Yes, no and the essentials in Armenian
The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it. Play the ten Armenian words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Armenian phrases in this lesson
- ԱյոAY-o
- Yes
- Ոչvoch
- No
- Լավlav
- Okay
- Չեմ հասկանումchem has-ka-NOOM
- I don't understand
- Դուք անգլերեն գիտե՞քdook ang-le-REN gi-TEK
- Do you speak English?
- Կարո՞ղ եք կրկնելka-ROGH ek kurk-NEL
- Can you repeat that?
- Դանդաղ, խնդրեմdan-DAGH khun-DREM
- Slowly, please
- Ի՞նչ է սաinch e SA
- What is this?
- Ինձ պետք է...indz PETK e
- I need...
- Կարո՞ղ եք ինձ օգնելka-ROGH ek indz og-NEL
- Can you help me?
Standard affirmative in all situations. Some older Armenians may also nod their head forward for yes. Do not confuse with a side-to-side tilt, which can mean yes in some neighboring cultures but not here.
The Ո is pronounced like a "v" sound here, so it sounds like "voch," not "och." Short and clear. Armenians rarely soften a refusal with filler words, so a clean "voch" is perfectly polite.
Literally "good," but universally used as "okay" or "alright." It is the most common low-key affirmative you will hear on the street. Saying լավ in reply to instructions shows you understood.
Say this slowly and clearly and most Armenians will switch to gestures, Russian, or basic English. In Yerevan especially, Russian is a common fallback for communication with tourists.
The formal plural Դուք shows respect. In Yerevan many younger people speak English well, but in smaller towns Russian is far more likely to be understood as a second language.
The polite plural form, right for strangers.
Many older people speak Russian too, which can help.
Literally "to me it is necessary": "ինձ պետք է բժիշկ" (indz PETK e buh-ZHISHK), I need a doctor.
Armenians are famously hospitable, so expect help and possibly an invitation.