Here are some common Western Armenian words and phrases. In each case, the word or phrase has first been written in Armenian, followed by the English transliteration and then the meaning:
- Բարեւ * Parev * Hello
- Ինչպե՞ս ես * Inchbes es? * How are you?
- շատ * shad * many; much; very
- լավ * lav * fine; well
- շատ լավ * shad lav * very good; very well
- շնորհակալութիւն * shnorhagaloutioun * thanks
- շնորհակալ եմ * shnorhagal em * thank-you (literally 'I am grateful')
- Շատ լավ եմ, շնորհակալ եմ * Shad lav em, shnorhagal em * I'm very well, thank-you
- բարի * pari * good; kind
- Բարի իրիկուն * Pari irigoun * good evening
- Բարի լոյս * Pari luys * good morning
- Բարի գալուստ * Pari kalousd * Welcome!
- Գիշեր բարի * Kisher pari * Good night
- Ցտեսութիւն * Tsdesoutioun (In many Armenian words there is an unwritten ը sound between two consonants. In this case, the word Ցտեսութիւն is pronounced as if it were written Ցըտեսութիւն) * Goodbye
- Իմ անունս Անդրեաս է * Im anouns Antreas e * My name is Antreas (Andrew)
- Պարոն * Baron * Sir; Mr.
- Տիկին * Digin * Madame; Mrs.
- Օրիորդ * Oriort * Miss
Pronunciation guide
The combination իւ is pronounced as if it were written իու - for example in շնորհակալութիւն (thanks).
The combination ոյ is pronounced as if it were written ույ - for example in լոյս (morning).
Իմ անունս (my name) is pronounced as if it were written Իմ անունըս
Sunday, 13 December 2015
SOCIAL MEDIA STUFF
The FREE ARMENIAN LESSONS blog now has a presence on Twitter and Facebook!
The Facebook page can be found here and the Twitter account is @armenianlessons
The Facebook page can be found here and the Twitter account is @armenianlessons
Saturday, 12 December 2015
LESSON 1B - THE WESTERN ARMENIAN ALPHABET
The Armenian alphabet was devised in the 4th century AD by Saint Mesrop Mashtots - or Mesrob Mashdots in Western Armenian - (Մեսրոպ Մաշտոց) in order to translate the Bible into Armenian. It originally consisted of 36 letters but it now has 38. Western Armenian does not use the և (yev) combination of letters that we learned about in lesson 1. Some of the pronunciations of Western Armenian are different as well. The Western Armenian pronunciations are easier for those used to speaking English, as Western Armenian does away with the tricky, unaspirated consonant sounds, pronouncing them voiced consonants instead.
The 38 letters of the Western Armenian alphabet are as follows:
The 38 letters of the Western Armenian alphabet are as follows:
(1) Upper case: Ա, Lower case: ա, Name: ayp, Pronunciation: a in father, English transliteration: a
(2) Upper case: Բ, Lower case: բ, Name: pen, Pronunciation: p in pool, English transliteration: p
(3) Upper case: Գ, Lower case: գ, Name: kim, Pronunciation: k in kiss, English transliteration: k
(4) Դ, դ, ta, t in team, t
(5) Ե, ե, yech', ye in yet, ye/e
(6) Զ, զ, za, z in zoo, z
(7) Է, է, eh, e in pet, e
(8) Ը, ը, ët, er in letter, ë
(9) Թ, թ, t'oh, t in team, t
(10) Ժ, ժ, zheh, s in leisure, zh
(11) Ի, ի, ini, i in ski, i
(12) Լ, լ, lioon, l in lion, l
(13) Խ, խ, kheh, ch in German achtung, kh
(14) Ծ, ծ, dza, dz in ae, dz
(15) Կ, կ, gen, g in gas, g
(16) Հ, հ, ho, h in have, h
(17) Ձ, ձ, tsa, ts in Pizza, ts
(18) Ղ, ղ, ghad, r in French Paris, gh
(19) Ճ, ճ, jeh, j in jump, j
(20) Մ, մ, men, m in mother, m
(21) Յ, յ, hi, h in have and y in yes, h/y
(22) Ն, ն, nu, n in number, n
(23) Շ, շ, sha, sh in sheep, sh
(24) Ո, ո, vo, vo in void, vo/o
(25) Չ, չ, ch'a, ch in cheese, ch
(26) Պ, պ, beh, b in baby, b
(27) Ջ, ջ, cheh, ch in cheese, ch
(28) Ռ, ռ, rra, rolled r in Scottish 'murder', rr
(29) Ս, ս, seh, s in some, s
(30) Վ, վ, vev, v in vote, v
(31) Տ, տ, dioon, d in deal, d
(32) Ր, ր, reh, r in very (but with the tongue touching the roof of the mouth), r
(33) Ց, ց, tso, ts in Pizza, ts
(34) Ւ, ւ, hioon, v in vote, v
(35) Փ, փ, pioor, p in pool, p
(36) Ք, ք, keh, k in kiss, k
(37) Օ, օ, o, o in foil, o
(38) Ֆ, ֆ, feh, f in fish, f
(2) Upper case: Բ, Lower case: բ, Name: pen, Pronunciation: p in pool, English transliteration: p
(3) Upper case: Գ, Lower case: գ, Name: kim, Pronunciation: k in kiss, English transliteration: k
(4) Դ, դ, ta, t in team, t
(5) Ե, ե, yech', ye in yet, ye/e
(6) Զ, զ, za, z in zoo, z
(7) Է, է, eh, e in pet, e
(8) Ը, ը, ët, er in letter, ë
(9) Թ, թ, t'oh, t in team, t
(10) Ժ, ժ, zheh, s in leisure, zh
(11) Ի, ի, ini, i in ski, i
(12) Լ, լ, lioon, l in lion, l
(13) Խ, խ, kheh, ch in German achtung, kh
(14) Ծ, ծ, dza, dz in a
(15) Կ, կ, gen, g in gas, g
(16) Հ, հ, ho, h in have, h
(17) Ձ, ձ, tsa, ts in Pizza, ts
(18) Ղ, ղ, ghad, r in French Paris, gh
(19) Ճ, ճ, jeh, j in jump, j
(20) Մ, մ, men, m in mother, m
(21) Յ, յ, hi, h in have and y in yes, h/y
(22) Ն, ն, nu, n in number, n
(23) Շ, շ, sha, sh in sheep, sh
(24) Ո, ո, vo, vo in void, vo/o
(25) Չ, չ, ch'a, ch in cheese, ch
(26) Պ, պ, beh, b in baby, b
(27) Ջ, ջ, cheh, ch in cheese, ch
(28) Ռ, ռ, rra, rolled r in Scottish 'murder', rr
(29) Ս, ս, seh, s in some, s
(30) Վ, վ, vev, v in vote, v
(31) Տ, տ, dioon, d in deal, d
(32) Ր, ր, reh, r in very (but with the tongue touching the roof of the mouth), r
(33) Ց, ց, tso, ts in Pizza, ts
(34) Ւ, ւ, hioon, v in vote, v
(35) Փ, փ, pioor, p in pool, p
(36) Ք, ք, keh, k in kiss, k
(37) Օ, օ, o, o in foil, o
(38) Ֆ, ֆ, feh, f in fish, f
Pronunciation guide
The letter Ե/ե is pronounced as ye at the beginning of a word and as e in the middle of a word.
The letter Ո/ո is pronounced as vo at the beginning of a word and as o in the middle of a word.
The letter Յ/յ is pronounced as h at the beginning of a word and as y in the middle of a word. It is silent at the end of a word.
The letter The letter Ւ/ւ on its own is pronounced as v but the combination of Ո/ո and Ւ/ւ is pronounced as ou (as in soup), eg. դուն (english transliteration: toun, meaning 'you'. Note: I have transliterated this sound as 'ou' rather than 'u' (as I did in the Eastern Armenian lessons) because the vowel sounds tend to be slightly more elongated in Western Armenian.
When ՈՒ/ու is followed by a vowel, it is pronounced the same as Վ/վ.
When ՈՒ/ու is followed by a vowel, it is pronounced the same as Վ/վ.
I'M BACK!
Sorry I haven't made any new posts for a while (almost six years in fact!) but I've noticed that quite a few people are still checking out this site, so I've decided to continue with it.However, as Western Armenian is now classed as an endangered language, I feel I have a duty to do my bit to help preserve it. Consequently, the next five lessons are going to be in Western Armenian - they will be 'mirror' lessons to the ones I have posted so far on the Eastern dialect. From then on I will continue with lessons in both dialects, side by side with each other. So, if you've been following my lessons so far, why not now continue to learn both the Eastern and Western Armenian languages together?
Friday, 21 March 2008
LESSON 5 - THE VERB 'TO BE' (PRESENT TENSE)
- ես եմ * yes em * I am
- դու ես * du es * you (singular) are
- նա է * na e * he/she/it is
- մենք ենք * menk' enk' * we are
- դուք եք * duk' ek' * you (plural/formal) are
- նրանք են * nrank' en * they are
Examples:
- Տունը մեծ է * Tunë mets e * The house is big
- Շունը սեվ է * Shunë sev e * The dog is black
- Դու ճիշտ ես * Du chisht es * You are correct
- դու ես * du es * you (singular) are
- նա է * na e * he/she/it is
- մենք ենք * menk' enk' * we are
- դուք եք * duk' ek' * you (plural/formal) are
- նրանք են * nrank' en * they are
Examples:
- Տունը մեծ է * Tunë mets e * The house is big
- Շունը սեվ է * Shunë sev e * The dog is black
- Դու ճիշտ ես * Du chisht es * You are correct
Sunday, 6 January 2008
LESSON 4 - VOCABULARY
As in Lesson 2, each word is written in Armenian, followed by the English transliteration and then the meaning.
- գավաթ * gavat' * cup
- թեյ * t'ey * tea
- մահճակալ * mahchakal * bed
- ննջել * nënjel * to sleep (note the unwritten ը sound between the first two letters)
- ննջասենյակ * nënjasenyak * bedroom
- հայր * hayr * father
- մայր * mayr * mother
- եղբայր * yekhp'ayr (in some words the letter բ is pronounced like the letter փ. Also, when followed by a consonant, the letter ղ tends to be pronounced like the letter խ) * brother
- քույր * kuyr * sister
- որդի * vorti * son
- տղա * tgha * boy
- դուստր * dustër * daughter
- աղջիկ * akhch'ik (in some words, the letter ջ is pronounced like the letter չ) * girl
- սիրել * sirel * to like/love
- գնալ * gnal * to go
- նավ * nav * ship
- գնացք * gnatsk' * train
- տեսնել * tesnel * to see
- գտնել * gtnel * to find (verb)
- հիվանդ * hivand * ill, sick
- հիվանդանոց * hivandanots * hospital
- մեծ * mets * big
- ցուրտ * ts'urt * cold
- սեվ * sev * black
- ճիշտ * chisht * true, correct
With Armenian words, the stress is always on the final syllable. If the definite article is added, this is not stressed, but the stress is still placed on the final syllable of the word, before the article, eg. գնացք (gnatsk' - train), գնացքը (gnatsk'ë - the train), հիվանդանոց (hivandanots' - hospital) հիվանդանոցը (hivandanots'ë - the hospital).
- գավաթ * gavat' * cup
- թեյ * t'ey * tea
- մահճակալ * mahchakal * bed
- ննջել * nënjel * to sleep (note the unwritten ը sound between the first two letters)
- ննջասենյակ * nënjasenyak * bedroom
- հայր * hayr * father
- մայր * mayr * mother
- եղբայր * yekhp'ayr (in some words the letter բ is pronounced like the letter փ. Also, when followed by a consonant, the letter ղ tends to be pronounced like the letter խ) * brother
- քույր * kuyr * sister
- որդի * vorti * son
- տղա * tgha * boy
- դուստր * dustër * daughter
- աղջիկ * akhch'ik (in some words, the letter ջ is pronounced like the letter չ) * girl
- սիրել * sirel * to like/love
- գնալ * gnal * to go
- նավ * nav * ship
- գնացք * gnatsk' * train
- տեսնել * tesnel * to see
- գտնել * gtnel * to find (verb)
- հիվանդ * hivand * ill, sick
- հիվանդանոց * hivandanots * hospital
- մեծ * mets * big
- ցուրտ * ts'urt * cold
- սեվ * sev * black
- ճիշտ * chisht * true, correct
With Armenian words, the stress is always on the final syllable. If the definite article is added, this is not stressed, but the stress is still placed on the final syllable of the word, before the article, eg. գնացք (gnatsk' - train), գնացքը (gnatsk'ë - the train), հիվանդանոց (hivandanots' - hospital) հիվանդանոցը (hivandanots'ë - the hospital).
LESSON 3 - PLURAL AND DEFINITE/INDEFINITE ARTICLE
Plural
In Armenian, the plural is formed by adding the suffix եր (er) to the noun if it is a one syllable word or by adding the suffix ներ (ner) to the noun if it has more than one syllable.
Examples:
- տուն * tun * house, տներ * tner * houses (the vowel combination ու in the final syllable of a word sometimes drops out, and is replaced by an unwritten ը, when a suffix is added)
- գիրք * girk' * book, գրքեր * grk'er * books (the vowel ի in the final syllable of a word sometimes drops out, and is replaced by an unwritten ը, when a suffix is added)
- շուն * shun * dog, շներ * shner * dogs
- սենյակ * senyak * room, սենյակներ * senyakner * rooms
- սեղան * seghan * table, սեղաններ * seghanner * tables
Definite Article
The definite article is the letter ը (uh) added to the end of the noun if the last letter of the noun is a consonant. If the last letter of the noun is a vowel, then the definite article is formed by adding the letter ն (n) at the end of the noun. However, if the noun is followed by a word which begins with a vowel, then the letter ն is often used for the definite article, even if the noun ends in a consonant.
Indefinite Article
The indefinite article is the word մի (mi), which precedes the noun, for example: Մի գավաթ թեյ (mi gavat' t'ey - a cup of tea). Often, however, the indefinite article is not used, as a noun which is not in the definite article is assumed to be indefinite.
In Armenian, the plural is formed by adding the suffix եր (er) to the noun if it is a one syllable word or by adding the suffix ներ (ner) to the noun if it has more than one syllable.
Examples:
- տուն * tun * house, տներ * tner * houses (the vowel combination ու in the final syllable of a word sometimes drops out, and is replaced by an unwritten ը, when a suffix is added)
- գիրք * girk' * book, գրքեր * grk'er * books (the vowel ի in the final syllable of a word sometimes drops out, and is replaced by an unwritten ը, when a suffix is added)
- շուն * shun * dog, շներ * shner * dogs
- սենյակ * senyak * room, սենյակներ * senyakner * rooms
- սեղան * seghan * table, սեղաններ * seghanner * tables
Definite Article
The definite article is the letter ը (uh) added to the end of the noun if the last letter of the noun is a consonant. If the last letter of the noun is a vowel, then the definite article is formed by adding the letter ն (n) at the end of the noun. However, if the noun is followed by a word which begins with a vowel, then the letter ն is often used for the definite article, even if the noun ends in a consonant.
Indefinite Article
The indefinite article is the word մի (mi), which precedes the noun, for example: Մի գավաթ թեյ (mi gavat' t'ey - a cup of tea). Often, however, the indefinite article is not used, as a noun which is not in the definite article is assumed to be indefinite.
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