Learn how to form and answer questions in Armenian
Asking questions is a fundamental part of communication in any language. In Armenian, there are several ways to form questions, including using question words, the question particle, and intonation. Understanding how to form questions will help you engage in conversations and gather information effectively.
This lesson covers the different types of questions in Armenian, including yes/no questions, information questions (wh-questions), and tag questions, as well as how to respond to them.
The simplest way to form a yes/no question in Armenian is by using rising intonation at the end of a statement. In written Armenian, this is indicated by placing the question mark (՞) over the vowel of the stressed syllable, usually in the verb.
Դու խոսում ես հայերեն։ → Դու խոսո՞ւմ ես հայերեն։
Du khosum es hayeren. → Du khosu՞m es hayeren?
Tu parles arménien. → Parles-tu arménien?
The statement is turned into a question by adding the question mark (՞) over the vowel 'ու' in the verb 'խոսում' (khosum).
Նա գնացել է Երևան։ → Նա գնացե՞լ է Երևան։
Na gnatsel e Yerevan. → Na gnatse՞l e Yerevan?
Il/Elle est allé(e) à Erevan. → Est-il/elle allé(e) à Erevan?
The statement is turned into a question by adding the question mark (՞) over the vowel 'ե' in the verb 'գնացել' (gnatsel).
Another way to form yes/no questions is by using the question particle արդյոք (ardyok), which is similar to 'est-ce que' in French. It is placed at the beginning of the sentence or after the subject.
Արդյո՞ք դու խոսում ես հայերեն։
Ardyo՞k du khosum es hayeren?
Est-ce que tu parles arménien?
The question particle արդյոք (ardyok) is placed at the beginning of the sentence.
Դու արդյո՞ք խոսում ես հայերեն։
Du ardyo՞k khosum es hayeren?
Est-ce que tu parles arménien?
The question particle արդյոք (ardyok) is placed after the subject.
Information questions are formed using interrogative pronouns or adverbs (who, what, where, when, why, how). In Armenian, these question words typically come at the beginning of the sentence.
Ո՞վ է խոսում հայերեն։
O՞v e khosum hayeren?
Qui parle arménien?
The interrogative pronoun ո՞վ (who) is placed at the beginning of the sentence.
Ի՞նչ ես անում։
I՞nch es anum?
Que fais-tu?
The interrogative pronoun ի՞նչ (what) is placed at the beginning of the sentence.
Որտե՞ղ ես ապրում։
Vorte՞gh es aprum?
Où habites-tu?
The interrogative adverb որտե՞ղ (where) is placed at the beginning of the sentence.
| Armenian | Transliteration | French | English | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ո՞վ | ov | qui | who | asking about a person |
| ի՞նչ | inch | quoi/que | what | asking about a thing or action |
| որտե՞ղ | vortegh | où | where | asking about a place |
| ե՞րբ | yerb | quand | when | asking about time |
| ինչո՞ւ | inchu | pourquoi | why | asking about reason |
| ինչպե՞ս | inchpes | comment | how | asking about manner |
| որքա՞ն | vorkan | combien | how much/many | asking about quantity |
| ո՞ր | vor | quel/quelle | which | asking which one |
| ո՞ւմ | um | à qui/de qui | whose/to whom | asking about possession or recipient |
| քանի՞ | kani | combien de | how many | asking about count |
Note: In Armenian, the question mark (՞) is placed over the vowel of the stressed syllable in the question word.
Interrogative pronouns change form depending on their case, just like other pronouns in Armenian.
Ո՞վ է այդ մարդը։ (Nominative)
O՞v e ayd mardə?
Qui est cette personne?
The interrogative pronoun ո՞վ (who) is in the nominative case as the subject of the sentence.
Ո՞ւմ ես տեսել։ (Accusative)
U՞m es tesel?
Qui as-tu vu?
The interrogative pronoun ո՞ւմ (whom) is in the accusative case as the direct object.
Ո՞ւմ ես տվել գիրքը։ (Dative)
U՞m es tvel girkə?
À qui as-tu donné le livre?
The interrogative pronoun ո՞ւմ (to whom) is in the dative case as the indirect object.
Ո՞ւմ գիրքն է սա։ (Genitive)
U՞m girkn e sa?
À qui est ce livre?
The interrogative pronoun ո՞ւմ (whose) is in the genitive case indicating possession.
Tag questions are short questions added to the end of a statement to confirm information or seek agreement. In Armenian, tag questions are formed using 'չէ՞' (che) or 'այդպես չէ՞' (aydpes che).
Դու խոսում ես հայերեն, չէ՞։
Du khosum es hayeren, che՞?
Tu parles arménien, n'est-ce pas?
The tag question չէ՞ (isn't it) is added to the end of the statement.
Նա գնացել է Երևան, այդպես չէ՞։
Na gnatsel e Yerevan, aydpes che՞?
Il/Elle est allé(e) à Erevan, n'est-ce pas?
The tag question այդպես չէ՞ (isn't that so) is added to the end of the statement.
Embedded questions (indirect questions) are questions that are part of a larger sentence. In Armenian, the word order in embedded questions is different from direct questions, and the question mark is not used.
Ո՞վ է նա։ → Ես չգիտեմ, թե ով է նա։
O՞v e na? → Yes chgitem, te ov e na.
Qui est-il/elle? → Je ne sais pas qui il/elle est.
The direct question 'Ո՞վ է նա' (Who is he/she?) becomes an embedded question after 'չգիտեմ, թե' (I don't know). Note the absence of the question mark in the embedded question.
Որտե՞ղ է նա ապրում։ → Ասա ինձ, թե որտեղ է նա ապրում։
Vorte՞gh e na aprum? → Asa indz, te vortegh e na aprum.
Où habite-t-il/elle? → Dis-moi où il/elle habite.
The direct question 'Որտե՞ղ է նա ապրում' (Where does he/she live?) becomes an embedded question after 'Ասա ինձ, թե' (Tell me). Note the absence of the question mark in the embedded question.
Alternative questions present two or more options and ask the listener to choose between them. In Armenian, these questions are formed using 'թե' (te) between the options.
Դու սուրճ ես ուզում, թե՞ թեյ։
Du surch es uzum, te՞ tey?
Veux-tu du café ou du thé?
The alternative question presents two options (սուրճ/coffee and թեյ/tea) connected by թե՞ (or).
Նա Երևանում է ապրում, թե՞ Գյումրիում։
Na Yerevanum e aprum, te՞ Gyumrium?
Habite-t-il/elle à Erevan ou à Gyumri?
The alternative question presents two options (Երևանում/in Yerevan and Գյումրիում/in Gyumri) connected by թե՞ (or).
In Armenian, you can respond to yes/no questions with 'այո' (ayo) for 'yes' and 'ոչ' (voch) for 'no'. It's also common to repeat the verb with or without negation.
Դու խոսո՞ւմ ես հայերեն։ - Այո, խոսում եմ։ / Ոչ, չեմ խոսում։
Du khosu՞m es hayeren? - Ayo, khosum em! / Voch, chem khosum!
Parles-tu arménien? - Oui, je parle. / Non, je ne parle pas.
The response can be a simple 'այո' (yes) or 'ոչ' (no), but it's more common to include the verb, either in its affirmative or negative form.
Արդյո՞ք նա եղել է Հայաստանում։ - Այո, եղել է։ / Ոչ, չի եղել։
Ardyo՞k na yeghel e Hayastanum? - Ayo, yeghel e! / Voch, chi yeghel!
A-t-il/elle été en Arménie? - Oui, il/elle a été. / Non, il/elle n'a pas été.
The response includes the verb in its affirmative or negative form.
Study these questions and their possible answers:
Դու հայ ե՞ս։ - Այո, ես հայ եմ։ / Ոչ, ես հայ չեմ։
Du hay e՞s? - Ayo, yes hay em! / Voch, yes hay chem!
Es-tu arménien(ne)? - Oui, je suis arménien(ne). / Non, je ne suis pas arménien(ne).
Ո՞վ է այդ տղան։ - Նա իմ եղբայրն է։
O՞v e ayd tghan? - Na im yeghbayrn e.
Qui est ce garçon? - C'est mon frère.
Որտե՞ղ ես ապրում։ - Ես ապրում եմ Երևանում։
Vorte՞gh es aprum? - Yes aprum em Yerevanum.
Où habites-tu? - J'habite à Erevan.
Ինչո՞ւ ես սովորում հայերեն։ - Որովհետև ես սիրում եմ լեզուներ։
Inchu՞ es sovorum hayeren? - Vorovhetev yes sirum em lezuner.
Pourquoi apprends-tu l'arménien? - Parce que j'aime les langues.
Քանի՞ տարեկան ես։ - Ես քսանհինգ տարեկան եմ։
Kani՞ tarekan es? - Yes ksanhing tarekan em.
Quel âge as-tu? - J'ai vingt-cinq ans.
Ե՞րբ ես գալու։ - Ես գալու եմ վաղը։
Ye՞rb es galu? - Yes galu em vaghə.
Quand viendras-tu? - Je viendrai demain.
Դու սիրում ես հայկական խոհանոցը, չէ՞։ - Այո, շատ եմ սիրում։
Du sirum es haykakan khohanotə, che՞? - Ayo, shat em sirum.
Tu aimes la cuisine arménienne, n'est-ce pas? - Oui, je l'aime beaucoup.
| Armenian | Transliteration | French | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ինչպե՞ս ես։ | Inchpe՞s es? | Comment vas-tu? | How are you? |
| Ո՞րն է քո անունը։ | Vo՞rn e ko anunə? | Quel est ton nom? | What is your name? |
| Որտեղի՞ց ես։ | Vorteghi՞ts es? | D'où viens-tu? | Where are you from? |
| Քանի՞ տարեկան ես։ | Kani՞ tarekan es? | Quel âge as-tu? | How old are you? |
| Ի՞նչ ես անում։ | I՞nch es anum? | Que fais-tu? | What are you doing? |
| Ի՞նչ է սա։ | I՞nch e sa? | Qu'est-ce que c'est? | What is this? |
| Որքա՞ն է արժեքը։ | Vorka՞n e arzhekə? | Combien ça coûte? | How much does it cost? |
| Կարո՞ղ ես օգնել ինձ։ | Karo՞gh es ognel indz? | Peux-tu m'aider? | Can you help me? |
| Ե՞րբ ենք հանդիպելու։ | Ye՞rb enk handipelu? | Quand allons-nous nous rencontrer? | When are we meeting? |
| Ինչո՞ւ ես ուշացել։ | Inchu՞ es ushatsel? | Pourquoi es-tu en retard? | Why are you late? |
Try these exercises to practice forming and answering questions in Armenian: