Learn about personal, possessive, demonstrative, and other pronouns in Armenian
Pronouns are words that substitute for nouns or noun phrases. In Armenian, pronouns play a crucial role in communication and undergo changes based on their grammatical function in a sentence. Understanding pronouns is essential for constructing coherent sentences and expressing relationships between people and objects.
This lesson covers the main types of pronouns in Armenian: personal, possessive, demonstrative, interrogative, relative, indefinite, and reflexive pronouns.
Personal pronouns in the nominative case function as the subject of a sentence.
| Person | Armenian | Transliteration | French |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person singular | ես | yes | je |
| 2nd person singular | դու | du | tu |
| 3rd person singular | նա | na | il/elle |
| 1st person plural | մենք | menk | nous |
| 2nd person plural | դուք | duk | vous |
| 3rd person plural | նրանք | nrank | ils/elles |
Note: In Armenian, there is no gender distinction in the third person singular or plural pronouns.
Like nouns, personal pronouns in Armenian change form depending on their case. Here are the forms for the most commonly used cases:
Ես գնում եմ դպրոց։ (Nominative)
Yes gnum em dprots.
Je vais à l'école.
The pronoun 'ես' (I) is in the nominative case as the subject of the sentence.
Նա տեսավ ինձ։ (Accusative)
Na tesav indz.
Il/Elle m'a vu(e).
The pronoun 'ինձ' (me) is in the accusative case as the direct object.
Սա քեզ համար է։ (Dative)
Sa kez hamar e.
C'est pour toi.
The pronoun 'քեզ' (you) is in the dative case, indicating the recipient.
| Person | Nominative | Genitive/Dative | Accusative | Ablative | Instrumental |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | ես (yes) | իմ/ինձ (im/indz) | ինձ (indz) | ինձանից (indzanits) | ինձանով (indzanov) |
| 2nd sg. | դու (du) | քո/քեզ (ko/kez) | քեզ (kez) | քեզանից (kezanits) | քեզանով (kezanov) |
| 3rd sg. | նա (na) | նրա/նրան (nra/nran) | նրան (nran) | նրանից (nranits) | նրանով (nranov) |
| 1st pl. | մենք (menk) | մեր/մեզ (mer/mez) | մեզ (mez) | մեզանից (mezanits) | մեզանով (mezanov) |
| 2nd pl. | դուք (duk) | ձեր/ձեզ (dzer/dzez) | ձեզ (dzez) | ձեզանից (dzezanits) | ձեզանով (dzezanov) |
| 3rd pl. | նրանք (nrank) | նրանց/նրանց (nrants/nrants) | նրանց (nrants) | նրանցից (nrantsits) | նրանցով (nrantsov) |
Note: The genitive case is used for possession, while the dative case is used for indirect objects. In many instances, the forms are the same, but their function in the sentence differs.
Possessive pronouns in Armenian indicate ownership or possession. They are formed from the genitive case of personal pronouns.
Սա իմ գիրքն է։
Sa im girkn e.
C'est mon livre.
The possessive pronoun 'իմ' (my) is derived from the genitive case of 'ես' (I).
Նրա տունը մեծ է։
Nra tunə mets e.
Sa maison est grande.
The possessive pronoun 'նրա' (his/her) is derived from the genitive case of 'նա' (he/she).
Մեր երեխաները դպրոցում են։
Mer yerekhaner@ dprotsum en.
Nos enfants sont à l'école.
The possessive pronoun 'մեր' (our) is derived from the genitive case of 'մենք' (we).
| Person | Armenian | Transliteration | French |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person singular | իմ | im | mon/ma/mes |
| 2nd person singular | քո | ko | ton/ta/tes |
| 3rd person singular | նրա | nra | son/sa/ses |
| 1st person plural | մեր | mer | notre/nos |
| 2nd person plural | ձեր | dzer | votre/vos |
| 3rd person plural | նրանց | nrants | leur/leurs |
Note: Unlike in French, Armenian possessive pronouns do not change form to agree with the gender or number of the noun they modify.
Demonstrative pronouns point to specific things. Armenian has a three-way distinction in demonstratives, based on distance from the speaker.
Սա իմ գիրքն է։
Sa im girkn e.
Ceci est mon livre.
The demonstrative 'սա' (this) refers to something close to the speaker.
Դա քո գիրքն է։
Da ko girkn e.
Cela est ton livre.
The demonstrative 'դա' (that) refers to something at a medium distance or close to the listener.
Նա նրա գիրքն է։
Na nra girkn e.
Celui-là est son livre.
The demonstrative 'նա' (that over there) refers to something far from both the speaker and listener.
| Distance | Pronoun | Adjective | French Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near (this) | սա (sa) | այս (ays) | ce/cette/ces (proche) |
| Medium (that) | դա (da) | այդ (ayd) | ce/cette/ces (moyen) |
| Far (that over there) | նա (na) | այն (ayn) | ce/cette/ces (loin) |
Note: When used as adjectives, demonstratives come before the noun they modify (e.g., այս գիրքը - this book).
Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions. Here are the main interrogative pronouns in Armenian:
Ո՞վ է այնտեղ։
Ov e ayntegh?
Qui est là?
The interrogative pronoun 'ով' (who) is used to ask about a person.
Ի՞նչ ես անում։
Inch es anum?
Que fais-tu?
The interrogative pronoun 'ինչ' (what) is used to ask about a thing or action.
Որտե՞ղ ես ապրում։
Vortegh es aprum?
Où habites-tu?
The interrogative pronoun 'որտեղ' (where) is used to ask about a place.
| Armenian | Transliteration | French | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| ո՞վ | ov | qui | asking about a person |
| ի՞նչ | inch | quoi/que | asking about a thing or action |
| որտե՞ղ | vortegh | où | asking about a place |
| ե՞րբ | yerb | quand | asking about time |
| ինչո՞ւ | inchu | pourquoi | asking about reason |
| ինչպե՞ս | inchpes | comment | asking about manner |
| որքա՞ն | vorkan | combien | asking about quantity |
| ո՞ր | vor | quel/quelle | asking which one |
| ո՞ւմ | um | à qui/de qui | asking about possession or recipient |
Note: In Armenian, the question mark (՞) is placed over the vowel of the stressed syllable in the question word.
Relative pronouns introduce relative clauses. The main relative pronoun in Armenian is 'որ' (vor), which can be used for people, animals, and things.
Մարդը, որ այստեղ է, իմ հայրն է։
Mardə, vor aystegh e, im hayrn e.
L'homme qui est ici est mon père.
The relative pronoun 'որ' (who/that) introduces a relative clause describing 'մարդը' (the man).
Գիրքը, որ կարդում եմ, շատ հետաքրքիր է։
Girkə, vor kardum em, shat hetakrkir e.
Le livre que je lis est très intéressant.
The relative pronoun 'որ' (which/that) introduces a relative clause describing 'գիրքը' (the book).
Indefinite pronouns refer to unspecified persons or things. Common indefinite pronouns in Armenian include 'մեկը' (someone), 'ինչ-որ բան' (something), 'ոչ ոք' (no one), and 'ոչինչ' (nothing).
Մեկը դուռը թակում է։
Mekə durə takum e.
Quelqu'un frappe à la porte.
The indefinite pronoun 'մեկը' (someone) refers to an unspecified person.
Ես ոչինչ չեմ տեսնում։
Yes vochinch chem tesnum.
Je ne vois rien.
The indefinite pronoun 'ոչինչ' (nothing) is used with the negative form of the verb.
Ինչ-որ բան ընկավ։
Inch-vor ban ənkav.
Quelque chose est tombé.
The indefinite pronoun 'ինչ-որ բան' (something) refers to an unspecified thing.
Reflexive pronouns indicate that the action of the verb reflects back on the subject. In Armenian, the main reflexive pronoun is 'ինքս/ինքդ/ինքը' (myself/yourself/himself/herself).
Նա իրեն տեսավ հայելու մեջ։
Na iren tesav hayelu mej.
Il/Elle s'est vu(e) dans le miroir.
The reflexive pronoun 'իրեն' (himself/herself) indicates that the subject is seeing themselves.
Մենք մեզ պաշտպանում ենք։
Menk mez pashtpanum enk.
Nous nous protégeons.
The reflexive pronoun 'մեզ' (ourselves) indicates that the subject is protecting themselves.
Study these sentences to see how different types of pronouns are used in context:
Ես քեզ սիրում եմ։
Yes kez sirum em.
Je t'aime.
Նա նրանց տեսավ փողոցում։
Na nrants tesav poghotsum.
Il/Elle les a vus dans la rue.
Սա իմ տունն է, իսկ այն՝ նրանցը։
Sa im tunn e, isk ayn՝ nrantsə.
Ceci est ma maison, et celle-là est la leur.
Ո՞վ է խոսում հեռախոսով։
Ov e khosum herrakhosov?
Qui parle au téléphone?
Ես չգիտեմ, թե ինչ է պատահել։
Yes chgitem, te inch e patahel.
Je ne sais pas ce qui s'est passé.
Մարդը, որին տեսա երեկ, իմ ուսուցիչն էր։
Mardə, vorin tesa yerek, im usutsihn er.
L'homme que j'ai vu hier était mon professeur.
Ոչ ոք չի եկել երեկույթին։
Voch vok chi yekel yerekuytin.
Personne n'est venu à la fête.
Try these exercises to practice using pronouns in Armenian: