Meeting people in Armenian
How are you, what is your name, where are you from, I like it: the first five minutes. 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
- Ինչպե՞ս եքinch-PES yek
- How are you?
- Լավ, շնորհակալությունlav, shno-ra-ka-loo-TYOON
- I'm fine, thanks
- Իսկ դո՞ւքisk DOOK
- And you?
- Ձեր անունը ի՞նչ էdzer a-NOO-nuh inch e
- What's your name?
- Իմ անունը ... էim a-NOO-nuh ... e
- My name is...
- Որտեղի՞ց եքvor-te-GHEETS yek
- Where are you from?
- Ես ...-ից եմyes ...-its em
- I'm from...
- Ինձ դուր է գալիսindz DOOR e ga-LEES
- I like it
- Գեղեցիկ էge-ghe-TSEEK e
- It's beautiful
- Բարի գալուստBA-ri ga-LOOST
- Welcome
Use with anyone older than you, strangers, or people you have just met. The plural -եք ending signals respect. This is the safe default until someone invites you to be more casual.
The universal positive response to "how are you." Լավ on its own suffices in casual settings. Adding the thank-you makes it complete and polite in more formal exchanges.
Polite. To a friend: "իսկ դո՞ւ" (isk DOO).
The formal version using Ձեր (your, formal). To share your own name say "Իմ անունը ... է" (im a-NOO-nuh ... e). Armenians are curious about foreigners and this question opens conversations quickly.
"Իմ անունը Աննա է" (im a-NOO-nuh AN-na e).
Armenians have a vast global diaspora and are genuinely curious about visitors' origins. Your answer often sparks a conversation about whether they have relatives near you. This is a universal icebreaker.
"Ես Կանադայից եմ" (yes ka-na-da-YITS em), I'm from Canada.
Literally "it comes to my liking".
For Mount Ararat on a clear morning, the only possible comment.
Literally "good arrival".