Lesson 10

Present Subjunctive Tense

The present subjunctive tense is usually used in conditional and relative clauses, also in clauses that express wishes, are negative, or pseudo-interrogative. Putting it another way, this tense is used in those clauses which are not declarative, that is, they don't express things that certainly happen or will happen. The clauses in which the present subjunctive is used usually begin with words like յորժամ (when), ուր (where), եթէ (if, that), թէ (if, that), որ (that), թող (let), թերեւս (perhaps), մարթ է զի (it is possible that), հարկ է զի (it is necessary that), գուցէ (perhaps), մի՛ գուցէ (lest), etc.

The present subjunctive can be translated either with a present or a future tense, that is why in some grammar books (usually authored by Soviet and post-Soviet Armenian scholars from Armenia) this tense is called “first future” (of the indicative mood at that). However, the name “present subjunctive” is more correct. If you don't know how to translate the verbs in present subjunctive, first try a present tense, and only when you see it doesn't suit the context, translate with a future tense.

The present subjunctive is formed from the present stem of the verb (see Lesson 7) + endings.

Let us conjugate the following verbs: տեսանել, ծնանիլ, բարձրանալ, ընկենուլ.

Conjugation “ե”

տեսանել - to see [tesanel]

տեսան -  the present stem

տեսան + ից+եմ - տեսանիցեմ - (if) I see [tesanic'em]

տեսան +ից+ես - տեսանիցես - (if) you see [tesanic'es]

տեսան +ից+է - տեսանիցէ - (if) he/she/it sees [tesanic'e:]

տեսան +ից+եմք - տեսանիցեմք - (if) we see [tesanic'emk']

տեսան +ից+էք - տեսանիցէք - (if) you see [tesanic'ek']

տեսան +ից+են - տեսանիցեն - (if) they see [tesanic'en]

Did you notice that the endings after -ից are the same with the endings of the present indicative, which we have already learned?

Conjugation “ի”

ծնանիլ - to give birth, to be born* [cәnanil]

(* The verbs of conjugation “ի” having the same form for both active and passive voices are sometimes called “common” verbs.)

ծնան - the present stem

ծնան + ից + իմ - ծնանիցիմ - (if) I give birth [cәnanic'im]

ծնան + ից + իս - ծնանիցիս - (if) you give birth [cәnanic'is]

ծնան + ից + ի - ծնանիցի - (if) he/she/it gives birth [cәnanic'i]

ծնան + ից + իմք - ծնանիցիմք - (if) we give birth [cәnanic'imk']

ծնան + ից + իք - ծնանիցիք - (if) you give birth [cәnanic'ik']

ծնան + ից + ին - ծնանիցին - (if) they give birth [cәnanic'in]

Conjugation “ա”

բարձրանալ - to rise, ascend, climb up [bardz'ranal] or [barc'ranal]*

(* See about this pronunciation in Lesson 2, Note in the “For Practice” section.)

բարձրան - the present stem

բարձրան + այց + եմ - բարձրանայցեմ - (if) I rise [barc'ranayc'em]

բարձրան + այց + ես - բարձրանայցես - (if) you rise [barc'ranayc'es]

բարձրան + այց + է - բարձրանայցէ - (if) he/she/it rises [barc'ranayc'e:]

բարձրան + այց + եմք - բարձրանայցեմք - (if) we rise [barc'ranayc'emk']

բարձրան + այց + էք - բարձրանայցէք - (if) you rise [barc'ranayc'ek']

բարձրան + այց + են - բարձրանայցեն - (if) they rise [barc'ranayc'en]

Conjugation “ու”

ընկենուլ - to throw

ընկեն - the present stem

ընկեն + ուց + ում - ընկենուցում - (if) I throw [әnkenuc'um]

ընկեն + ուց + ուս - ընկենուցուս - (if) you throw [әnkenuc'us]

ընկեն + ուց + ու - ընկենուցու - (if) he/she/it throws [әnkenuc'u]

ընկեն + ուց + ումք - ընկենուցումք - (if) we throw [әnkenuc'umk']

ընկեն + ուց + ուք - ընկենուցուք - (if) you throw [әnkenuc'uk']

ընկեն + ուց + ուն - ընկենուցուն - (if) they throw [әnkenuc'un]

 

The present subjunctive of the short forms of the verb “to be”

They are formed in the following pattern:

ից + the present indicative short forms of the verb “to be” (see Lesson 3).

Or, they are identical with the present subjunctive endings of the conjugation “ե”.

իցեմ [ic'em]

իցես [ic'es]

իցէ [ic'e:]

իցեմք [ic'emk']

իցէք [ic'ek']

իցեն [ic'en]

About prefixes and suffixes of Classical Armenian

The Classical Armenian language (and Armenian generally) is very rich with suffixes and is very flexible when forming new words with suffixes. But you'll find very few prefixes in Mesropian Armenian (see Lesson 4), because most of the prefixes that we find in Post-Mesropian Armenian were created artificially by the Armenian grammarians of the so-called Graecophil School at the end of the fifth century. Here are Armenian prefixes created by those grammarians, and their Greek equivalents:

ապ- apo-, ap-

առ- pros-

արտ- ek-, ex-

բաղ- syn-

բաց- apo-

գեր- hyper-

դեր- anti-

ենթ- hypo-

հակ- anti-

հոմ- homo-

մակ- epi-

յար- para-, syn-

ներ- en-

շաղ- syn-

շար- syn-

պար- peri-

ստոր- hypo-

վեր- ana-

տար- para-, dia-

փաղ- syn-

տրամ- dia-

փար- peri-

փոխ- meta-

The verb “to be” + genitive case of nouns/pronouns

This pattern expresses possession.

- Իցէ՞ քո տուն անդ։ Do you have a house there?

- Այո՛, է իմ տուն անդ։ Yes, I have a house there.

Է տուն եւ եղբարց իմոց։ My brothers too have a house.

Այլ տուն նոցա մեծ է քան զիմն։ But their house is bigger than mine.

Քո, իմ, եղբարց and նոցա are the genitive cases of ես, դու, եղբարք and նոքա (I, you, brothers, they) and mean “my”, “your”, “of brothers” and “their”. But since they are used with the verb “to be”, they are translated as “I”, “you”, “brothers”, “they”, and the verb is translated with the verb “have”.

իմ (im) - my

ձեր (dz'er) - your (plural)

նոցա (noc‘a) - their

եղբարք (yełbark‘) - brothers

եղբարց (yełbarc‘) - of brothers

իմոց (imoc‘) - my (genitive, plural)

քան (k‘an) - than

Reading
(Please hover over each word to see the translation)

Գիտիցէ՞ք արդեւք զինչ է այս։  
Եթէ երթայցես ի տուն, կե՛ր հաց եւ ա՛րբ ջուր, զի մի՛ նուաղիցիս։  
Զիա՞րդ ուտիցեն, եթէ չկամին գործել։  
Զի՞նչ է զոր դու գիտիցես, եւ մեք ոչ գիտիցեմք։  
Որ ասիցէ թէ ի լոյս իցէ եւ զեղբայր իւր ատիցէ, սուտ է։  
Ոչ կարէ ոք խաւսել լեզու ինչ, եթէ ոչ նախ ուսանիցի զայն։  
Ասէ Եսաւ ցհայրն իւր. «Միթէ մի՞ աւրհնութիւն իցէ քո, հայր․ աւրհնեա՛»։

---

միթէ (mit‘e) - really, indeed. This word doesn't have its English equivalent and is sometimes omitted in translation. It is used in interrogative sentences.

արդեւք (a later form: արդեաւք=արդեօք) (ardyok‘) - really, indeed. This word doesn't have its English equivalent and is usually omitted in translation. It is used mainly in interrogative, sometimes in negative sentences.

հաց ուտել (hac' utel) - literally means to eat bread, but in Armenian (both in Classical and modern) this expression is also an idiom, which means “to dine”, to eat (anything).

ուտել (utel) - to eat

նուաղիլ (nəvałil) - to faint

գործել (gorcel) - to work

զիարդ (ziard) - how

սուտ (sut) - 1. a lie. 2. a liar

ատել (atel) - to hate

կարել (karel) - to be able, can

նախ (nax) - first, firstly, in the first place (do not confuse this with the ordinal number 
առաջին (first))

մի՛ (mi) - not; used in the imperative mood and usually with the stress mark on it to be distinguished from the number մի (one).

աւրհնութիւն (orhnut‘iun) - blessing

աւրհնել (orhnel) - to bless

մի - one

Lesson 9

Past Imperfect Tense *


* Starting from this lesson, I shall provide only the Eastern Armenian (recommended) pronunciation for Classical Armenian words and texts, both in transcription and audio recording. However, in the Vocabulary page of this blog you will also find the Western Armenian transcriptions of the words, if  you ever need them.

The past imperfect tense is usually used for an action that started in the past and was either continuous at some point of time, thus unfinished, "imperfect", like the past continuous of English, or would occur repeatedly or periodically. For example, ուտէի can be translated either "I was eating [when you entered]" or "I would eat (/ate) [every evening]." Sometimes the past imperfect is used in the sense of the past simple too, though there is a separate tense for the past simple in Classical Armenian, which we'll learn later.

We form the past imperfect tense in the same way as the present indicative, that is, we take the present stem of the verb and add the proper endings to it (see Lesson 7).

Conjugations "ե" and "ի" (have the same endings for this tense)

վազել -   to run [vazel]
վազ - the present stem
անկանել (իլ) - to fall [ankanel or ankanil]
անկան - the present stem
 
վազ+էի - վազէի - I was running, I would run [vaze:i]
վազ+էիր - վազէիր - you (sing.) were running, you would run [vaze:ir]
վազ+էր - վազէր - he/she/it was running, he/she/it would run [vazer]
վազ+էաք - վազէաք - we... [vaze:ak']
վազ+էիք - վազէիք - you (pl.)... [vaze:ik']
վազ+էին  - վազէին - they... [vaze:in]

անկանէի - I was falling, I would fall [ankane:i]
անկանէիր - you (sing.) were falling, you would fall [ankane:ir]
անկանէր - he/she/it was falling, he/she/it would fall [ankaner]
անկանէաք - we... [ankane:ak']
անկանէիք - you (pl.)... [ankane:ik']
անկանէին - they... [ankane:in]

These same endings for conjugations "ե" and "ի", when used separately, are the short forms of the verb "to be" in the past.

էի [e:i] (I) was

էիր [e:ir] (you-sing.) were
էր [er] (he/she/it) was
էաք [e:ak'] (we) were
էիք [e:ik'] (you-pl.) were
էին [e:in] (they) were

For example:
Ես անդ էի։ I was there. 
Գեղեցիկ էր նա։ He/she/it was beautiful. 
Տրտում էաք։ We were sad.
 

Conjugation "ա"

վերանալ- to go up [veranal]
վերան - the present stem

վերան+այի - վերանայի - I was going up / I would go up [veranayi]
վերան+այիր - վերանայիր [veranayir]
վերան+այր - վերանայր [veranayr]
վերան+այաք  - վերանայաք [veranayak']
վերան+այիք - վերանայիք [veranayik']
վերան+ային - վերանային [veranayin]

Conjugation "ու" 

լնուլ - to fill [lәnul]
լն - the present stem

լն + ուի - լնուի -  I was filling, I would fill  [lәnu:i]
լն +  ուիր - լնուիր [lәnu:ir]
լն + ոյր - լնոյր [lәnuyr]
լն +  ուաք - լնուաք [lәnu:ak']
լն + ուիք - լնուիք [lәnu:ik']
լն +  ուին - լնուին [lәnu:in]

The negative is formed in the same way as the negative of the present indicative; see Lesson 7.

ոչ վերանայի or չվերանայի - I wasn't going up

READING

(The translations in the brackets are literal)

Երկնէր երկին,  

[In travail was (/was travailing) heaven]

երկնէր երկիր,

[in travail was earth]

երկնէր եւ ծովն ծիրանի.

[in travail was and (=also) the sea purple]

երկն ի ծովուն ունէր եւ զկարմրիկն եղէգնիկ։

[travail in the sea was having (=holding) and (=also) the reddish small reed]

Ընդ եղեգան փող ծուխ ելանէր,

[Through reed's pipe (=stalk) smoke was coming forth]

ընդ եղեգան փող բոց ելանէր, 

[through reed's pipe (=stalk) flame was coming forth] 

եւ ի բոցոյն վազէր խարտեաշ պատանեկիկ։

[and from the flame was running golden-haired youth] 

Նա հուր հեր ունէր,

[He fire hair had]  

բոց ունէր մօրուս,

[flame (he) had beard]  

եւ աչկունքն էին արեգակունք։

[and the eyes were suns]  

This is one of the oldest preserved Armenian poems or songs. It is pagan and dedicated to Vahagn, the Armenian Heracles, who is born of fire and is all fire-like. This song has reached us through the History by Moses of Khoren (Movses Khorenatsi, V century). 

The English translation of this song:

In labour were heaven and earth,

In labor was also the purple sea!

The labor held also the small red reed in the sea.

Through the stalk of the reed, smoke came forth,

Through the stalk of the reed, flame came forth,

And out of the flame a blond boy was running!

He had fiery hair,

He had a flaming beard,

And his eyes were suns!

***

Some more reading

Մտանէին ի տուն (They were entering home/house)։ Յամենայն աւուր գայիր ի դպրոց ուսուցանել զմեզ (Every day you would come to school to teach us)։ Յորժամ լնուիր զամանն աղիւ, տեսանէի ես, զի աղն ոչ էր մաքուր (When you were filling the vessel with salt, was seeing I, that the salt was not pure)։ Հողմ սաստիկ շնչէր, երկիր շարժէր, եւ ամենեքեան մեք երկնչէաք (Wind strong was blowing, earth was moving, and all we were afraid)։ Թողուիր զայգին քո եւ յո՞ երթայիր (You were leaving the garden your and to where you were going?)։ Երթայի անդր ուր ոչ են աղմուկ եւ կիրք մարդկայինք (I was going there where not there are noise and passions human)։ Գայր յայգին մեր եւ քաղէր խաղող (He would come to the garden our and he would gather (pick) grape)։ Ուրախ էր յոյժ (Glad [he] was much)։ Զի՞նչ կամէիք առնել (What you wanted (=did you want) to do?)։

Listen to the Armenian words and texts in this lesson.

 

Lesson 3

We have already learned the following letters: Ա, Բ, Գ, Դ, Ե, Զ, Է, Թ, Լ, Յ, Ո, Ռ, Ր, Փ, Ք. The next letter that we are going to learn is Ը ը (ət'). It is the Armenian schwa and sounds like the unstressed English indefinite article "a". We shall represent it with the IPA character ə in our transcriptions of the words. This letter is usually used at the beginning of a word. In all other positions when this sound is heard between consonants we normally don't write it, if not for some special reason, for example, in the poetry or songs, to make clear how this or that word must be correctly divided into syllables to read or sing it correctly.

Two letters for the sound "v"

If Ը ը is normally used at the beginning of a word, Ւ ւ (viun) is NOT used at the beginning of a word. This letter is pronounced as "v". There is an opinion that it sounded like the English "w" in old times because of which in the IPA system for Classical Armenian this letter is presented with the character "w". However, there is another opinion too that considers that even in ancient times this letter's pronunciation was "v". That is why we shall not present this letter in our lessons as "w" so that the learners may not be confused and pronounce it as the English "w". Ւ ւ in the alphabet corresponds to the Greek Υυ though again they are not completely the same in their pronunciations, as I have already mentioned concerning some other letters. This letter following the letter Ո ո (vo) makes a digraph for the sound "u" (="oo") - ՈՒ ու (that is, "vo" + "viun"). This is like the Greek "ου".

Now, if Ւ ւ is not used at the beginning of a word, the letter Վ վ (vev) which sounds similarly is used in Classical Armenian at the beginning of a word and after the letter Ո ո (vo). For example, գովել (govel / k'ovel). We can't write Ւ ւ here instead of Վ վ because, as we have just told, Ւ ւ following Ո ո makes the digraph for "u" (="oo"). That is why, in order to read "ov" and not "u" we need to write the other letter for the sound "v" - Վ վ.

As you may see from the description of these two letters, they are just allographs, that is, two letters for the same sound.

Some other letters

Մ մ (men)

Ն ն (nu=noo)

Հ հ (ho)

Ս ս (se)

These letters represent the sounds with which their names begin. They are pronounced as their English equivalents.

Grammar
Personal Pronouns

ես (yes) I

դու (du / tu) you (singular)

նա (na) he, she, it

մեք (mek') we

դուք (duk' / tuk') you

նոքա (nok'a) they

The Armenian language, whether Classical or modern, does not have grammatical gender, just like the modern English language. There are not nouns, adjectives etc that are of the feminine, masculine or neutral gender. And even the personal pronouns do not distinguish between male and female persons. So there is only one նա (na) for both "he" and "she".


The present short forms of the verb "to be"

եմ (em) am

ես (es) (you) are

է (e) is

եմք (emk') (we) are

էք (ek') (you) are

են (en) (they) are

Be careful not to confuse the letters ե and է. Also pay attention that the above forms that start with ե are pronounced today in their ancient pronunciation, as "em", "es", "emk'", "en" and not "yem", "yes" etc according to the rule of the letter Ե ե (as we have already learned, we normally read this letter as "ye" at the beginning of a word). You will hear these forms to be read with the initial sound "y" by some Western Armenians when reading Classical Armenian texts. But this is not recommended.

Ես եմ (yes em) I am

Դու ես (du es / tu es) you are

Նա է (na e) he / she / it is

Մեք եմք (mek' emk') we are

Դուք էք (duk' ek' / t'uk ek') you are

Նոքա են (nok'a en) they are

Ո՞ է նա (vo e na?). Ո՞վ է նա (Ov e na?).
Both mean: Who is he/she?
The words ո (vo) and ով (ov) are synonymous but the second word is read according to the ancient Armenian pronunciation, that is, not "vov", but "ov". This is an exception. There are several other exceptions too, which we'll learn later.

Հայր քո։ (Hayr k'o) - Your father.
Մայր քո։ (Mayr k'o) - Your mother.
Նա է հայր մեր։ (Na e հayr mer) - He is our father.
մեր (mer) - our
նորա (nora) - his/her

Սա է հայր քո։ (Sa e hayr k'o) - This is your father.

Այս է հայր քո։ (Ays e hayr k'o) - the same

Դա է մայր նորա։ (Da / T'a e mayr nora) - That is his/her mother.
Այդ է մայր նորա։ (Ayd / ayt' e mayr nora) - the same
Ո՞ւր է մայր նորա։ (Ur e mayr nora?) - Where is his/her mother?
ուր (ur=oor) - where
Անդ է մայր նորա։ (And /ant' e mayr nora) - His/her mother is there.
անդ (and / ant') - there
մարդ (mard or mart'/ mart') - man, human being 

հաւ (hav) - grandfather; bird

հան (han) - grandmother
հարսն (ha´rsən) - bride

նու (nu=noo) - daughter-in-law, sister-in-law

նաւ (nav) - ship
հով (hov) - cool
զով (zov) - cool
արեւ (arev) - sun
դեւ (dev / t'ev) - demon
աւազան (avazan) - basin, font 

ընդ քեզ (ənd/ənt' kez) - with you
ընդդէմ (ənddem/ənt't'em) - against
ըմբռնել (əmbər'nel/əmp'ər'nel) - to take, to hold; to comprehend
ընթանալ (ənt'anal) - to go, to run, to walk
ընթեռնուլ (ənt'er'nul=ənt'er'nool) - to read

Անուն քո Վահա՞ն է։ (Anun k'o Vahan  e?) - Is your name Vahan?
անուն (anun) - name
Այո՛, Վահան է։ (Ayo, Vahan e) - Yes, it is Vahan.
այո (ayo) - yes
վահան (vahan) - shield

Յովհաննէս (Hovhannes) - John
Վարդան (Vardan or Vart'an / Vart'an)
Մովսէս (Movses) - Moses
Աբրահամ (Abraham / Ap'raham)

Այս է դաս մեր երրորդ։ (Ays e das / t'as mer yerrord / yerrort') - This is our third lesson.
դաս (das / t'as) - lesson
երրորդ (yerrord / yerrort') - third


FOR PRACTICE
EA pronunciation - գամ (gam), գաս (gas), գան (gan), գայք (gayk'), դառն (darən), լոյս (luys), յոյս (huys), բոյս (buys), գոյն (guyn), մանանայ (manana), նայել (nayel), վարդ (vard/vart'), վազել (vazel), վագր (vagər), աւազան (avazan), գաւազան (gavazan), բաւ (bav), հաւ (hav), գայլ (gayl), սայլ (sayl), յարդ (hard), հարթ (hart'), մարդ (mard/mart'), դաս (das), բարդ (bard/bart'), բան (ban), բանք (bank'), գէս (ges), վէս (ves), հեզ (hez), բեռն (ber'ən), գառն (gar'ən), սառն (sar'ən), թոռն (t'or'ən), սեաւ (seav), բալ (bal), ահաւոր (ahavor), թագաւոր (t'agavor), դուռն (dur'ən), բուռն (bur'ən), թերանալ (t'eranal), հեռանալ (her'anal), գոյանալ (goyanal), գոյ (goy), փառք (p'ar'k'), փառաւոր (p'ar'avor), վառ (var'), լեառն (near'ən), յառնել (har'nel), ընդել (əndel), ընդդէմ (ənddem), ընթա (ənt'a), ընթեռնում (ənt'er'num), ընթեռնուս (ənt'er'nus), ընթեռնու (ənt'er'nu)։


WA pronunciation - գամ (k'am), գաս (k'as), գան (k'an), գայք (k'ayk'), դառն (t'arən), լոյս (luys), յոյս (huys), բոյս (p'uys), գոյն (k'uyn), մանանայ (manana), նայել (nayel), վարդ (vart'), վազել (vazel), վագր (vak'ər), աւազան (avazan), գաւազան (k'avazan), բաւ (p'av), հաւ (hav), գայլ (k'ayl), սայլ (sayl), յարդ (hart'), հարթ (hart'), մարդ (mart'), դաս (t'as), բարդ (p'art'), բան (p'an), բանք (p'ank'), գէս (k'es), վէս (ves), հեզ (hez), բեռն (p'er'ən), գառն (k'ar'ən), սառն (sar'ən), թոռն (t'or'ən), սեաւ (seav), բալ (p'al), ահաւոր (ahavor), թագաւոր (t'ak'avor), դուռն (tur'ən), բուռն (p'ur'ən), թերանալ (t'eranal), հեռանալ (her'anal), գոյանալ (k'oyanal), գոյ (k'oy), փառք (p'ar'k'), փառաւոր (p'ar'avor), վառ (var'), լեառն (lear'ən), յառնել (har'nel), ընդել (ənt'el), ընդդէմ (ənt't'em), ընթա (ənt'a), ընթեռնում (ənt'er'num), ընթեռնուս (ənt'er'nus), ընթեռնու (ənt'er'nu)։


Capital letters:
Գամ (gam), Գաս (gas), Դառն (darən), Լոյս (luys), Յոյս (huys), Բոյս (buys), Մանանայ (manana), Վարդ (vard/vart'), Վազել (vazel), Վագր (vagər), ԱՒԱԶԱՆ (avazan), ԲԱՒ (bav), ՀԱՒ (hav), ԳԱՅԼ (gayl), Սայլ (sayl), ՅԱՐԴ (hard), ՀԱՐԹ (hart'), Մարդ (mard/mart'), ԴԱՍ (das), Բարդ (bard/bart'), ԲԱՆ (ban), ԲԱՆՔ (bank'), ԳԷՍ(ges), Վէս (ves), ՀԵԶ (hez), ԲԵՌՆ (ber'ən), Սառն (sar'ən), Թոռն (t'or'ən), Սեաւ (seav), Բալ (bal), Ահաւոր (ahavor), ԹԱԳԱՒՈՐ (t'agavor), Դուռն (dur'ən), Բուռն (bur'ən), ԹԵՐԱՆԱԼ (t'eranal), ՀԵՌԱՆԱԼ (her'anal), Գոյանալ (goyanal), ԳՈՅ (goy), ՓԱՌՔ (p'ar'k'), Փառաւոր (p'ar'avor), Վառ (var'), Լեառն (lear'ən), Յառնել (har'nel), ԸՆԴԵԼ (əndel), Ընդդէմ (ənddem), ԸՆԹԱ (ənt'a), Ընթեռնում (ənt'er'num), Ընթեռնուս (ənt'er'nus), Ընթեռնու (ənt'er'nu)։

Listen to the Armenian letters, words and sentences in this lesson.