LESSON 6B - THE VERB 'TO BE' (PAST TENSE) IN WESTERN ARMENIAN

- ես էի * yes ei * I was
- դուն էիր * toun eir * you (singular) were
- ան էր * an er * he/she/it was
- մենք էինք * menk' eink' * we were
- դուք էիք * touk eik * you (plural/formal) were
- անոնք էին * anonk' ein * they were

Examples:

- Տունը մեծ էր * Dounë medz er * The house was big
- Շունը սեւ էր * Shounë sev er * The dog was black
- Ես կ'ուտէր * Yes g'ouder * I was eating
- Անոնք կը քալէին * Anonk gë kalein * They were walking

With verbs, the ending is added to the verb stem as a suffix, eg. ուտէր, քալէին.
Dipthongs such as էի, էիր, էինք, էին are pronounced as if they were written էյի, էյիր, էյինք, էյին

LESSON 6A - THE VERB 'TO BE' (PAST TENSE) IN EASTERN ARMENIAN

- ես էի * yes ei * I was
- դու էիր * du eir * you (singular) were
- նա էր * na er * he/she/it was
- մենք էինք * menk' eink' * we were
- դուք էիք * duk' eik' * you (plural/formal) were
- նրանք էին * nrank' ein * they were

Examples:

- Տունը մեծ էր * Tunë mets er * The house was big
- Շունը սեվ էր * Shunë sev er * The dog was black
- Ես ուտում էր * I was eating
- Նրանք քայլում էին * They were walking
Dipthongs such as էի, էիր, էինք, էին are pronounced as if they were written էյի, էյիր, էյինք, էյին

Just in case you are interested...

...here are the links for my other blogs:

"Thoughts on What's Afoot" (latitudinous lucubrations and other stray cerebrations).

"Andrew's Art" (drawings and paintings including a few home-made greeting cards).

"Luther's Marbles" (a blog about the Doctrine of the Trinity).

LESSON 5B - THE VERB 'TO BE' (PRESENT TENSE) IN WESTERN ARMENIAN

- ես եմ * yes em * I am
- դուն ես * toun es * you (singular) are
- ան է * an e * he/she/it is
- մենք ենք * menk enk * we are
- դուք էք * touk ek * you (plural/formal) are
- անոնք են * anonk en * they are

Examples:

- Տունը մեծ է * Dounë medz e * The house is big
- Շունը սեվ է * Shounë sev e * The dog is black
- Դուն ճիշդ ես * Toun jisht es * You are correct

LESSON 4B - VOCABULARY (WESTERN ARMENIAN)

As in Lesson 2 (and 2B), each word is written in Armenian, followed by the English transliteration and then the meaning.

- գավաթ * kavat * cup
- թեյ * tey * tea
- մահճակալ * mahjagal * bed
- ննջել * nënchel * to sleep (note the unwritten ը sound between the first two letters)
- ննջասենյակ * nënchasenyag * bedroom
- հայր * hayr * father
- մայր * mayr * mother
- եղբայր * yeghpayr * brother
- քոյր * kouyr * sister
- որդի * vorti * son
- տղա * dgha * boy
- դուստր * dousdër * daughter
- աղջիկ * aghchig * girl
- սիրել * sirel * to like/love
- երթալ * yertal * to go
- նավ * nav * ship
- շոգեկառք * shokegarrk * train
- տեսնել * desnel * to see
- գտնել * kdnel * to find (verb)
- հիւանդ * hivant * ill, sick
- հիւանդանոց * hivantanots * hospital
- մեծ * medz * big
- ցուրտ * tsourd * cold
- սեւ * sev * black
- ճիշդ * jisht * 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. շոգեկառք (shokegarrk - train), շոգեկառքը (shokegarrkë - the train), հիւանդանոց (hivantanots - hospital) հիւանդանոցը (hivantanotsë - the hospital).

LESSON 3B - WESTERN ARMENIAN PLURAL AND DEFINITE/INDEFINITE ARTICLE

Plural
In Western Armenian, as in Eastern, 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 * doun * house, տուներ * douner * houses
- գիրք * kirk * book, գիրքեր * kirker * books
- շուն * shoun * dog, շուներ * shouner * dogs
- սենյակ * senyag * room, սենյակներ * senyagner * 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 sometimes used for the definite article, even if the noun ends in a consonant. This is always the case if the noun is followed by the verb 'to be', eg. եմ, ես, է, ենք, էք, են or by the word ալ - meaning also.

Indefinite Article
The indefinite article is the word մը (më) which is placed after the noun, for example: գավաթ մը թեյ (kavat më tey - a cup of tea). The indefinite article is not always used, however, but a noun which is not in the definite article is assumed to be indefinite.

LESSON 2B - SOME BASIC WESTERN ARMENIAN WORDS AND PHRASES

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