For years, "AI video" meant English video. Google's Veo 3 changed that: it generates the visuals and the voice together, and that voice can speak Amharic. For Ethiopian advertisers, YouTubers and TikTok creators, this is the unlock — a talking ad, explainer or skit in your audience's language, generated in minutes. Here's exactly how to do it.
What you need
- An AQEM AI account — signup is free and comes with free credits, no card required. Veo 3 itself sits on the Pro plan (1,499 ETB/month, 800 credits), payable with Telebirr, CBE Birr, Awash or M-Pesa.
- Your dialogue written out in Amharic script (ፊደል) — this matters; transliterated "selam" will not be pronounced like ሰላም.
- A clear idea of the scene: who is speaking, where, in what tone.
Step-by-step: your first Amharic AI video
- Sign up at aqemai.com/signup and log in to the dashboard.
- Switch to video mode in the generator.
- Select Veo 3 from the model picker.
- Write the prompt. The structure that works: scene description in English + the exact Amharic line in quotes + delivery notes. For example:
A warm Ethiopian coffee shop in Addis Ababa, morning light. A friendly
woman in her 30s behind the counter looks at the camera and says in
Amharic: "እንኳን ደህና መጡ! ዛሬ ቡናችን ልዩ ነው።" Natural, welcoming tone.
Realistic, cinematic, 9:16.
- Generate, then watch it with sound on. The speech should sync to the speaker's lips.
- Iterate. If a word lands wrong, shorten the sentence or split it across two shots and regenerate — small dialogue edits make a big difference.
3 example prompts that work
Product ad (vertical for TikTok/Reels):
Close-up of a young man holding a smartphone, modern Addis Ababa street
at dusk. He smiles at the camera and says in Amharic: "ይህን ስልክ ከገዛሁ
በኋላ ሕይወቴ ቀለለ።" Then a quick product shot. Energetic ad tone, 9:16.
News-style explainer:
A professional news studio. A presenter in a suit looks into the camera
and says in Amharic: "ዛሬ ስለ አርቴፊሻል ኢንተለጀንስ ሦስት ቁልፍ ነገሮችን
እንመለከታለን።" Calm and authoritative delivery, broadcast lighting, 16:9.
Character dialogue (comedy skit):
Two friends at a football field in Ethiopia, golden hour. The first one
shrugs and says in Amharic: "ዛሬ እኔ ነኝ የማሸንፈው!" The second laughs and
replies: "እንደዛ ይመስልሃል?" Playful tone, handheld camera feel, 16:9.
Tips for natural Amharic speech
- Always use Amharic script. It is the single biggest factor in pronunciation quality.
- Keep each spoken line under ~15 words. Long sentences invite slurring; two short shots beat one long one.
- Describe the speaker — age, gender, mood ("a calm older man", "an excited young woman") — so the voice matches the face.
- Put dialogue in quotes and say "says in Amharic:" before it, so the model treats it as speech rather than scene text.
- Regenerate without shame. Even in English, creators run two or three takes; budget a retry into your credits.
What it costs
Veo 3 video pricing on AQEM AI depends on length and resolution, with credits priced around 1.85 birr each. The Pro plan's 800 monthly credits cover regular short-form output, credits stay valid for 12 months, and every paid plan includes a commercial license — your Amharic ads and YouTube videos are yours to monetize.
Start with the free signup credits, run one of the example prompts above, and you'll have your first Amharic-speaking AI video before your coffee gets cold.