], [[Basketo language|Basketo]] and [[Gumuz language|Gumuz]]. Finally in Unicode 14.0, there is the extended-B range from U+1E7E0 to U+1E7FF (decimal 124896–124927) containing additional letters for [[Gurage languages]].

{{Unicode chart Ethiopic}} {{Unicode chart Ethiopic Supplement}} {{Unicode chart Ethiopic Extended}} {{Unicode chart Ethiopic Extended-A}} {{Unicode chart Ethiopic Extended-B}}

== In Western culture == * Geʽez is a sacred script in the [[Rastafari movement]]. [[Roots reggae]] musicians have used it in [[album art]]. * The films ''[[500 Years Later]]'' ({{lang|gez|፭፻-ዓመታት በኋላ}}) and ''[[Motherland (2010 film)|Motherland]]'' ({{lang|gez|እናት ሀገር}}) are the first two mainstream [[Western world|Western]] documentaries to use Geʽez characters in the titles. The script also appears in the trailer and promotional material of the films. * In October 2020, [[Donald Trump on Twitter|tweets by Donald Trump]] relating to [[Donald Trump's COVID-19 infection|his COVID-19 infection]] attracted responses with an uncanny image accompanied by [[copypasta]] Ge{{ayin}}ez script, often an Amharic curse, which sought to [[Internet troll|troll]] Trump's [[Christian Trumpism|Christian supporters]] with the implication that Ge{{ayin}}ez script, along with [[Armenian script|Armenian]] and [[Georgian script]], look demonic or [[satanism|satanic]].<ref>{{multiref| {{Cite web |url=https://mashable.com/article/trump-covid-amharic-copypasta-explainer |title=Twitter spams Trump's COVID tweet with copypasta in Amharic |website=[[Mashable]] |date=2 October 2020 |first= Morgan |last=Sung }}| {{Cite web |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/trump-covid-coronavirus-positive-test-demon-memes/ |title=OK, Chill Out with the 'Demonic' Posts Under Trump's Coronavirus Tweet |website=[[Vice (website)|Vice]] |date=2 October 2020 |first=Samantha |last=Cole}}| {{Cite web |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/amphtml/ikrd/people-have-been-using-the-alphabet-of-amharic-an-ethiopian |title = People Have Been Using the Alphabet of Amharic, an Ethiopian Language, as a Meme. Here is Why It's Wrong |website=[[BuzzFeed News]] |first=Ikran |last=Dahir |date=12 October 2020}} }}</ref> Amharic was then used to evade [[hate speech]] detection on TikTok.<ref>Hidden hate: How Amharic is being used to evade hate speech detection on TikTok, Institute for Strategic Dialogue, https://www.isdglobal.org/digital_dispatches/hidden-hate-how-amharic-is-being-used-to-evade-hate-speech-detection-on-tiktok/</ref>

== See also == * [[Ancient South Arabian script]] * [[History of the alphabet]]

== Literature == * {{cite book |last=[[Azeb Amha|Amha]] |first=Azeb |year=2010 |chapter=On loans and additions to the fidäl (Ethiopic) writing system |url=https://brill.com/view/title/16643 |title=The Idea of Writing: Play and Complexity |editor-first1=Alexander J. |editor-last1=de Voogt |editor-first2=Irving L. |editor-last2=Finkel |pages=179–196 |publisher=Brill |doi=10.1163/ej.9789004174467.i-396.52|isbn=978-90-474-2792-6 }} * {{cite journal |last=Cohen |first=Marcel |author-link=Marcel Cohen |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k932990 |title=La prononciation traditionnelle du Guèze (éthiopien classique) |journal=Journal Asiatique |date=October–December 1921 |series=11 |volume=18 |pages=217–269}} * {{cite report |last=Scelta |first=Gabe F. |url=http://www.thisisgabes.com/images/stories/docs/gscelta_geez.pdf |title=The Comparative Origin and Usage of the Ge{{ayin}}ez writing system of Ethiopia |date=2001-12-14}}

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * '''Fonts for Geʽez script''': ** [https://software.sil.org/abyssinica/download/ ''Abyssinica SIL''.] Covers all blocks through Extended-B. ([https://software.sil.org/abyssinica/charset/ Character set support]) ** ''[https://fonts.google.com/noto/specimen/Noto+Sans+Ethiopic Noto Sans Ethiopic]'' (multiple weights and widths). Covers blocks through Extended-A. ** ''[https://fonts.google.com/noto/specimen/Noto+Serif+Ethiopic Noto Serif Ethiopic]'' (multiple weights and widths). Covers blocks through Extended-A. * [https://syllabary.sourceforge.net/Ethiopic/Geez.html Chart] correlating [[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] values for the Amharic alphabet * Unicode specification ** [https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U1200.pdf Ethiopic] ** [https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U1380.pdf Ethiopic Supplement] ** [https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U2D80.pdf Ethiopic Extended] ** [https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/UAB00.pdf Ethiopic Extended-A] ** [https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U1E7E0.pdf Ethiopic Extended-B] * [http://geez.org/Numerals/ A Look at Ethiopic Numerals] * [https://www.academia.edu/26053652/Names_of_Geez_Letters The Names of Geʽez Letters]

{{list of writing systems}} {{Language orthographies}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Geʽez Alphabet}} [[Category:Abugida writing systems]] [[Category:Ge'ez language|Alphabet]] [[Category:Writing systems of Africa]] [[Category:Semitic writing systems]] [[Category:Alphabetic numeral systems]]