LESSON 3
PHONETICS
Review: Letters Presented in Lessons 1 and 2
Vowels and the Exclamation Mark
Letter Frequency and Word Frequency
Reduction of áõ and Ç to ə
Sound Frequency and Letter Frequency
Diphthongs Ç õ and »³
T
T
GRAMMAR
Word Order: Attributes
Numeral Attributes
Noun Number
The Conjunctions and— á õ, »õ, ÇëÏ
Interrogation without Question Words
Separation Marks [ ª ]
T
VOCABULARY
Question word á õ±ñ— where?
Text: Ü áõ¿ñ
_____________________________________________________________________________________
T
T
PHONETICS REVIEW: Letters introduced in Lessons 1 and 2
Vowels Position in Alphabet
[a] 1
²³
Consonants Position in Alphabet
[g] 15
ÎÏ
º»
¾¿
ÆÇ
àô áõ
ÀÁ
ØÙ
ÜÝ
êë
îï
ðñ
ôõ
[ye, e]] 5
[ē] 7
[i] 11
[u, v] *
[ě, ə] 8
[m] 20
[n] 22
[s] 29
[d] 31
[r] 32
[v, w] 34
Vowels and the Exclamation Mark [ ¯ ]
Vowels are articulated with a free flow of air and vibration of vocal cords. The create syllables
by themselves or combined with consonants. Armenian has six vowels written with eight letters.
The letters à á and ú û representing the vowel [o], follow in Lessons 4 & 5.
Practically all vowels become interjections when pronounced with an emotional intonation. In
writing this is indicated with the exclamation mark [ ¯ ]. Words with a special intonation carry
the exclamation mark where the lexical stress is; that is, on the last vowel of the word; e.g.:
²Ù³¯Ý Wow! ²ñ»¯õ ¿: It is sunny! ºÏáõ°ñ, ÙÇݳ¯Ï »Ù: Come, I am alone!
³¯
²¯
¾¯
º¯
Ư
àõ¯
À¯
Gayané Hagopian
25
Armenian for Everyone
Lesson 3
Letter Frequency and Word Frequency
Different words and letters have different frequencies of usage. In this book, we
introduce the letters according to their frequency in non-alphabetical order.1
The most frequent sounds of Armenian are presented in the first two lessons:
³, », ¿, Ç, Ý, ñ, Ù. Word frequency is different from sound and letter frequency,
and some letters of low frequency are used in some words of very high frequency.2
Statistics shows that people speaking different languages use approximately the
same 500 words of their native tongue for everyday speech. These 500 words of highest
frequency in Armenian are used in the texts and dialogues of this textbook.
TP
PT
TP
PT
ëÇñï
Reduction of áõ and Ç to [ə] ~ Á
The vowels áõ and Ç are “weak.” When they lose the lexical stress, they can shift into a weaker
vowel, a schwa, which is pronounced but not written. The syllables containing the unwritten schwa are called
hidden; below they are indicated with the symbol of the schwa [ə] For example: ëáõï lie and ë əï»ñ lies;
ïáõÝ house and ï əÝ³Ï small house; ÙáõÏ mouse and Ù əÏÝÇÏ small mouse, »ñÏÇñ country and
»ñÏ əñÇ country’s; ϳñÙÇñ red and ϳñÙ əñáñ³Ï reddish.
In Old and Eastern
Armenian this shift is quite regular.
Western Armenian, especially the
spoken language, can ignore it. Thus
parallel forms exist:


ïáõÝ»ñ or
ïÝ»ñ, ëÇñï»ñ or
ëñï»ñ .
In declension, as ïáõÝÇ or
ï³Ý, 3 ëÇñïÇ or ëñïÇ ;
In plural, as
TP

PT
In word-building—e.g.,
diminutives ÙáõÏÇÏ and
ÙÏÝÇÏ are both correct.
Shift
ÙáõÏ mouse
ÙáõÏÇÏ
Base form
Novel Western
Armenian forms
small mouse
small house
ÙáõÏ»ñ mice
ïáõÝ»ñ
houses
Ù əÏÝÇÏ, ÙÏÝ»ñ
Shifted standard
forms
Base form
TP
Novel Western
Armenian forms
PT
Shifted standard
ï əÝ»ñ, ï əݳÏ
ëÇñï heart
ëÇñï»ñ
Ç>ə
Ȗ삖 country
»ñÏÇñÝ»ñ
hearts
countries
ëÇñïÇ or
ë əñïÇ heart’s
ë əñï»ñ,
ë əñïÇ
»ñÏÇñÇ or
»ñÏ əñÇ country’s
Shift
The table on the right
presents both the shifted forms, which
represent the literary standard, and
also the novel non-shifted forms quite
typical and wide-spread in modern
conversational Western Armenian.4
áõ > ə
ïáõÝ house
ïáõÝÇÏ
»ñÏ əñÝ»ñ,
»ñÏ əñÇ
1
See the alphabet in Appendices 1-3.
For example, hello µ³ñ»õ, big, great Ù»Í, bread ѳó, to go »ñóÉ. The underlined are not frequent
letters which will be introduced gradually in the next lessons.
3
This is a special grammatical shift, called inflection or inner declension, different from the phonetic shift
described above. See Irregular Declension in Lesson 11 and Appendix 7.
4
See details on vowel reductions resulting from word derivation in Lessons 6 and 11.
TP
PT
2
TP
PT
TP
PT
TP
PT
U
Gayané Hagopian
U
U
U
U
26
U
U
U
Armenian for Everyone
Lesson 3
Sound Frequency and Letter Frequency
The reduction of áõ and Ç to [ə] is expressed in writing only in case of hyphenation. The letter Á
appears for the schwa, for example: ëÁñ-ïÇ, »ñ-ÏÁñÝ»ñ, ïÁ -ݳÏ.
In the previous lessons we saw that two sounds of high frequency [e] and [v], within the same words,
result in different letter frequencies: ¿ and õ in WA/CO and » and í in EA/RO. The letter À Á represents
one of the most frequent sounds in Armenian, perhaps the most frequent vowel in connected speech.
However, as a letter it has a quite restricted use. Try to remember in which cases À Á is written (details in
previous lesson).
Diphthong Çõ
Diphthongs consist of two sound elements pronounced as one. They are written as digraphs.
The diphthong Çõ is pronounced
before root consonants—e.g.,
³ñÇõÝ blood; ³õÇõÝ fervor, ÙÇõë
the other, next; ëÇõÝ column; ïÇõÝ
the name of the letter ï.
[yu]
U
U
²ÝÇõ »õ Æõ³Ý
ëÇõÝ
ëÇõÝ
In the remaining cases—that is,
before vowels or at the end of a word—
Çõ [iv] is a free sound combination—e.g., ³ÝÇõ wheel; Æõ³Ý Ivan; ÏÇõ mastic, ³ñÙ³õ date (fruit).
Diphthong »³
The diphthong »³ is pronounced [ya]—for example,
ë»Ý»³Ï room; »³ë³Ù³Ý lilac; Ù³ï»³Ý ancient
manuscript, journal. This diphthong forms the characteristic ending
-»³Ý of the Armenian last names, e.g., ²ñ³Ù»³Ý. With the
loss of the lexical stress it can shift into a simple » [e] in some
words.5
PT
ٳﻳÝ
Note: Words ending in -ÇõÝ shift the diphthong Çõ into the diphthong »³ for the genitive-possessive
forms, e.g., ëÇõÝ - ë»³Ý column’s, ³ñÇõÝ - ³ñ»³Ý blood’s. Parallel to these forms, modern
Western Armenian uses generalized possessive forms with the ending -Ç , that is, ³ñÇõÝÇ, ëÇõÝÇ.
Here are a few examples to illustrate this rule: سï»Ý³¹³ñ³Ý Museum of Ancient Manuscripts in
Yerevan, literally, library; Ù³ï»Ý³·Çñ scribe; ë»Ý»Ï³å»ï chamberlain; ë»Ý»Ï³ÏÇó room-mate (the
latter has a parallel form, ë»Ý»³Ï³ÏÇó, because the vowel reduction is no longer active in modern Western
Armenian). These are given in a footnote as not all the letters used have been introduced.
TP
5
PT
Gayané Hagopian
27
Armenian for Everyone
Lesson 3
Phonetic drills: Read the following words.
vase, pot
³Ù³Ý
ݳٳÏ
letter
³ÙáõëÇÝ
husband
ݳõ
ship
³Ùáõñ
strong, durable
ݳõ³ëïÇ
sailor
³ÝÇõ
wheel
Ý»ñáõÙ
apology, pardon
³ï»Ý
time
Ýϳñ
picture
³ñ»õ
sun
Ýáõ¿ñ
gift, present
³ñÇõÝ
blood
áõë
shoulder
ϳñÙÇñ
red
áõëïÇ
thus, hence
ÏÇÝ
woman, wife
áõñ»ÙÝ
thus, so
Ïñ³Ï
fire
ë»Ý»³Ï
room
ٳϳÝáõÝ
last name
ëÇñï
heart
Ù³ÝáõÏ
child
ëÇõÝ
column
Ù³ïÇï
pencil
ëáõÝÏ
mushroom
ÙÇõë
next, other
ëáõï
lie
ÁÝï³ÝÇ
domesticated, tame
ï³ñÇ
year
ëáõï³ë³Ý
liar
Ýëï³ñ³Ý
bench
ÙáÙ
candle
ï³ññ
element, particle
ÙáõÏ
mouse
ï»ñ»õ
leaf
GRAMMAR
Word Order: Attributes
The attribute precedes the noun in neutral styles. 6 For Instance:
TP
6
TP
PT
PT
ϳñÙÇñ Ù³ïÇï
red pencil
ëÇñáõÝ Ù³ÝáõÏ
pretty child
Ù»ñÏ ëáõï
naked lie
ÇÙ ëÇñïë
my heart
²ñï³ÏÇÝ Ï³ïáõÝ
Ardag’s cat
»ñÏáõ Ýϳñ
two pictures
ï³ëÁ Ù³ï
ten fingers
»ñ»ëáõÝ ï³ñÇ
thirty years
Ù¿Ï Ý³õ³ëïÇ
¨
Ù¿Ï Ý³õ
In poetry or emphatic speech the reverse order is possible.
Gayané Hagopian
28
Armenian for Everyone
Lesson 3
Numeral Attributes
Numeral attributes usually do not require plural nouns; e.g.:
ºë ï³ëÁ Ù³ï áõÝÇÙ »õ ²ñï³ÏÁ áõÝÇ ï³ëÁ Ù³ï:
I have ten fingers and Ardag has ten fingers.
ܳñ¿Ý »ñÏáõ ݳõ áõÝÇ: Nareh has two ships.
The words Ù³ï finger and ݳõ ship, boat are in the singular
ï³ëÁ Ù³ï
form with numeral attributes ten and two.
ºë Ù¿Ï Ù³ïÇï áõÝÇÙ, ¨ ²ñï³ÏÁ`ï³ëÝÙ¿Ï Ù³ïÇï:
I have one pencil, and Ardag, eleven.
The word Ù³ïÇï pencil is also in the singular form with both attributes: Ù¿Ï , and ï³ëÝÙ¿Ï .
²ñï³ÏÁ áõ ܳñ¿Ý »ñÏáõ ëÇñáõÝ Ù³ÝáõÏÝ»ñ »Ý:
But:
Ardag and Nareh are two pretty children.
The word child is in the plural form, Ù³ÝáõÏÝ»ñ, because it is the predicative, the logical center of
the statement.
Noun Number
Nouns differentiate singular and plural numbers.
Singular number shows one object or the general concept. It corresponds to
the dictionary listing: a basic form without special endings.
Plural number shows two or more of the same object. It is formed with the
endings - »ñ [er] or - Ý»ñ [ner].
Monosyllabic nouns take the ending - »ñ , e.g.: ë³ñ mountain, ë³ñ»ñ
mountains. Polysyllabic nouns take the ending - Ý»ñ , e.g.: Ù³ÝáõÏ
child, Ù³ÝáõÏÝ»ñ children. Polysyllabic words ending in -Ý in the
plural have double Ý -s, pronounced as double [nn].7
Ù³ïÇï
TP
Ù³ïÇïÝ»ñ
Singular
PT
Examples:
Monosyllabic
Plural
Singular
Polysyllabic8
Plural
PT
áõë
áõë»ñ
³ÙáõëÇÝ
³ÙáõëÇÝÝ»ñ
ë³ñ
ë³ñ»ñ
ݳõ³ëïÇ
ݳõ³ëïÇÝ»ñ
ëÇñï
ëÇñï»ñ or ëñï»ñ
Ýϳñ
ÝϳñÝ»ñ
ïáõÝ
ïáõÝ»ñ or ïÝ»ñ
ݳٳÏ
ݳٳÏÝ»ñ
Exception: A few monosyllabic nouns form the plural with -Ý»ñ, e.g., Ù³ï - Ù³ïÝ»ñ,
ÙáõÏ - ÙÏÝ»ñ, ÙÇõëÁ - ÙÇõëÝ»ñÁ 9 For some of these nouns, conversational styles prefer
regularized forms with -»ñ— that is, Ù³ï»ñ, ÙáõÏ»ñ.
P
PT
7
Double sounds are not very characteristic for Armenian. But whenever they occur, they are sound double.
Note: words with schwa in a stem-final cluster have two syllables but form the plural with -»ñ, e.g., ³ëïÕ
- ³ëïÕ»ñ, í³·ñ - í³·ñ»ñ, while words with a schwa in a stem-initial position or in the first syllable form
the plural as regular polysyllabic words with -Ý»ñ , e.g., ëïáõ»ñ - ëïáõ»ñÝ»ñ, Ïñ³Ï - Ïñ³ÏÝ»ñ.
TP
PT
TP
8
PT
Gayané Hagopian
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Armenian for Everyone
Lesson 3
Conjunctions áõ, »õ, ÇëÏ
The conjunctions »õ, áõ, ÇëÏ are all usually translated as “and.” They
have some differences in meaning and usage.
ºõ is the most frequent. It joins words in a sentence, as well as sentences
and clauses; e.g.:
²ñ³Ý »õ ܳñ¿Ý Ara and Nareh
Æ٠ϳïáõë ë»õ »õ ëÇñáõÝ ¿: My cat is black and nice.
Æ٠ϳïáõë ë»õ ¿, »õ ÇÙ ïáõÝë ëÇñáõÝ ¿: My cat is
black and my house is nice.
Also, »õ can substitute for both áõ and ÇëÏ , as shown in the next examples.
Ýáõ¿ñ
ݳٳÏÝ»ñ
àõ joins smaller entities of speech, mainly words in informal speech; for instance:
²ñ³Ý áõ ܳñ¿Ý
Æ٠ϳïáõë ë»õ áõ ëÇñáõÝ ¿:
Ara and Nareh
My cat is black and pretty.
ÆëÏ joins only coordinate clauses into one sentence. ²ë Ç٠ϳïáõë ¿, ÇëÏ ³ï`
ϳïáõÇë ïáõÝÁ: This is my cat, and that, my cat’s home.
ÆëÏ also has an adverbial usage meaning even; for instance:
²ñï³ÏÇÝ Ý»ñÏ»ñÁ ϳñÙÇñ »Ýª ϳñÙÇñ ïáõÝ, ϳñÙÇñ ݳõ, ϳñÙÇñ ÙáÙ.
ϳïáõÝ ÇëÏ Ï³ñÙÇñ ¿: Ardag’s paints are red: a red house, a red ship, a red candle: even the cat is
red.
Sentences joined with the conjunctions »õ,
ÇëÏ can have omitted elements of conjoined sets, for example:
²ë ïáõÝ ¿, »õ ³ëª »ñÏÇñ:
This is a house, and that, a country.
Æ٠ϳïáõë ë»õ ¿, »õ ÇÙ ïáõÝëª ëÇñáõÝ: ( or: ÇëÏ ïáõÝëª ëÇñáõÝ). My cat is black
and my house is nice.
²ñï³Ï ï³ëÝ»ñÏáõ ï³ñ»Ï³Ý ¿, »õ ܳñ¿±Ý: Ardag is twelve years
old, and Nareh?
Interrogation without Question Words
ϳñÙÇñ
Ïñ³Ï
Sentences connected with the conjunctions ¨, ÇëÏ easily transform into
interrogatives without questions words, cf.:
²ë ïáõÝ ¿, »õ ³±ï:
This is a house, and (what is) that?
²ë Ç٠ϳïáõë ¿, ÇëÏ ³±ï:
This is my cat, and that?
Questions without question words are also formed by a mere change of intonation and without
any change in the word order in the sentence. Examples:
²ë ïáõÝ ¿: ²ë ïáõ±Ý ¿:
This is a house. Is this a house?
γïáõÝ ÙáõÏ Ï°áõï¿: γïáõ±Ý ÙáõÏ Ï°áõï¿:
The cat eats mice. Does the cat eat mice?
γïáõÝ ³ñÙ³õ Ï°áõ￱: γïáõÝ ³ñÙ³±õ
Ï°áõï¿:
Does the cat eat dates? Does the cat eat dates?
These nouns (Ãáé, »½, ÓáõÏ, áï, Ó»é) in fact have a plural with -»ñ, but they ended in -Ý in Krapar and this
final -Ý resurfaces in grammatical forms and in word-building.
TP
9
PT
T
T
T
T
Gayané Hagopian
30
Armenian for Everyone
Lesson 3
The auxiliary verb ¿ can change its position coming closer to the emphasized word. This inversion is
parallel to the change of the emphasis in affirmative sentences. Compare the following sentences:
²ë ²Ù»ñÇÏ³Ý ¿:
This is America.
²ë ²Ù»ñÇϳ±Ý ¿:
Is this America?
²ë ¿ ²Ù»ñÇϳÝ:
This is America.
²±ë ¿ ²Ù»ñÇϳÝ:
Is this America?
²Ù»ñÇÏ³Ý ³ë ¿:
America is this.
²Ù»ñÇÏ³Ý ³±ë ¿:
America is this?
The Question Word áõ±ñ where?
Question words are used to request missing information in a sentence. They can begin the sentence,
as in English. Also, they can take the place of the corresponding answering word. For instance, the first two
questions below have the same full answer:
àõ±ñ ¿ ³ë ïáõÝÁ: or: ²ë ïáõÝÁ áõ±ñ 10 ¿:
²ë ïáõÝÁ ²Ù»ñÇϳ ¿: or: ²Ù»ñÇϳ (¿):
Where is this house?
àõ±ñ ¿ ϳïáõÝ: ²ñÇëÁ áõ±ñ ¿:
²ñÇëÁ ïáõÝÝ ¿: or: îáõÝÝ ¿:
Where is the cat? Where is Aris?
This house is in America. or: In America.
Aris is at home. or: At home.
Separation Mark [ ª ]
The separation mark [ ª ] µáõà [put] has no special equivalent in English punctuation.
It is used instead of omitted parts which make contextual sense in a sentence or to
explain something. Punctuation rules regulate its use. In the English punctuation
system, commas, colons, or semicolons are used instead of [ ª ].
Examples:
ϳñÙÇñ ³ñ»õ
²ë ïáõÝ ¿, »õ ³ëª »ñÏÇñ:
This is a house and
this, a country.
[ ª ] is used because the auxiliary verb is not
repeated (omitted copula).
²ñ³Ù »ñ»ëáõÝ ï³ñ»Ï³Ý
¿, ÇëÏ ²ñï³Ïª ï³ëÝÙ¿Ï:
Aram is thirty years
old, and Ardag,
eleven.
[ ª ] is used because of the omitted
predicate—ï³ñ»Ï³Ý ¿.
ºë ²ñï³ÏÝ »Ù, »õ ³Ýª
ܳñ¿Ý:
I am Ardag, and that
(is) Nareh.
[ ª ] indicated the omitted copula. Note that
the verb form does not matter; the second
clause assumes: ²ë ܳñ¿Ý U¿ :
U
10
áõñ is a relative-interrogative pronoun, details see in Lesson 13.
Gayané Hagopian
31
Armenian for Everyone
Lesson 3
Text
Üàô¾ð
T
ºë ²ñï³ÏÝ »Ù: ÆÙ ³ÝáõÝë ²ñï³Ï ¿, »õ
ٳϳÝáõÝëª îÇñ³ïáõñ»³Ý: ºë »ñÏáõ ³ÝáõÝ »õ Ù¿Ï
ٳϳÝáõÝ áõÝÇÙ: ÆÙ ³ÝáõÝÝ»ñ¿ë Ù¿ÏÁ ²ñï³Ï ¿, »õ
ÙÇõëÁª ²ñÙ³Ý: 11
ÇÝùݳÝϳñ
[inknanə gar]
ºõ ²ñÇë Ù¿Ï ³ÝáõÝ áõÝÇ, ³Ý ¿ª ²ñÇë:
²ñÇëÁ ÇÙë ¿, Ç٠ϳïáõë ¿, »õ »ë ²ñÇëÇÝ ï¿ñÝ »Ùª
²ñÇëÇÝ ²ñï³ÏÁ:
²ëÇ Ü³ñ¿Ý ¿: ºë ï³ëÝÙ¿Ï ï³ñ»Ï³Ý »Ù, »õ ܳñ¿Ýª
ï³ëÝ»ñÏáõ: ܳñ¿Ý ëÇñáõ¯Ý ¿:
ºë Ù³ïÇï áõÝÇÙ: àõ±ñ »Ý ÇÙ Ù³ïÇïÝ»ñë: ܳñ¿ÇÝ
Ýáõ¿ñ ï³Ù: ÆÙ Ýϳñë ﳱ٠ܳñ¿ÇÝ: ÆÙ Ýϳñë Ïáõ ï³Ù:
- ²ë ÝϳñÁ ëÇñáõ±Ý ¿, ܳñ¿°:
- êÇñáõÝ ¿:
- ²ë ÇÙë ¿, ÇÙ Ýϳñë ¿£ Üáõ¿ñ ¿:
ܳñ¿Ý
- ºõ ²ñÇëÁ Ýϳñ áõÝDZ: ²ñÇëÇÝ ÝϳñÁ ïáõ°ñ:
²ëÇϳ
²ñÇëÇÝ

ÝϳñÝ ¿:
“To tell the truth, my real first name is Ardavazt but I cannot write it yet. My mom picked up the name
Ardag for me before I was born, on her visit to Yerevan. I like it too, though my dad calls me Ardavazt, and
others call me Ardo.”
11
Gayané Hagopian
32
Armenian for Everyone
Lesson 3
Explanations to the Text
ÆÙ ³ÝáõÝÝ»ñ¿ë Ù¿ÏÁ
²ñï³Ï ¿
One of my names is Ardag
²ÝáõÝ-Ý»ñ-¿-ë is the plural ablative
of ³ÝáõÝ. The ablative case has the
ending -¿. Usually it is translated with
the prepositions of or from.
»õ ÙÇõëÁª ²ñÙ³Ý:
and the other, Arman.
Omission of the auxiliary verb assumes
a pause in intonation expressed by the
separation mark put [ ª ].
ºõ ²ñÇë Ù¿Ï ³ÝáõÝ áõÝÇ,
³Ý ¿ª ²ñÇë:
And Aris has one name, that
is, Aris.
[ ª ] has only tonal significance as a
pause.
ºõ »ë ²ñÇëÇÝ ï¿ñÝ »Ùª
²ñÇëÇÝ ²ñï³ÏÁ:
And I am Aris’s master,
Aris’s Ardag.
[ ª ] in this case can be translated into
English lexically with the words that
is.
àõ±ñ »Ý ÇÙ Ù³ïÇïÝ»ñë:
Where are my pencils?
àõ±ñ is a question word for place and
direction.
ܳñ¿ÇÝ Ýáõ¿ñ ï³Ù:
ÆÙ Ýϳñë ï³±Ù
I shall give a present to
Nareh.
The subject ȑ I is omitted because the
verb ï³Ù refers only to it. No special
word for shall is used, the verb ï³Ù
is in subjunctive form which translates
into I shall, will give, I wish I give, why
don’t I give, etc. depending on the
context.
ܳñ¿-ÇÝ is a dative case form
translated usually with the preposition
to. The sentence has two objects:
direct, Ýáõ¿ñ and indirect, ܳñ¿ÇÝ.
Shall I give Nareh my picture
(painting, drawing, photo)?
The direct object is emphasized by
word order. The word Ýϳñ can be
translated differently, depending on the
context. Cf. my picture, or ÇÙ Ýϳñë,
depicting me, belonging to me, shot or
drawn by me.
ÆÙ Ýϳñë Ïáõ ï³Ù:
I give her my picture.
Ïáõ ï³Ù is the simple present, first
person, singular of the verb to give.
The simple present is formed from the
subjunctive (base) form ï³Ù with the
particle Ïáõ.
ÆÙ Ýϳñë ¿:
It is my picture.
The subject (it) can and is often
omitted due to special verbal endings
which assume it.
ܳñ¿ÇÝ:
Gayané Hagopian
33
Armenian for Everyone
Lesson 3
ASSIGNMENTS
Lexical Exercises
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Copy the new words to the text in your vocabulary.
Read the text, translate it, and copy it. Retell the text. Try to improvise it.
Make oral sentences of your own using the words you know.
Find nouns with articles in the text. Explain their usage and write the same words without articles.
Write the plural of the following nouns according to the sample:
ë³Ý
ë¿ñ
ëáõÝÏ
ï¿ñ
ïáõÝ
ݳõ
ÙÇõë
Ù³ï
ÙáõÏ
ë³Ý»ñ
Ù³ÝáõÏ
Ýáõ¿ñ
ϳïáõ
ï³ñÇ
Ù³ïÇï
³ÝáõÝ
ë»Ý»³Ï
ݳõ³ëïÇ
Ïñ³Ï
Ù³ÝáõÏÝ»ñ
6.
Translate the following expressions into English, and use them in sentences of your own using the
definite articles or Ý.
ϳñÙÇñ ³ñÇõÝ, ϳñÙÇñ Ïñ³Ï, ϳñÙÇñ ³ñ»õ, ϳñÙÇñ ëÇñï.
Ù¿Ï Ï³ï³Ï, Ù¿Ï ³ÝáõÝ, Ù¿Ï Ý³Ù³Ï, Ù¿Ï Ù³Ï³ÝáõÝ, Ù¿Ï Ýáõ¿ñ.
»ñÏáõ ï³ñÇ, »ñÏáõ ëÇõÝ,»ñÏáõ ï³ñ»Ï³Ý, »ñÏáõ Ù³ÝáõÏ, »ñÏáõ ï»ñ»õ.
ÇÝÁ áõë, ÇÝÁ ³ÝÇõ, ÇÝÁ ³ñ»õ, ÇÝÁ ÁÝÏ»ñ.
Ù»ñ ϳïáõÝ, Ù»ñ ïáõÝÁ, Ù»ñ ï³ñÇÝ.
Ç٠ϳïáõë, Ç٠ݳٳÏë, ÇÙ ³ï»Ýë, ÇÙ Ýϳñë, ÇÙ ÁÝÏ»ñë.
ë»õ ëáõÝÏ, ë»õ ÙáõÏ, ë»õ ϳïáõ, ë»õ ëáõï.
ëáõñ áõë, ëáõñ ݳٳÏ, ëáõñ ï»ñ»õ, ëáõñ ϳï³Ï.
ëÇñáõÝ Ýϳñ, ëÇñáõÝ Ý³õ, ëÇñáõÝ Ù³ÝáõÏ, ëÇñáõÝ Ýáõ¿ñ.
ÙÇõë ëÇõÝÁ, ÙÇõë ݳõ³ëïÇÝ, ÙÇõë ϳïáõÝ.
Gayané Hagopian
34
Armenian for Everyone
Lesson 3
7.
Transform the following into questions and translate them.
1. Îñ³ÏÝ áõ ³ñ¨Á ϳñÙÇñ »Ý:
2. ܳñ¿Ý ïáõÝÝ
¿:
3. ²ñï³ÏÁ »ñÏáõ ³ÝáõÝ áõÝÇ:
4. ÆÙ Ýϳñë ï³Ù ܳñ¿ÇÝ:
5. γïáõÝ ÙáõÏ Ïþáõï¿:
6. ²ñ³ÙÁ ݳõ³ëïÇ
¿:
7. ²ñï³ÏÁ Ù³ÝáõÏ ¿:
8.
Translate the following into Armenian:
1.
This is my room.
2.
My house is red. It’s mine.
3.
And that is Aram’s home.
4.
Where is this house? It is in America.
5.
This is a black cat. The cat eats mice.
6.
It is Ardag’s cat. Where is the cat?
7.
The cat’s name is Aris. This is Aris’s picture.
8.
Where is Nareh? Where are my paintings?
9.
Where are the pencils? These are my pencils.
10. I give Nareh my heart. Give Nareh a picture.
11. The ship has eleven sailors. That is a black ship.
12. I have ten fingers and one heart.
13. He has two pictures and I have one.
14. She has one name and I have two names.
______________________________________________________________
Rules:


The diphthong Çõ before root consonants is pronounced [yu]—e.g., ³ñÇõÝ,
The vowels áõ, Ç can shift into a schwa if they lose the stress—e.g., ïáõÝ


ëñï»ñ.
Á is seldom written and never stressede.g. ë³°Ýïñ, Ù³°Ýñ, ÁÝÏ»°ñÁ.
Á as a definite article is attached to words ending in a consonant, and - , to words ending with a vowel,
e.g., ÙáõÏÁ, ϳïáõÝ, ²ñï³ÏÁ, ܳñ¿Ý.
Á is more frequent in the function of the definite article than Ý because the majority of words in Armenian
end in a consonant.
U

ëÇõÝ, ÙÇõë.
- ïݳÏ, ëÇñï -
U
Gayané Hagopian
U
U
U
U
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35
Armenian for Everyone