# Amharic speech-to-text API (አማርኛ)

> KolWrite transcribes Amharic audio and video into Ge'ez (Ethiopic) script with one API call: send "language": "am" and get timed segments with speaker labels as JSON, TXT or SRT. Oracle models translate Amharic into English, Hebrew or 98 other languages.

Last updated: 2026-10-08 · HTML: https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/amharic

## Transcribe Amharic with one request

Set `language` to `am` and start a job. Poll `GET /transcribe/{jobId}` for the result, or pass a `webhook_url`.

```bash
curl https://app.kolwrite.com/transcribe \
  -H "x-api-key: $KOLWRITE_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"audio_url": "https://example.com/interview-am.m4a", "model": "oracle", "language": "am", "include_diarization": true, "output_format": "json"}'
```

Translate Amharic audio into English in the same job (Oracle models only):

```bash
curl https://app.kolwrite.com/transcribe \
  -H "x-api-key: $KOLWRITE_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"audio_url": "https://example.com/interview-am.m4a", "model": "oracle_mini", "language": "am", "translate_to": "en", "output_format": "srt"}'
```

## Amharic at a glance

| Property | Details |
| --- | --- |
| API code | `am` |
| Native name | አማርኛ |
| Writing direction | Left to right |
| Automatic detection | Yes: omit `language` or send `"auto"` |
| Translate Amharic audio into | Any of the 100 supported languages, on Oracle models |
| Translate other languages into Amharic | Yes: `translate_to: "am"` on Oracle models |
| Output | JSON (segments, word timings, speakers), TXT, SRT |
| Price | US$0.48 (Base) to US$3.60 (Oracle Max) per audio hour; US$1.44 on Oracle |

## What to know about Amharic transcription

- Amharic is written left to right in the Ethiopic syllabary (ፊደል). Check that your fonts and databases support the Ethiopic Unicode block.
- Amharic is a lower-resource language for speech recognition. Test a sample of your recordings and plan review before publishing transcripts.
- Ethiopian speech mixes Amharic with English and other Ethiopian languages. Tigrinya and Oromo are not on the supported list.

## Where teams use Amharic transcription

- Community media and services for Amharic speakers in Ethiopia, Israel, the US and Europe.
- Research and NGO interviews translated with `translate_to: "en"`.
- Archiving radio and religious recordings.

## Choosing a model

Start with `oracle` (US$1.44 per hour) for production Amharic audio. Use `base` (US$0.48) for clean, single-speaker recordings at volume, `oracle_mini` (US$0.96) for the cheapest translation, and `oracle_pro` or `oracle_max` for noisy or difficult audio. KolWrite does not publish a Amharic accuracy figure for this API, so test a sample of your own recordings before committing. Full comparison: [models and prices](https://console.kolwrite.com/models).

## Questions and answers

### Are Tigrinya and Oromo supported?

No. The supported list includes Amharic (`am`) but not Tigrinya or Oromo.

### Can I translate Amharic audio into Hebrew?

Yes, with an Oracle model and `translate_to: "he"`.

### What script does the transcript use?

Ethiopic (Ge'ez) script, as standard Unicode text.

## Related pages

- [Swahili speech-to-text](https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/swahili)
- [Arabic speech-to-text](https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/arabic)
- [Hebrew speech-to-text](https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/hebrew)
- [Language research & linguistics](https://console.kolwrite.com/use-cases/researchers)
- [Media, podcasts & subtitles](https://console.kolwrite.com/use-cases/media)
- [Supported languages](https://console.kolwrite.com/languages/)

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Get an API key: https://console.kolwrite.com/auth · API documentation: https://console.kolwrite.com/public_api_docs · llms.txt: https://console.kolwrite.com/llms.txt