Lesson 7

Let's recollect some grammatical rules that we have already learned.
We know the plural ending ք: դաս – դասք (lesson - lessons), բան – բանք (word - words)։
    We know that in the accusative case (mostly as a direct object) this ք changes to ս: դասք -դասս, բանք -բանս։
    We know that the preposition զ is used with the accusative case as a definite article: զդաս – զդասս (the lesson – the lessons), զբան - զբանս (the word – the words). Remember: these are used mostly as direct objects, not subjects.

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The Definite Article ն
For ALL cases of noun the definite article is ն (n), which is added to the word from the end.

nominative case - the subject of the sentence
գինի+ն - գինին (ginin / k'inin) - the wine
sing. - քահանայ, քահանայն (k'ahana, k'ahanayn) - priest, the priest
պատարագ, պատարագն (patarag, pataragən / badarak', badarak'ən)- sacrifice, the sacrifice
plur. - քահանայք, քահանայքն (k'ahanayk', k'ahanayk'ən) - priests, the priests
պատարագք, պատարագքն (pataragək', pataragk'ən / badarak'ək', badarak'k'ən) - sacrifices, the sacrifices

Word Combinations

We may say both:
1) գինի անոյշ (noun + adjective)
and
2) անոյշ գինի (adjective + noun)

When we need to add the preposition զ, in both structures զ is added to the first word:
զ+գինի անոյշ - զգինի անոյշ (әzgini / әzk'ini anuysh)
զ+անոյշ գինի - զանոյշ գինի (zanuysh gini / k'ini)

In plural, both words are usually in plural in the structure 1):
գինիք անոյշք (ginik' / k'inik' anuyshәk')
But in the structure 2) the first word (the adjective) remains singular:
անոյշ գինիք (anuysh ginik' / k'inik')

Ըմպել զանոյշ գինին եւ թողուլ զյոռին։
(Ըմպել զ+անոյշ գինի+ն եւ թողուլ զ+յոռի+ն։)

(әmpel / әmbel zanuysh ginin / k'inin yev tołul әzhor'in)

To drink the pleasant wine and to leave the bad one.
Ուտել հաց եւ ըմպել գինի։ To eat bread and to drink wine.

(utel / udel hac' yev әmpel / әmbel gini / k'ini )

Ուտել զհացն եւ ըմպել զգինին։ To eat the bread and to drink the wine.

(utel / udel әzhac'әn yev әmpel / әmbel әzginin / әzk'inin ) 

Հացն ի վերայ սեղանոյ է։ The bread is on the table (or altar).

(Hac'n i vera sełano e)

Քա՞ղցր է գինին այն թէ դառն։ Is that wine sweet or bitter?

(K'ałc'әr e ginin / k'inin ayn t'e dar'әn / t'ar'әn?)

Present Indicative Tense

Classical Armenian has only one tense to express the actions of the present. It is the present indicative.

To conjugate the verbs in this tense, we need to add the proper endings to the so-called present stem of the verb. The verb in Armenian has 2 stems - the present and the aorist. Now we need only the present stem, which is very easy to find. Just remove the ending of the infinitive and you will have the present stem. You remember, of course, that the infinitive has the following endings: -ել, -ել(իլ), -ալ, -ուլ, -ոլ.

ըմպել - ըմպ, հասանել - հասան
խաւսել (իլ) - խաւս, ուսանել (իլ) - ուսան
գնալ - գն, բառնալ - բառն
թողուլ - թող, առնուլ - առն

Do you remember the present short forms of the verb “to be”? They are also the endings of the present indicative tense for the verbs of the conjugation “ե” (that is, the verbs which end in “ել” in the infinitive).

Conjugation “ե”

Ըմպել - ըմպ

ըմպ+ եմ - ըմպեմ - I drink / am drinking (әmpem / әmbem)
ըմպ+ ես - ըմպես - you drink / are drinking (әmpes / әmbes)
ըմպ+ է - ըմպէ - he/she/it drinks / is drinking (әmpe / әmbe)
ըմպ+ եմք - ըմպեմք - we drink / are drinking (әmpemk' / әmbemk')
ըմպ+ էք - ըմպէք - you drink / are drinking (әmpek' / әmbek')
ըմպ+ են - ըմպեն - they drink / are drinking (әmpen / әmben)

Conjugation “ի” (that is, the verbs which end in “իլ” in the infinitive)

խաւսել / խաւսիլ (= խօսել/խօսիլ) - խաւս  
խաւս+ իմ - խաւսիմ - I speak / am speaking (xosim)
խաւս+ իս - խաւսիս - you speak / are speaking (xosis)
խաւս+ ի - խաւսի - he/she/it speaks / is speaking (xosi)
խաւս+ իմք - խաւսիմք - we speak / are speaking (xosimk')
խաւս+ իք - խաւսիք - you speak / are speaking (xosik')
խաւս+ ին - խաւսին - they speak / are speaking (xosin)

Conjugation “ա”

գնալ - գն

գն+ ամ - նամ - I go / am going (gәnam / k'әnam)
գն+ աս - գնաս - you go / are going (gәnas / k'әnas)
գն+ այ - գնայ - he/ she/ it goes / is going (gәna / k'әna)
գն+ ամք - գնամք - we go / are going (gәnamk' / k'әnamk')
գն+ այք - գնայք - you go / are going (gәnayk' / k'әnayk')
գն+ ան - գնան - they go / are going (gәnan / k'әnan)

Conjugation “ու”

առնուլ - առն

առն+ ում - առնում - I take / am taking (ar'num)
առն+ ուս - առնուս - you take / are taking (ar'nus)
առն+ ու - առնու - he/she/it takes / is taking (ar'nu)
առն+ ումք - առնումք - we take / are taking (ar'numk')
առն+ ուք - առնուք - you take / are taking (ar'nuk')
առն+ ուն - առնուն - they take / are taking (ar'nun)

If you might notice, in all these groups or conjugations the endings of the present indicative are themselves built of the letters ե, ի, ա, ու + մ (for the I person singular), մք (I person plural), ս (II singular), ք (II plural), nothing or է, յ (III singular), ն (III plural). 

The negative forms are made by adding ոչ or չ- to the verbs, for example: ոչ առնում // չառնում (voch ar'num // char'num) - I don't take.

Reading 

(The English translation of the sentences is literal, word by word, 

so that you may understand each of them.)

Եթէ ոչ Տէր շինէ զտուն, ի նանիր վաստակին շինողք նորա։ If not Lord builds the house, in vain labour (III plural) builders of it. Եթէ ոչ Տէր պահէ զքաղաք, ընդունայն տքնին պահապանք նորա։ If not Lord keeps/preserves the town, in vain toil (III plural) guards of it. Ո՜րպէս ոչ ննջէ եւ ոչ ի քուն երթայ Պահապանն Իսրայելի։ How not sleeps and not into sleep goes the Guard/Protector of Israel. Իջանեն անձրեւք, յառնեն գետք, շնչեն հողմք։ Fall/Come down rains, rise rivers, blow winds. Այր իմաստուն շինէ զտուն իւր ի վերայ վիմի։ Man wise builds the house his on stone. Տղայն Յովհաննէս լսէ զբանս հաւր։ Child John listens the words of father. Չկամիմ զդա։ I do not want that. Տաս դու զամենայն բարիս մեր։ Give (II singular) you the all goods our. Երթամք ի դաշտ։ We go to field. Ելանես ի լեառն։ You climb/ascend to mountain. Անառակ որդին թողու զհայրն եւ երթայ յերկիր աւտար։ Prodigal the son leaves the father and goes to country foreign. Աբրահամ զենու զգառն։ Abraham slaughters the lamb. Ոչ գիտեմք զինչ խաւսիս։ Not we know (we don't know) what you speak. Տեսանեմք զնա զի երթայ յայգի։ We see him that he goes to garden. Ոչ առնէք զարդարութիւն։ Not you do (you don't d0) justice /righteousness. Զի՞ կամիք սպանանել զնա։ Why you want (plural) to kill him?

Verbs

շինէ (shine) builds

վաստակին (vastakin / vasdagin) they labour

պահէ (pahe / bahe) keeps, preserves
տքնին (tәk'nin / dәk'nin) they toil

ննջէ (nәnje / nәnch'e) sleeps

ի քուն երթայ (i k'un yert'a) falls asleep

իջանեն (ijanen / ich'anen) they fall/come down

յառնեն (har'nen) they rise

շնչեն (shәnch'en) they breathe / blow (of the winds)

լսէ (lәse) hears, listens

չկամիմ (ch'әkamim / ch'әgamim) I don't want

տաս (tas / das)  you (singular) give

երթամք (yert'amk') we go
ելանես (yelanes) you (singular) ascend; go out

թողու (t'ołu) leaves

երթայ (yert'a) goes

զենու (zenu) slaughters

գիտեմք (gitemk' / k'idemk') we know

խաւսիս (xosis) you (singular) speak

տեսանեմք (tesanemk' / desanemk') we see

առնէք* (ar'nek') you (plural) do

կամիք (kamik' / gamik') you (plural) want

սպանանել (spananel / әsbananel) to kill, murder

* Do not confuse the verb առնուլ (to take) with the verb առնել (to do, to make, to create). Pay attention to their endings which are different, which means they are also conjugated differently.

+ Construct the infinitives of the above conjugated verbs and try to conjugate them, or some of them, in all persons, in the present indicative tense, according to the patterns provided in this lesson. Also, try to make simple sentences, using the nouns, verbs and the grammar patterns that we have learned so far. 

You will find the translations of the other words of the above text not only in the literal translation I have provided, but also in the vocabulary page of this blog.


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Listen to the Armenian words and sentences in this lesson.

Lesson 5

In this lesson we are going to finish with the letters of the Armenian alphabet. The remaining letters are the following:

Ժ ժ (zhe=ʒe) as in "pleasure"

Ձ ձ (dz'a / tsa=c'a) EA pronunciation - as in the Italian "mezzo"; WA pronunciation of this letter is the same with that of Ց ց (tso=c'o).

Պ պ (pe / be) EA pr. - as in "speak"; WA pr. - as in "bed"

Կ կ (ken / gen) EA pr. - as in "skate"; WA pr. - as in "get"

Տ տ (tiun / diun) EA pr. - as in "step"; WA pr. - as in "desk"

The above three letters are for the unaspirated variants of the aspirated voiceless consonants Փ փ (p'), Ք ք (k'), Թ թ (t'). They are letters for voiced consonants in WA.

The following two letters when pronounced according to the Eastern Armenian pronunciation are the hardest for foreigners and the Western Armenians. These sounds also exist in Georgian, the sound system of which is very similar to that of Classical and Eastern Armenian languages. These two sounds are the unaspirated variants of the aspirated voiceless consonants Ց ց (c'o) and Չ չ (ch'a) and are letters for voiced consonants in WA.

Ծ ծ (tsa=ca / dza) In the EA pronunciation this letter is a variant of Ց ց (tso=c'o). Hear it in the recording and if you are unable to distinguish it from Ց ց (tso=c'o) or pronounce it correctly, pronounce as Ց ց (tso=c'o).

---- In the WA pronunciation this letter sounds like the sound "dz" in the Italian word "mezzo".

Ճ ճ (che / je) In the EA pronunciation this letter is a variant of Չ չ (ch'a). Hear it in the recording and if you are unable to distinguish it from Չ չ (ch'a) or pronounce it correctly, pronounce as Չ չ (ch'a).

---- In the WA pronunciation this letter sounds like the "j" in "jam".

Now we know all the 36 letters of the Mesropian alphabet. 10 letters of the alphabet are pronounced differently in the Western and Eastern Armenian languages. These 10 letters represent 10 different sounds in the Classical and Eastern Armenian languages and don't repeat the sounds of the other letters of the alphabet. Due to the historical sound change, they represent only 5 sounds in the Western Armenian language and repeat the sounds of other 5 letters of the alphabet.

Those 10 letters are:

Բ, Գ, Դ, Ձ, Ջ (for voiced consonants in CA and EA; for voiceless aspirated consonants in WA and repeating the voiceless aspirated Փ, Ք, Թ, Ց, Չ)

Պ, Կ, Տ, Ծ, Ճ (for voiceless unaspirated consonants in CA and EA; for voiced consonants in WA)

Reading and some grammar

Այս է դաս մեր հինգերորդ։ (Ays e das mer hingerord / Ays e t'as mer hink'erort') - This is our fifth lesson. 
Ժամ է յառնել ի քնոյ։ (ʒam e har'nel i k'no) - It is time to wake up from sleep. 
Ժամ է երթալ յեկեղեցի։ (ʒam e yert'al hekełec'i hegełec'i) - It is time to go to church. 
ժամ (ʒam) - hour; time 
յառնել (har'nel) - to get up, to rise 
քուն (kun) - sleep 
ի քնոյ (i k'no) - from sleep 
մտանել ի քուն (mtanel i k'un / mdanel i k'un) - lit. to enter into sleep (to fall asleep) 
մտանել (mtanel / mdanel) - to enter 
եկեղեցի (yekełec'i / yegełec'i) - church 
յեկեղեցի (hekełec'i / hegełec'i) - to church
մտանել յեկեղեցի (mtanel hekełec'i / mdanel hegełec'i) - to enter church 
տուն (tun / dun) - home, house 
ի տուն  (i tun / i dun) - (to) home 
Գնա´ի տուն։ (Gna i tun / K'na i dun) - Go home. 
քաղաք (k'ałak') town, city 
ի քաղաք (i k'ałak') to town 
այգի (aygi / ayk'i) garden 
յայգի (haygi / hayk'i) to garden

The preposition ի (յ) is used with different cases and may express different meanings, even with the same case. When it is used with the accusative case, it may correspond to the English "to" and show the direction of the action.
Before a consonant this preposition is ի and is written separately. Before a vowel ի changes into յ and is not separated from the word it precedes.

քաղաք մեծ (k'ałak' mec / medz') - big / large town 
քաղաքք մեծք (k'ałak'ək' mecək' / medz'ək') - big towns (nominative case, usually the subject of the sentence) 
քաղաքս մեծս (kaghak'əs mecəs / medz'əs) big towns (accusative case, direct object, indefinite form) 
մեծ (mec / medz') - big, great 
Գնալ ի քաղաք մեծ։ (Gnal i kałak' mec / K'nal i kałak' medz') - To go to a big town. 
Գնալ ի քաղաքս մեծս։ (Gnal i kałak'əs mecəs / K'nal i kałak'əs medz'əs) - To go to big towns. 
այգի գեղեցիկ (aygi gełec'ik / ayk'i k'ełec'ig) - beautiful garden 
այգիք գեղեցիկք (aygik' gełec'ikək' / ayk'ik' k'ełec'igək') - beautiful gardens (nominative case) 
այգիս գեղեցիկս (aygis gełec'ikəs / ayk'is k'ełec'igəs) - beautiful gardens (accusative case, direct object, indefinite form)

As you might notice, the plural ending  ք ("k'") changes into ս ("s") in the accusative case.

ձայն զանգակի (dz'ayn zangaki / c'ayn zank'agi) - voice of a bell 
ձայն (dz'ayn / c'ayn) - voice 
զանգակ (zangak / zank'ag) - bell 
մեծ զանգակ (mec zangak / medz' zank'ag) - big bell 
զանգակք ոսկիք (zangakək' voskik' / zank'agək' vosgik') - golden bells 
ոսկի (voski / vosgi) - gold (noun); golden (adjective)

Քրիստոս Փրկիչ (K'ristos P'rkich' / K'risdos Prgich') - Christ the Saviour 
Աստուած եւ Տէր (Astvac yev Ter / Asdvadz' yev Der) - God and Lord 
կեանք եւ մահ (keank' yev mah / geank' yev mah) - life and death 
ծեր եւ մանուկ (cer yev manuk / dz'er yev manug) - (the) old and (the) children (lit. child) 
դուռն դրախտին (dur'ən draxtin / t'ur'ən t'raxdin) - the door of the paradise 
դրախտ (draxt / t'raxd) - paradise 
երկինք երրորդ (yerkink' yerrord / yergink' yerrort') - the third heaven 
երկինք (yerkink' / yergink') - heaven, sky 
երկիր մեր (yerkir mer / yergir mer) - our earth / land / country 
ծով կապոյտ (cov kapuyt / dz'ov gabuyd) - blue sea 
ծով (cov / dz'ov) - sea 
լիճ փոքր (lich p'ok'ər / lij p'ok'ər) - small lake 
լիճ (lich / lij) - lake 
ճանապարհ բարի (chanaparh bari / janabarh p'ari) - good way 
ճանապարհ (chanaparh / janabarh) - way, road 
աջ (aj or ach' / ach') - right 
ձախ (dz'ax / c'ax) - left 
դատաստան ահեղ (datastan aheł / t'adasdan aheł) - awesome judgment 
դատաստան (datastan / t'adasdan) - judgment 
գործ բարի  (gorc bari / k'ordz' p'ari) - good work / deed / act 
գործք բարիք (gorcək' barik' / k'ordzək' p'arik') - good works

Capital letters: ԳՈՐԾ, ԾՈՎ, ԼԻՃ, ԵԿԵՂԵՑԻ, ԵՐԿԻՆՔ, ԵՐԿԻՐ, ԱՅԳԻ, ԴԱՏԱՍՏԱՆ, ԱՀԵՂ, ԱՋ, ՁԱԽ, ՃԱՆԱՊԱՐՀ, ԿԱՊՈՅՏ, ԴՐԱԽՏ, ԿԵԱՆՔ, ՄԱՀ, ԾԵՐ, ՄԱՆՈՒԿ, ՔԱՂԱՔ, ԺԱՄ, ՔՈՒՆ, ԵՐԹԱԼ, ՄԵԾ, ՄՏԱՆԵԼ, ՅԱՌՆԵԼ։

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