Catalogue
The languages of Ethiopia
Ethiopia has more than 80 languages. This catalogue has 100 entries, following Glottolog's wider definition: 91 living or endangered languages, plus 6 extinct, 2 pidgins, 2 unattested and 2 unclassifiable varieties and 1 sign language, some of those counted in more than one of those categories. Oromo's 3 varieties are folded into it rather than listed separately. Counts elsewhere on this site are drawn from this list. How the list is built.
- 91 living or endangered languages
- 100 entries in all
- 14 language families & branches
- 6 with an EthioNLP model or dataset
- 94 with an ISO 639-3 code
Language comparison
Four figures for any languages you pick. Opens on the 6 with an EthioNLP model or dataset; add any of the other 94.
No language is selected. Pick one above.
Bars are scaled to the largest value among the languages shown, so they compare those languages with each other and not with the catalogue. See where these figures come from.
By family and branch
Classification follows Glottolog. Cushitic and Omotic between them are about half the list. Omotic languages have little research: apart from Wolaytta, the Omotic entries here have paper counts below ten. Languages with a model or a dataset are marked; select any name for its full entry.
- Cushitic 24 · 2 covered
- OromoSomaliAfarKambaataAwngiSidamoGedeoTsamaiQimantMaayHadiyyaGirirraBaisoArboreBussaDaasanachLibidoDirashaAle-GawwadaBurjiXamtangaKonsoSahoAlaba-K'abeena
- Ta-Ne-Omotic 19 · 1 covered
- WolayttaKafaZayse-ZergullaYemsaShekkachoMeloKachama-Ganjule-HaroGofaGamoDorzeDawroCharaBoro (Ethiopia)AnfilloOydaBasketoMale (Ethiopia)KooreteBench
- Semitic 15 · 3 covered
- AmharicTigrinyaGeezSilt'eSebat Bet GurageZayWolaneSudanese ArabicMesmesKistaneInoricGafatHarariArgobbaMesqan
- Surmic 8 · none covered
- Tirma-ChaiNgaalamMurleMe'enKweguKacipo-BalesiMursiMajang
- South Omotic 5 · none covered
- Karo (Ethiopia)Hamer-BannaGayilDimeAari
- Koman 4 · none covered
- UdukOpoGwamaKomo (Sudan-Ethiopia)
- Gumuz 3 · none covered
- Southern GumuzDaats'iinNorthern Gumuz
- Pidgin 2 · none covered
- Pidgin HamerChinese-Ethiopian Road Site Pidgin
- Unclassifiable 2 · none covered
- MangioDima-Bottego
- Berta (isolate) 1 · none covered
- Berta
- Kunama (isolate) 1 · none covered
- Kunama
- Ongota (isolate) 1 · none covered
- Ongota
- Shabo (isolate) 1 · none covered
- Shabo
- Sign Language 1 · none covered
- Ethiopian Sign Language
All 100 entries, including extinct and signed
The full reference, in the same form as the comparison above. These are separate languages, not dialects of each other; why the count runs past “80+”.
Bars are scaled to the whole catalogue. Open a row for its sources, its models and datasets, and who has published on it.
Models Datasets Papers only, nothing released Nothing yet
Show the full list 100 entries
OromoAfaan Oromoo
Cushitic · Latin · orm
270
8
13
orm
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Latin script
- Status
- living
- Includes
- Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo, Eastern Oromo, West Central Oromo
- Glottolog
- nucl1736
Models and datasets
- EthioNLP/EthioLLM-s-70k model
- EthioNLP/EthioLLM-l-70K model
- EthioNLP/EthioLLM-l-250K model
- israel/waxal-autolabled dataset
- EthioNLP/ethionlp_mt5_small model
- EthioNLP/amharic_mt5_small model
- EthioNLP/waliatokenizer model
- EthioNLP/waliatokenizerV2 model
Amharicአማርኛ
Semitic · Geʽez · amh
1248
31
15
amh
Facts
- Branch
- Semitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- amha1245
Models and datasets
- israel/LLAMA-Walia-I model
- uhhlt/amharichatespeechranlp dataset
- israel/LLAMA-Walia-II model
- EthioNLP/EthioLLM-s-70k model
- EthioNLP/EthioLLM-l-70K model
- EthioNLP/EthioLLM-l-250K model
- uhhlt/am-roberta model
- EthioNLP/Amharic_Instruction_dataset dataset
- and 23 more
Who works on it
SomaliAf-Soomaali
Cushitic · Latin · som
193≈
8
5
som
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Latin script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- soma1255
Models and datasets
- EthioNLP/EthioLLM-s-70k model
- EthioNLP/EthioLLM-l-70K model
- EthioNLP/EthioLLM-l-250K model
- Tadesse/EthioEmo dataset
- Tadesse/EthioEmo-intensities dataset
- EthioNLP/ethionlp_mt5_small model
- EthioNLP/waliatokenizer model
- EthioNLP/waliatokenizerV2 model
Tigrinyaትግርኛ
Semitic · Geʽez · tir
119
10
12
tir
Facts
- Branch
- Semitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- tigr1271
Models and datasets
- EthioNLP/EthioLLM-s-70k model
- EthioNLP/EthioLLM-l-70K model
- EthioNLP/EthioLLM-l-250K model
- israel/waxal-autolabled dataset
- Tadesse/EthioEmo dataset
- Tadesse/EthioEmo-intensities dataset
- EthioNLP/ethionlp_mt5_small model
- EthioNLP/amharic_mt5_small model
- and 2 more
Wolaytta
Ta-Ne-Omotic · Latin · wal
26
1
11
wal
Facts
- Branch
- Ta-Ne-Omotic, Ta-Ne-Omotic
- Script
- Latin script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- wola1242
Models and datasets
- EthioNLP/waliatokenizer model
Sidamo
Cushitic · Latin · sid
5≈
0
5
sid
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Latin script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- sida1246
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
AfarAfar-af
Cushitic · Latin · aar
33≈
0
0
aar
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Latin script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- afar1241
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Kafa
Ta-Ne-Omotic · Geʽez · kbr
7≈
0
0
kbr
Facts
- Branch
- Ta-Ne-Omotic, Ta-Ne-Omotic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- kafa1242
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Sebat Bet Gurage
Semitic · Geʽez · sgw
0
0
0
sgw
Facts
- Branch
- Semitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- seba1251
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Gedeo
Cushitic · Geʽez · drs
1≈
0
0
drs
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- gede1246
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Silt'eየስልጤ
Semitic · Geʽez · stv
3≈
0
0
stv
Facts
- Branch
- Semitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- silt1240
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Nuer
Nilotic · Latin · nus
6≈
0
0
nus
Facts
- Branch
- Nilotic, Nilotic
- Script
- Latin script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- nuer1246
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Kambaata
Cushitic · Geʽez · ktb
20≈
0
0
ktb
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- kamb1316
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Awngi
Cushitic · Geʽez · awn
10
0
0
awn
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- awng1244
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Berta
Berta (isolate) · Latin alphabet · wti
34≈
0
0
wti
Facts
- Branch
- Berta (isolate), Berta (isolate)
- Script
- Latin alphabet
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- bert1248
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Bench
Ta-Ne-Omotic · Latin · bcq
0
0
0
bcq
Facts
- Branch
- Ta-Ne-Omotic, Ta-Ne-Omotic
- Script
- Latin script
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- benc1235
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Alaba-K'abeena
Cushitic · Geʽez · alw
0
0
0
alw
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- alab1254
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Aari
South Omotic · Latin · aiw
0
0
0
aiw
Facts
- Branch
- South Omotic, South Omotic
- Script
- Latin script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- aari1239
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Saho
Cushitic · Latin alphabet · ssy
0
0
0
ssy
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Latin alphabet
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- saho1246
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Ethiopian Sign Language
Sign Language · eth
0
0
0
eth
Facts
- Branch
- Sign Language, Sign Language
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- ethi1238
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Konso
Cushitic · Geʽez · kxc
0
0
0
kxc
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- kons1243
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Northern Gumuz
Gumuz · Latin alphabet · guk
0
0
0
guk
Facts
- Branch
- Gumuz, Gumuz
- Script
- Latin alphabet
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- gumu1244
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Xamtanga
Cushitic · Geʽez · xan
0
0
0
xan
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- xamt1239
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Mesqan
Semitic · mvz
0
0
0
mvz
Facts
- Branch
- Semitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- mesq1240
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Koorete
Ta-Ne-Omotic · Latin · kqy
0
0
0
kqy
Facts
- Branch
- Ta-Ne-Omotic, Ta-Ne-Omotic
- Script
- Latin script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- koor1239
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Anuak
Nilotic · Geʽez · anu
0
0
0
anu
Facts
- Branch
- Nilotic, Nilotic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- anua1242
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Male (Ethiopia)
Ta-Ne-Omotic · Geʽez · mdy
0
0
0
mdy
Facts
- Branch
- Ta-Ne-Omotic, Ta-Ne-Omotic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- male1284
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Basketo
Ta-Ne-Omotic · Geʽez · bst
0
0
0
bst
Facts
- Branch
- Ta-Ne-Omotic, Ta-Ne-Omotic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- bask1236
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Burji
Cushitic · Geʽez · bji
0
0
0
bji
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- burj1242
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Ale-Gawwada
Cushitic · Geʽez · gwd
0
0
0
gwd
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- gaww1239
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Dirasha
Cushitic · gdl
0
0
0
gdl
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- dira1242
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Libido
Cushitic · Geʽez · liq
0
0
0
liq
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- libi1250
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Daasanach
Cushitic · Latin alphabet · dsh
0
0
0
dsh
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Latin alphabet
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- daas1238
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Argobba
Semitic · Geʽez · agj
0
0
0
agj
Facts
- Branch
- Semitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- argo1244
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Oyda
Ta-Ne-Omotic · oyd
0
0
0
oyd
Facts
- Branch
- Ta-Ne-Omotic, Ta-Ne-Omotic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- oyda1235
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Harari
Semitic · Geʽez · har
0
0
0
har
Facts
- Branch
- Semitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- hara1271
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Bussa
Cushitic · dox
0
0
0
dox
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- buss1239
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Komo (Sudan-Ethiopia)
Koman · Latin alphabet · xom
0
0
0
xom
Facts
- Branch
- Koman, Koman
- Script
- Latin alphabet
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- komo1258
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Majang
Surmic · Geʽez · mpe
0
0
0
mpe
Facts
- Branch
- Surmic, Surmic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- maja1242
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Mursi
Surmic · Geʽez · muz
0
0
0
muz
Facts
- Branch
- Surmic, Surmic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- murs1242
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Arbore
Cushitic · arv
0
0
0
arv
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- arbo1245
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Baiso
Cushitic · bsw
0
0
0
bsw
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- bais1246
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Shabo
Shabo (isolate) · sbf
0
0
0
sbf
Facts
- Branch
- Shabo (isolate), Shabo (isolate)
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- shab1252
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Gwama
Koman · kmq
0
0
0
kmq
Facts
- Branch
- Koman, Koman
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- kwam1249
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Ongota
Ongota (isolate) · bxe
0
0
0
bxe
Facts
- Branch
- Ongota (isolate), Ongota (isolate)
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- bira1253
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Weyto
Unattested · woy
0
0
0
woy
Facts
- Branch
- Unattested, Unattested
- Status
- extinct
- Glottolog
- weyt1237
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Anfillo
Ta-Ne-Omotic · myo
0
0
0
myo
Facts
- Branch
- Ta-Ne-Omotic, Ta-Ne-Omotic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- anfi1235
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Bambassi
Blue Nile Mao · myf
0
0
0
myf
Facts
- Branch
- Blue Nile Mao, Blue Nile Mao
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- bamb1262
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Boro (Ethiopia)
Ta-Ne-Omotic · bwo
0
0
0
bwo
Facts
- Branch
- Ta-Ne-Omotic, Ta-Ne-Omotic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- boro1277
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Chara
Ta-Ne-Omotic · cra
0
0
0
cra
Facts
- Branch
- Ta-Ne-Omotic, Ta-Ne-Omotic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- char1269
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Chinese-Ethiopian Road Site Pidgin
Pidgin
0
0
0
Facts
- Branch
- Pidgin, Pidgin
- Glottolog
- chin1496
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Daats'iin
Gumuz · dtn
0
0
0
dtn
Facts
- Branch
- Gumuz, Gumuz
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- daat1234
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Dawro
Ta-Ne-Omotic · dwr
0
0
0
dwr
Facts
- Branch
- Ta-Ne-Omotic, Ta-Ne-Omotic
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- dawr1236
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Dima-Bottego
Unclassifiable
0
0
0
Facts
- Branch
- Unclassifiable, Unclassifiable
- Status
- extinct
- Glottolog
- dima1246
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Dime
South Omotic · dim
0
0
0
dim
Facts
- Branch
- South Omotic, South Omotic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- dime1235
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Dizin
Dizoid · mdx
0
0
0
mdx
Facts
- Branch
- Dizoid, Dizoid
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- dizi1235
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Dorze
Ta-Ne-Omotic · doz
0
0
0
doz
Facts
- Branch
- Ta-Ne-Omotic, Ta-Ne-Omotic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- dorz1235
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Gafat
Semitic · gft
0
0
0
gft
Facts
- Branch
- Semitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Status
- extinct
- Glottolog
- gafa1240
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Gamo
Ta-Ne-Omotic · gmv
0
0
0
gmv
Facts
- Branch
- Ta-Ne-Omotic, Ta-Ne-Omotic
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- gamo1243
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Ganza
Blue Nile Mao · gza
0
0
0
gza
Facts
- Branch
- Blue Nile Mao, Blue Nile Mao
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- ganz1246
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Gayil
South Omotic · gyl
0
0
0
gyl
Facts
- Branch
- South Omotic, South Omotic
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- gayi1237
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Geezግዕዝ
Semitic · Geʽez · gez
0
5
8
gez
Facts
- Branch
- Semitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Script
- Geʽez script
- Status
- extinct
- Glottolog
- geez1241
Models and datasets
- EthioNLP/EthioLLM-s-70k model
- EthioNLP/EthioLLM-l-70K model
- EthioNLP/EthioLLM-l-250K model
- EthioNLP/ethionlp_mt5_small model
- EthioNLP/amharic_mt5_small model
Girirra
Cushitic · gii
0
0
0
gii
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- giri1245
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Gofa
Ta-Ne-Omotic · gof
0
0
0
gof
Facts
- Branch
- Ta-Ne-Omotic, Ta-Ne-Omotic
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- gofa1235
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Hadiyya
Cushitic · hdy
0
0
0
hdy
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- hadi1240
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Hamer-Banna
South Omotic · amf
0
0
0
amf
Facts
- Branch
- South Omotic, South Omotic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- hame1242
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Hozo
Blue Nile Mao · hoz
0
0
0
hoz
Facts
- Branch
- Blue Nile Mao, Blue Nile Mao
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- hozo1236
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Inoric
Semitic · ior
0
0
0
ior
Facts
- Branch
- Semitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- inor1238
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Kachama-Ganjule-Haro
Ta-Ne-Omotic · kcx
0
0
0
kcx
Facts
- Branch
- Ta-Ne-Omotic, Ta-Ne-Omotic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- kach1284
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Kacipo-Balesi
Surmic · koe
0
0
0
koe
Facts
- Branch
- Surmic, Surmic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- kaci1244
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Karo (Ethiopia)
South Omotic · kxh
0
0
0
kxh
Facts
- Branch
- South Omotic, South Omotic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- karo1297
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Kistane
Semitic · gru
0
0
0
gru
Facts
- Branch
- Semitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- kist1241
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Kunama
Kunama (isolate) · kun
0
0
0
kun
Facts
- Branch
- Kunama (isolate), Kunama (isolate)
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- kuna1268
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Kwegu
Surmic · xwg
0
0
0
xwg
Facts
- Branch
- Surmic, Surmic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- kweg1241
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Maay
Cushitic · ymm
0
0
0
ymm
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- maay1238
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Mangio
Unclassifiable
0
0
0
Facts
- Branch
- Unclassifiable, Unclassifiable
- Glottolog
- mang1364
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Me'en
Surmic · Latin · mym
0
0
0
mym
Facts
- Branch
- Surmic, Surmic
- Script
- Latin script
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- meen1242
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Melo
Ta-Ne-Omotic · mfx
0
0
0
mfx
Facts
- Branch
- Ta-Ne-Omotic, Ta-Ne-Omotic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- melo1242
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Mesmes
Semitic · mys
0
0
0
mys
Facts
- Branch
- Semitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Status
- extinct
- Glottolog
- mesm1243
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Murle
Surmic · mur
0
0
0
mur
Facts
- Branch
- Surmic, Surmic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- murl1244
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Nayi
Dizoid · noz
0
0
0
noz
Facts
- Branch
- Dizoid, Dizoid
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- nayi1243
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Ngaalam
Surmic
0
0
0
Facts
- Branch
- Surmic, Surmic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- ngaa1241
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Nyangatom
Nilotic · nnj
0
0
0
nnj
Facts
- Branch
- Nilotic, Nilotic
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- nyan1315
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Opo
Koman · Latin · lgn
0
0
0
lgn
Facts
- Branch
- Koman, Koman
- Script
- Latin script
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- opuu1239
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Pidgin Hamer
Pidgin
0
0
0
Facts
- Branch
- Pidgin, Pidgin
- Glottolog
- pidg1260
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Qimant
Cushitic · ahg
0
0
0
ahg
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- qima1242
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Rer Bare
Unattested · rer
0
0
0
rer
Facts
- Branch
- Unattested, Unattested
- Status
- extinct
- Glottolog
- rerb1235
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Seze
Blue Nile Mao · sze
0
0
0
sze
Facts
- Branch
- Blue Nile Mao, Blue Nile Mao
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- seze1235
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Shekkacho
Ta-Ne-Omotic · moy
0
0
0
moy
Facts
- Branch
- Ta-Ne-Omotic, Ta-Ne-Omotic
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- shek1244
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Sheko
Dizoid · she
0
0
0
she
Facts
- Branch
- Dizoid, Dizoid
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- shek1245
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Southern Gumuz
Gumuz
0
0
0
Facts
- Branch
- Gumuz, Gumuz
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- sout3236
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Sudanese Arabic
Semitic · apd
0
0
0
apd
Facts
- Branch
- Semitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- suda1236
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Tirma-Chai
Surmic · suq
0
0
0
suq
Facts
- Branch
- Surmic, Surmic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- suri1267
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Tsamai
Cushitic · tsb
0
0
0
tsb
Facts
- Branch
- Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- tsam1247
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Turkana
Nilotic · tuv
0
0
0
tuv
Facts
- Branch
- Nilotic, Nilotic
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- turk1308
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Uduk
Koman · udu
0
0
0
udu
Facts
- Branch
- Koman, Koman
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- uduk1239
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Wolane
Semitic · wle
0
0
0
wle
Facts
- Branch
- Semitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Status
- living
- Glottolog
- wola1253
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Yemsa
Ta-Ne-Omotic · jnj
0
0
0
jnj
Facts
- Branch
- Ta-Ne-Omotic, Ta-Ne-Omotic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- yems1235
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Zay
Semitic · zwa
0
0
0
zwa
Facts
- Branch
- Semitic, Afro-Asiatic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- zayy1238
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
Zayse-Zergulla
Ta-Ne-Omotic · zay
0
0
0
zay
Facts
- Branch
- Ta-Ne-Omotic, Ta-Ne-Omotic
- Status
- endangered
- Glottolog
- zays1235
Models and datasets
Nothing released for this language yet.
Who works on it
No member listed here has published on it.
No languages match that.
Where these figures come from
The list is every languoid Glottolog records at language level with Ethiopia among its countries, minus Glottolog's Bookkeeping codes (duplicate or superseded ISO codes) and plus any ISO 639-3 macrolanguage Glottolog models as a family node whose members are in the list; classification, coordinates and endangerment status are Glottolog's, while ISO codes, endonyms, writing systems, and speaker counts come from Wikidata, where the speaker figure is the statement Wikidata itself ranks as preferred (most recent census where one is dated) and counts first-language speakers unless Wikidata's own statement says otherwise; it is not a population figure, the totals double-count multilingual speakers, and roughly half the languages have no published count at all and are written as null rather than estimated.
Why this is more than the “80+” quoted elsewhere on the site. That figure is the familiar one, from the census and from Ethnologue, and it counts living indigenous languages. This table counts Glottolog languoids, its own unit for a language variety, which is a wider net: of the 100 here, six are extinct, two are recorded only as unattested, two are unclassifiable, two are pidgins and one is a sign language. Those categories overlap, so they cover 9 rows rather than thirteen; setting them aside leaves 91 living or endangered languages, which is what the catalogue's own status field gives. Neither number is wrong; they count different things.
Two corrections are applied to the source data. ISO macrolanguages are folded into one row rather than listed alongside their varieties: Oromo appeared four times, once as the macrolanguage carrying the whole-language speaker figure and once for each of its three varieties. The varieties are recorded on the macrolanguage instead. And a country attribution is dropped where it is clearly wrong, which at present means one entry: Adamawa Fulfulde, a language of Cameroon, Nigeria and Chad. Cross-border languages with speakers inside Ethiopia, such as Nuer and Sudanese Arabic, are kept.
Speaker figures are not shown at present. The available sources are not good enough to publish: an independent check of the Wikidata column found five of the fifteen largest figures wrong, one of them sourced to a blog post, and several others were worldwide counts rather than counts of speakers in Ethiopia. The alternative, the 2007 census, is citable but nearly two decades old, and Ethiopia's next census has been postponed with no date. Ethnologue has current numbers and its licence forbids republishing them. The column will be restored when a reliable source is available.
The paper counts are indexed works matching the language name in a title-and-abstract search, intersected with the natural-language-processing concept. Short or ambiguous names (Afar, Kafa, Harari, Me'en) over-match badly, and those are marked with a ≈. Read them as upper bounds.
Last built 10 September 2026.
Correcting an entry
This file is generated, so corrections go upstream: fix the language in Glottolog or Wikidata and the next sync picks it up, which helps other projects using those sources, not just this page. For anything the upstream sources cannot express, or if a language is missing entirely, open an issue.