Learn Tigrinya online

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Tigrinya belongs to the semitic language family and is the main language Eritreas. She is also spoken in North Ethiopia. With the unique Ge'ez alphabet, it differs from all others. Our native speakers from Eritrea and Ethiopia also convey cultural subtleties to you. Ideal if you want to discover, travel or work in the region. Also interesting: Amharisch, Oromo and Somali.

Three levels, one goal: talk Tigrinya

Whether beginners or advanced. Find the online course at Sankofa Lingua Academy that suits you.
STARTE DEINE WEG IN Tigrinya

Tigrinya for beginners (A1)

In only a few weeks you speak your first sentences on Tigrinya and surprises family and friends with a language that only a few Europeans master.


  • Self-confident introduce
  • Simple sentences form and understand
  • Basic word for everyday life
  • The special Tigrinya route pronounce correctly


After this course: You're first to talk to Tigrinya and master simple everyday situations


Discover Tigrinya on a new level

Tigrinya for explorers (A2)

You already understand the basics? It's gonna be exciting. Discover the culture behind the language and conduct conversations that go beyond Smalltalk.


  • Expenditure Talking
  • Read texts and understand
  • Cultural background and get to know proverbs
  • Vocabulary to expand

After this course: You are more fluent and understand cultural relationships.
Speak Tigrinya with clarity and depth

Tigrinya for Champion (B1)


Time for the next step. Master the grammar and communicate at a level that impresses native speakers.

  • More complex set structures dominance
  • Own Texts and news write
  • Read more demanding texts and understand
  • Talks diverse topics sovereign guide

After this course: You read, write and speak Tigrinya with self-confidence.

Find your appropriate experience

Discover the perfect online language course at Sankofa Lingua Academy that is tailored to your level of experience:

Tigrinya for beginners (A1)

  • Skills for daily conversation building
  • Imagine self-confident before
  • Simple sentences form

Tigrinya for explorers (A2)

  • Improvement of the Reading
  • In-depth discussions lead
  • Cultural Researching aspects

Tigrinya for Champion (B1)

  • Depression of the Text understanding
  • Enhance Your writing skills
  • Basic grammar dominance
 You can change the level of experience within the first two lessons if you find it too hard or too easy.

Facts about Tigrinya

African countries
Dialects
Language in Eritrea
Languages in Ethiopia

Tigrinya courses

3 editions: New Year, Summer, Winter
Each edition lasts 10 weeks (about 20 hours)
On average 2-hour sessions per week
Our language courses are designed as group courses.
 For smaller groups, the duration of instruction is adjusted. Don't worry: the teaching quality remains the same.

Number Duration of teaching
1 – 2 participants 60 min
3 – 4 participants 90 min
5 – 10 participants 120 min
10+ participants 120 min + Breakout Groups

New Year Edition (NYE) 2026

16. February 2026
to
3. May 2026

Summer Edition (SE) 2026

01. June 2026
to
02. August 2026

Winter Edition (WE) 2026

14. September 2026
to
29. November 2026

Languages in Eritrea & Ethiopia: Tigrinya

Tigrinya is the most widely spoken language of Eritrea and connects about 10 million people in East Africa. Speakers focus on the Highlands of Eritreas around Asmara and the Tigray region in northern Ethiopia. Two countries, a language, a millennial history.

In Germany, Tigrinya is one of the most common migration languages. For many in the Diaspora, Tigrinya is the language of the family, celebrations, memory. At Sankofa Lingua, you learn from the ground.

A national star: Tigrinya in Eritrea

In Eritrea is Tigrinya the most widely spoken language. Almost half of the population speaks. Especially in the highlands around Asmara, it shapes everyday life. Eritrea has nine officially recognized national languages: Tigrinya, Tigre, Arabic, Afar, Saho, Bilen, Kunama, Nara and Bedsha. Tigrinya takes a special role. It is the working language in administration, dominates the media and public life in the capital. Anyone who goes to the market in Asmara, listens to radio, or takes care of authorities, does not pass Tigrinya.

Tigrinya in Ethiopia: recognition at national level

Tigrinya was officially recognized in Ethiopia for a long time only in the Tigray region. Round 4.5 million people in Ethiopia speak Tigrinya as a mother tongue. In 2020, the turn was in Ethiopia. By then, Amharisch was the only official language at national level. The Ethiopian Cabinet changed and recognized four other languages: OromoTigrinya, Somali and Afar. Today Ethiopia has five national official languages instead of one. 

Tigrinya and Semitic Languages

Tigrinya belongs to the semitic language family. This makes it related to Arabic, Hebrew and Amharisch. World only five semitic languages a recognised national status. Tigrinya is one of them.

The roots date back over 2,000 years. Tigrinya comes from Ge'ez, an old language spoken in the kingdom of Aksum. Aksum was a great power in today's Eritrea and North Ethiopia, comparable to the Roman Empire at the same time. Ge'ez is no longer an everyday language, but it continues to live. In the Ethiopian Orthodox Churches and Eritrean Orthodox Churches it still serves for prayers and worship, similar to Latin in the Catholic Church.

Tigrinya has kept many old words from the Ge'ez, but the set structure has changed fundamentally. In Ge'ez was the verb at the beginning of the sentence. Tigrinya puts it to the end. They say not "I eat bread" but "I eat bread". The next living Related by Tigrinya is Tigre, a language spoken mainly in the West of Eritreas
Did you know? Tigrinya and Hausa both belong to the African-Asian language family, Africa's largest language phylum with some 350 languages and 500 million speakers. But they sit on different branches of the family tree: Tigrinya is a semitic language, Hausa is part of the Thai branch. 

The Ge'ez font: How to write Tigrinya

Tigrinya is written with the Ethiopian script, also called Ge'ez script. This font system works differently from the Latin alphabet. Each Sign is not a single letter, but a whole syllable, a combination of consonant and vocal.

Language scientists call this System Abugida. The principle is logical: each consonant has a basic form. Depending on which vowel follows, this basic form is easily modified. Thus, seven different signs for the seven vowels arise from a consonant.

You don't learn 26 letters like in German, but about 230 syllables. It takes more time at the beginning, but the system behind it makes it possible. 

Tigrinya dialect: Asmara and Tigray compared

Tigrinya has two recognized main dialects. The Asmara dialect in Eritrea and the Tigray dialect in Ethiopia. The good news for learners is that both variants are mutually understandable. Anyone who speaks a dialect is easily understood in the other country.

What distinguishes Tigrinya from many other languages is that Lack of official standard form. Although the language has a written tradition that dates back to the 13th century, a uniform standard has never been established. In Eritrea, language use is based on the Asmara dialect, in Ethiopia on the Tigray dialect. There is no cross-compliance that regulates spelling or grammar bindingly.

Frequently Asked Questions About Tigrinya Course

Language families to Tigrinya

Afroasian
  • Berberian
  • Czech
  • Cussy
  • Egyptian


  •  Semi-finished
  • Ostsemitic
  • Unclassified semitish


  • Westemitic
  • Central semi-


  • Ethiopia
  • Geʿez
  • South Ethiopia
  • Tigre-Dahalik


  • Tigrinya
  • Northern Tigrinya
  • Southern Tigrinya

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