ለ-

From Proto-Semitic *lV-.

ለ- • (lä-)

1. to, for, belonging to.

• Dillmann, August (1865) “ለ”, in Lexicon linguae aethiopicae cum indice latino (in Latin), Leipzig: T. O. Weigel

ለ- • (lä-)

1. the, the normal definite article in this language

Unlike Arabic الـ (-al) it can also be met in the construct state, even before nouns bearing pronominal suffixes. If there is a noun with adjective or numeral qualifier then either the noun or the adjective can bear it, usually first article, thereafter adjective, at last the noun. Also, in a list of nouns such as coordinated by ወ- (wä-, “and”) it may be used just once in the beginning to make all nouns determinate.

ለ- • (lä-)

1. (differential) the one

ለ- • (lä-)

1. A relativizer, used to indicate a relative clause

Usually precedes a verb, while it does need to be in the beginning of the relative clause (as Təgrē has SOV word order). If the verb has a preposition in its government then it goes in front of the preposition

Can be used without antecedent, for example:

• 1913, Enno Littmann, editor, Publications of the Princeton Expedition to Abyssinia. Volume III: Lieder der Tigrē-Stämme: Tigrē Text.‎, Leiden: E. J. Brill, page 209 Nr. 285 line 4:

  ምን፡ሽዒር፡መልእዋ፡ምን፡ማሼላ፡ለገመት።

  mən-šəʿir-mälləʾwa-mən-mašela-lä-gämmät.

  Of barley they filled and of durra what was empty [i.e. the containers which were empty].

  translation into German: Enno Littmann, editor (1913), Publications of the Princeton Expedition to Abyssinia. Volume IV: Lieder der Tigrē-Stämme: Deutsche Übersetzung und Commentar.‎ (in Tigre), Leiden: E. J. Brill, page 441

It can also be omitted if the antecedent it refers to has the definite article—an opposite of the behaviour of Arabic اَلَّذِي (allaḏī) which is required after الـ (-al).