ሆንኩ
/honku/
How to say "I became / I was" in Amharic
The Amharic word for "I became / I was" is ሆንኩ, pronounced honku.
Dictionary form
ሆንኩ 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.
Also spelled
honku, honqu
Word details
- Ge’ez script
- ሆንኩ
- Transliteration
- honku
- Part of speech
- verb
- English meaning
- I became / I 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)ነበርኩና/neberkuna/but I wasይሆናልህ/yhonalh/you (m.sg) will beነበርና/neberna/because it wasነበረ/nebere/he was / it wasነበሩ/neberu/they were / he was (polite)ነበረም/neberem/he was also / he was (indeed)ነበሩና/neberuna/because they wereነበራቸው/neberachew/they were (for them) / he was for themነበራት/neberat/she was / it was (for her)ነበረዋል/neberewal/she was / it was (her)ነበረኝ/nebereny/it was me / it was (to) meአሉ/alu/they are / there areአልሆንም/alhonm/I am not / I did not becomeመሆኑም/mehonum/also the fact that it is/wasነዎት/newot/you are (polite)ነበሩት/neberut/it was (to him/her) / they were (respected)ነበራቸውም/neberachewm/they also had / they had it tooነበረብኝ/neberebny/I had itነበረባቸው/neberebachew/they had it / he had them (polite)ነበረባችሁ/neberebachhu/you (pl) had itነበረባችን/neberebachn/we had itሆኑ/honu/they becameሆነኝ/honeny/it became (for) meሆነና/honena/it became (for) usሆነዋል/honewal/they/it have becomeሆኖታል/honotal/it has become (and is so)መሆናችሁ/mehonachhu/your (pl) beingነበረብሽ/neberebsh/you had it (to a woman)መሆናት/mehonat/to beነኝም/nenym/I am tooነበርህ/neberh/you were (m.sg.)ነበርሽ/nebersh/you were (f.sg.)ነበርኩ/neberku/I wasነበርን/nebern/we wereነበርክህ/neberkh/you were (m.sg., alt.)ነበርክሽ/neberksh/you were (f.sg., alt.)ነበረበት/neberebet/it was there/at himከሆነው/kehonew/from what happened / from what isከሆነውም/kehonewm/even from what happenedሆኖም/honom/even though (it) was / although beingእንሆን/inhon/let’s be / we will beእንደሆነ/indehone/as it was / as it happenedትሆናለች/thonalech/she will beትሆናለህ/thonaleh/you (m.sg.) will beትሆናለሽ/thonalesh/you (f.sg.) will beይሆናሉ/yhonalu/they will beሊሆኑ/lihonu/to be / to become (they)ሊሆንም/lihonm/even to be / even to becomeእሆናለሁ/ihonalehu/I will beነበረችው/neberechw/she was (him/it)ነበርላችን/neberlachn/it was for usነበሩባቸው/neberubachew/they were with themነበሩለት/neberulet/they were for herነበሩላት/neberulat/they were for herነበሩልኝ/neberulny/they were for meነበሩላችሁ/neberulachhu/they were for you (pl)ነበሩላችን/neberulachn/they were for usነበራቸውላችሁ/neberachewlachhu/they were them for you (pl)ነበራቸውልኝ/neberachewlny/they were them for meነበራቸውለት/neberachewlet/they were them for herነበራቸውላቸው/neberachewlachew/they were them for themነበራትም/neberatm/she had it (too)ነበርለማንኛውም/neberlemannyawm/there was none at allነበርንም/nebernm/yet it existedነበርው/neberw/it was for himነበርዎ/neberwo/it was for you (polite)ነበርዋለት/neberwalet/she has had it (for her)እሆናለህ/ihonaleh/you will beእሆናለች/ihonalech/she will beእሆናለን/ihonalen/we will beእሆናል/ihonal/I will beእሆናለው/ihonalew/he will beእሆናለት/ihonalet/she will be (for her)ትሆናላችሁ/thonalachhu/she will be for you allይሆናሉና/yhonaluna/they will be, indeedእንሆናለዎት/inhonalewot/we will be (for you, formal)ትሆናለችም/thonalechm/she will not beትሆናለው/thonalew/she will be for himትሆናለት/thonalet/she will be for herትሆናለዎት/thonalewot/she will be for you (formal)ትሆናለኝ/thonaleny/she will be for meትሆናለን/thonalen/she will be for usትሆናልህ/thonalh/you (m) will beትሆናሉ/thonalu/you (pl/formal) will beትሆኑ/thonu/you (pl) will be / they will beትሆኑላችሁ/thonulachhu/you (pl) will be for you (pl)ትሆኑኝ/thonuny/you (pl) will be for meትሆኑን/thonun/you (pl) will be (object marker)ትሆኑለት/thonulet/you (pl) will be for herትሆኑለው/thonulew/you (pl) will be for himይሆናሉም/yhonalum/they will be (indeed)ይሆናሉት/yhonalut/they will be itይሆናሉናም/yhonalunam/and they will be (indeed)ይሆናልና/yhonalna/for it will beይሆናልም/yhonalm/it will (indeed) beይሆናልኝ/yhonalny/it will be for meይሆናለው/yhonalew/he will be / it will beይሆናለት/yhonalet/she will be / for herይሆናለን/yhonalen/we will beይሆናላችሁ/yhonalachhu/you (pl) will beይሆናልዎት/yhonalwot/you will be (polite)ይሆኑናም/yhonunam/and they will be (indeed)ይሆኑም/yhonum/they will (indeed) beይሆኑን/yhonun/they will be (object‑focused)ይሆኑላቸው/yhonulachew/they will be for themይሆኑለን/yhonulen/they will be for usይሆኑለው/yhonulew/they will be for himእንሆንማ/inhonma/shall we be then?እንሆንም/inhonm/we will be (indeed)እንሆንናም/inhonnam/we will be then (indeed)እሆንም/ihonm/I will be (indeed)እሆንና/ihonna/I will be thenእሆንናም/ihonnam/I will be then (indeed)እሆንብለህ/ihonbleh/I will be for youእሆንብለው/ihonblew/I will be for himእሆንልሃለሁ/ihonlhalehu/I will be for youእሆንለት/ihonlet/I will be for herእሆንላቸው/ihonlachew/I will be for themእሆንለን/ihonlen/I will be for usእሆንለው/ihonlew/I will be for himእሆንልህ/ihonlh/I will be for you (m.sg.)ሆናለች/honalech/she will be / she becomesሆናለን/honalen/we will be / we becomeሆናለት/honalet/he will be / he becomesሆናሉ/honalu/they will be / they becomeሆኑና/honuna/and they became / and they didሆንህ/honh/you became (m.sg.)ሆንሽ/honsh/you became (f.sg.)ሆኖአል/honoal/he has become / it has becomeሆኖአለን/honoalen/we have been / turned outሆኖአልን/honoaln/we have been / turned outሆኖነበረ/hononebere/it had been (he)እሆንለሁ/ihonlehu/I will be forእሆንለዎት/ihonlewot/I will be for you (pl./pol.)እሆንለች/ihonlech/I will be for herትሆን/thon/you will be / she will beትሆንለታለች/thonletalech/she will be for herናቸውም/nachewm/they are also / they are tooናችን/nachn/we areነውክን/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)በመሆኑ/bemehonu/thereforeሆነች/honech/she becameነበርአት/neberat/it was her / she wasየሆነ/yehone/which is / that isየሚሆን/yemihon/that will be / that can beየሚሆኑ/yemihonu/that will be (pl.)ቢሆናም/bihonam/even if it isከሆነማ/kehonema/if it is thenከሆነም/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 areስለሆነ/slehone/thereforeእሆናላቸው/ihonalachew/they will beነበራትን/neberatn/but she had itይሁን/yhun/let it be / may it beስለነበር/sleneber/because it wasእንዳይሆናቸው/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 thenነበርኩህ/neberkuh/I was (to you)ነበርኩን/neberkun/we were / I was (emph.)ስላለ/slale/because there isሳይሆን/sayhon/instead of beingሆናል/honal/it has becomeእንደሌለ/indelayle/as if there is notነበርበት/neberbet/it was in/at itይሆን/yhon/it may beመሆንና/mehonna/and/because beingመሆናቸው/mehonachew/their 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 wereነበርች/neberch/she wasቢሆን/bihon/if it isሆኖአለች/honoalech/she has becomeሆኑት/honut/they became him/it / they did itአልነበረችም/alneberechm/she was notነበርላቸው/neberlachew/she had them / it was for themነበርላት/neberlat/she had it / it was for herነበርለት/neberlet/he had her / he had it (f.)ነበርለን/neberlen/we had it / it was for usነበርለው/neberlew/it was for himነበረባት/neberebat/she used to haveነውናቸው/newnachew/it is theyእያሉ/iyalu/while they areእያለች/iyalech/while she isእያለን/iyalen/while we areእያሉት/iyalut/while they/you (pol.) are itትሆኑልኝ/thonulny/you (pl) will be for meእያልተው/iyaltew/while they said/left itእየሆነኩ/iyehoneku/as I am becomingነበራችን/neberachn/we hadናት/nat/she isይሆኑኝ/yhonuny/they will be for meነበር/neber/wasአልሆንም/alhonm/I am not / it is notናቸው/nachew/they areነበሩበት/neberubet/they were in it / thereነው/new/isሆነ/hone/becameመሆን/mehon/to beነበር/neber/he was / it wasነዎትም/newotm/you are (polite) tooእንዴትሆነ/indaythone/how is itእሆንበት/ihonbet/I will be in/at itነበርዎት/neberwot/you were (polite) / he was (polite)ይሆናላቸው/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 themነበርዋል/neberwal/she has had itነውና/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 usነበርነው/nebernew/it was him/itሆኖ/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)ነበርላችሁ/neberlachhu/it was for you (pl)ነበርም/neberm/it was also / it was (indeed)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 beingሆኖነበር/hononeber/it had been (I)ነዉ/newu/isይሆናሉልህ/yhonalulh/they will become for youነበሩበው/neberubew/they were in/with him/itነበረው/neberew/he was / it was (him)ነበርክ/neberk/you were (m.)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.) areነበርለህ/neberleh/it was for you (m)እስከሆነ/iskehone/until (it) becameነበርኩት/neberkut/I was with him/her / I had him/herእሆንብለዋለሁ/ihonblewalehu/I will be for herነበርምም/nebermm/it existed (indeed)እያለ/iyale/while he is / as it isነበርዎም/neberwom/it was for you too (polite)ናችው/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 beትሆናልኝ/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 themነበርልኝ/neberlny/I had it / it was for meእያሉኝ/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 sayingነበርዋት/neberwat/she had it (emphatic)ሆነውም/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 beነበርዋቸው/neberwachew/she had them / it was hers (pl.)ነበረብህ/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)
Frequently asked questions
What does ሆንኩ mean in English?
ሆንኩ (honku) means "I became / I was" in English.
How do you pronounce ሆንኩ?
ሆንኩ is pronounced honku.
What part of speech is ሆንኩ?
ሆንኩ is a verb in Amharic.
What is the dictionary form of ሆንኩ?
ሆንኩ is a form of መሆን (mehon), meaning "to be".
Learn ሆንኩ in context.Gursha teaches Amharic through real conversations — script, sound, and the situations you'll actually use.