Title: A Friendly Guide to the Armenian Alphabet and Phrases for New Learners
Learning a new language can be a fun and inspiring journey, especially when it’s one as beautiful and unique as Armenian. This article is here to help absolute beginners recognize, pronounce, and enjoy the Armenian alphabet and some key everyday phrases.
The Armenian Alphabet (Eastern Armenian)
The Armenian alphabet has 39 letters, each with its own distinct sound and feel. Below is a friendly breakdown of the letters, how they sound in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), how you might pronounce them as an English speaker, and some common Armenian words that use those letters.
| Letter | IPA | Pronunciation Help | Example Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Աա | a | ”ah” | Արև | Sun |
| Բբ | b | ”b” | Բաժակ | Cup |
| Գգ | g | ”g” as in “go” | Գորտ | Frog |
| Դդ | d | ”d” | Դելֆին | Dolphin |
| Եե | jɛ/ɛ | ”ye” or “eh” | Ելակ | Strawberry |
| Զզ | z | ”z” | Զատիկ | Ladybug |
| Էէ | e | ”e” as in “net” | Էլեմենտ | Battery |
| Ըը | ə | like a soft “uh” | Ընկույզ | Walnut |
| Թթ | tʰ | ”t” with a puff | Թութակ | Parrot |
| Ժժ | ʒ | ”zh” like in “measure” | Ժամ | Clock |
| Իի | i | ”ee” | Ինքնաթիռ | Airplane |
| Լլ | l | ”l” | Լոլիկ | Tomato |
| Խխ | χ | throaty “kh” | Խոզ | Pig |
| Ծծ | ts | ”ts” like in “cats” | Ծիածան | Rainbow |
| Կկ | k | ”k” | Կատու | Cat |
| Հհ | h | ”h” | Հաց | Bread |
| Ձձ | dz | ”dz” combination | Ձմերուկ | Watermelon |
| Ղղ | ʁ | throaty “gh” | Ղեկ | Steering wheel |
| Ճճ | ʃ | ”ch” like “check” | Ճանապարհ | Street |
| Մմ | m | ”m” | Մուկ | Mouse |
| Յյ | j | ”y” | Յոթ | Seven |
| Նն | n | ”n” | Նավ | Ship |
| Շշ | ʃ | ”sh” | Շուն | Dog |
| Ոո | ɔ | ”vo” or “o” | Ոզնի | Hedgehog |
| Չչ | tʃʰ | ”ch” with a puff | Չեմպիոն | Champion |
| Պպ | p | ”p” | Պայուսակ | Bag |
| Ջջ | dʒ | ”j” as in “jam” | Ջութակ | Violin |
| Ռռ | r | Rolled “r” | Ռետին | Eraser |
| Սս | s | ”s” | Սար | Mountain |
| Վվ | v | ”v” | Վարդ | Rose |
| Տտ | t | Strong “t” | Տուն | House |
| Րր | ɾ | Flap “r” | Րոպե | Minute |
| Ցց | tsʰ | Explosive “ts” | Ցորեն | Wheat |
| Ու | u | ”oo” | Ուղեղ | Brain |
| Փփ | pʰ | Soft “p” with puff | Փետուր | Feather |
| Քք | kʰ | Soft “k” with puff | Քիթ | Nose |
| Օօ | o | ”o” | Օձ | Snake |
| Ֆֆ | f | ”f” | Ֆուտբոլ | Soccer |
| և (եվ) | jɛv | ”yev” or “ev” | Արև | Sun |
Common Armenian Phrases for Beginners
Here are some of the most useful Armenian phrases you’ll use in daily conversations. The pronunciation is based on how it would sound to an English speaker.
| Armenian | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| Ողջույն | ogh-chuin | Hello |
| Բարի լույս | bari luys | Good morning |
| Բարի երեկո | bari yereko | Good evening |
| Բարի գիշեր | bari gisher | Good night |
| Ինչպե՞ս եք | inchpes ek | How are you? |
| Լավ, շնորհակալություն | lav, shnorhakalutyun | I’m fine, thank you |
| Իսկ դու՞ | isk du? | And you? |
| Ուրախ եմ քեզ հետ ծանոթանալ | oorakh em k’ez het tsanotanal | Nice to meet you |
| Ցտեսություն | ts’tesutyun | Goodbye |
| Խնդրում եմ | khndrum em | Please |
| Շնորհակալություն | shnorhakalutyun | Thank you |
| Այո | ayo | Yes |
| Ոչ | voch | No |
| Կներեք | k’nerek’ | Sorry / Excuse me |
| Ես չեմ հասկանում | yes chem haskanum | I don’t understand |
| Ի՞նչ է նշանակում | inch’ e nshanakum | What does it mean? |
| Խոսու՞մ եք անգլերեն | khosum ek angleren? | Do you speak English? |
Final Words
Whether you’re trying to speak with locals, make new friends, or just enjoy learning Armenian as a new language, remember: it’s all about consistent practice and not being afraid to make mistakes.
Barev dzez (Բարեւ ձեզ) and good luck on your journey into the Armenian language!
+----------+--------+-------------------------+----------------+------------------+
| Letter | IPA | Pronunciation Help | Example Word | Meaning |
+----------+--------+-------------------------+----------------+------------------+
| Աա | a | "ah" | Արև | Sun |
| Բբ | b | "b" | Բաժակ | Cup |
| Գգ | g | "g as in go" | Գորտ | Frog |
| Դդ | d | "d" | Դելֆին | Dolphin |
| Եե | jɛ/ɛ | "ye or eh" | Ելակ | Strawberry |
| Զզ | z | "z" | Զատիկ | Ladybug |
| Էէ | e | "e as in net" | Էլեմենտ | Battery |
| Ըը | ə | "like a soft uh" | Ընկույզ | Walnut |
| Թթ | tʰ | "t with a puff" | Թութակ | Parrot |
| Ժժ | ʒ | "zh like in measure" | Ժամ | Clock |
| Իի | i | "ee" | Ինքնաթիռ | Airplane |
| Լլ | l | "l" | Լոլիկ | Tomato |
| Խխ | χ | "throaty kh" | Խոզ | Pig |
| Ծծ | ts | "ts like in cats" | Ծիածան | Rainbow |
| Կկ | k | "k" | Կատու | Cat |
| Հհ | h | "h" | Հաց | Bread |
| Ձձ | dz | "dz combination" | Ձմերուկ | Watermelon |
| Ղղ | ʁ | "throaty gh" | Ղեկ | Steering wheel |
| Ճճ | ʃ | "ch like check" | Ճանապարհ | Street |
| Մմ | m | "m" | Մուկ | Mouse |
| Յյ | j | "y" | Յոթ | Seven |
| Նն | n | "n" | Նավ | Ship |
| Շշ | ʃ | "sh" | Շուն | Dog |
| Ոո | ɔ | "vo or o" | Ոզնի | Hedgehog |
| Չչ | tʃʰ | "ch with a puff" | Չեմպիոն | Champion |
| Պպ | p | "p" | Պայուսակ | Bag |
| Ջջ | dʒ | "j as in jam" | Ջութակ | Violin |
| Ռռ | r | "Rolled r" | Ռետին | Eraser |
| Սս | s | "s" | Սար | Mountain |
| Վվ | v | "v" | Վարդ | Rose |
| Տտ | t | "Strong t" | Տուն | House |
| Րր | ɾ | "Flap r" | Րոպե | Minute |
| Ցց | tsʰ | "Explosive ts" | Ցորեն | Wheat |
| Ու | u | "oo" | Ուղեղ | Brain |
| Փփ | pʰ | "Soft p with puff" | Փետուր | Feather |
| Քք | kʰ | "Soft k with puff" | Քիթ | Nose |
| Օօ | o | "o" | Օձ | Snake |
| Ֆֆ | f | "f" | Ֆուտբոլ | Soccer |
| և (եվ) | jɛv | "yev or ev" | Արև | Sun |
+----------+--------+-------------------------+----------------+------------------+