Language/Armenian/Vocabulary/Basic-Greetings

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Armenian → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Basic Greetings

Welcome to the "Basic Greetings" lesson of our Complete 0 to A1 Armenian Course! In this lesson, we will dive into the world of Armenian greetings, a critical aspect of communication that lays the groundwork for building relationships and expressing politeness in any language. Greetings are often the first words exchanged between people and can set the tone for an entire conversation. Understanding how to greet someone in Armenian is not only practical but also a wonderful way to immerse yourself in the rich culture and traditions of Armenia.

Importance of Greetings

Greetings are universal markers of human connection. In Armenian culture, greetings reflect warmth, respect, and a sense of community. Whether you're meeting a friend, entering a shop, or starting a conversation with a stranger, using the right greeting can make a significant difference in how you are perceived. It shows that you care about the interaction and respect the person you're addressing.

In this lesson, we will:

• Learn the most common Armenian greetings.

• Explore the pronunciation and usage of these phrases in different contexts.

• Practice with exercises that will help reinforce your learning.

Common Armenian Greetings

Let's start by exploring some of the most frequently used greetings in Armenian. Below is a table that outlines these greetings along with their pronunciation and English translations.

Armenian	Pronunciation	English
բարև	barev	hello
ցտեսություն	ts'tesutyun	goodbye
բարև, սիրելի	barev, sireli	hello, dear
բարի լույս	bari luys	good morning
բարի երեկո	bari yereko	good evening
բարի գիշեր	bari gisher	good night
ինչպես եք?	inchpes ek?	how are you?
ինչ նոր?	inch nor?	what's new?
շնորհակալություն	shnorhakalutyun	thank you
խնդրում եմ	khndrum yem	please
լավ եք?	lav ek?	are you good? (formal)
ես քեզ լավ եմ տեսնում	yes k'ez lav yem tesnum	I see you well (informal)
շատ ուրախ եմ	shat urakh yem	I am very happy (to see you)
լավ օր	lav or	have a good day
հաջողություն	hajoghutyun	good luck
հաճելի է տեսնել ձեզ	hach'eli e tesnel dze	nice to see you
շնորհավորում եմ	shnorhavorum yem	congratulations
կներեք	knerek	excuse me
մի պահ	mi pah	just a moment
ուրախ եմ ձեզ տեսնելու համար	urakh yem dze tesnelu hamar	I'm happy to see you
ամենայն լավ	amenayn lav	all the best

Now that we've covered the greetings, let's look at how to use them in different situations.

Situational Usage of Greetings

1. Meeting Someone for the First Time: When you meet someone for the first time, a friendly "barev" (hello) is an appropriate way to start. You can follow it up with "inchpes ek?" (how are you?).

2. Parting Ways: When saying goodbye, use "ts'tesutyun" (goodbye). If the person is a friend, you might add "barev, sireli" (hello, dear) to express warmth.

3. Morning Meetings: During morning encounters, greet with "bari luys" (good morning) to show that you acknowledge the time of day.

4. Evening Gatherings: If you meet someone in the evening, "bari yereko" (good evening) is a fitting choice.

5. Casual Conversations: In casual settings, you can use “inch nor?” (what’s new?) to engage in small talk.

6. When Thanking Someone: If someone has helped you, a simple "shnorhakalutyun" (thank you) is always appreciated.

7. Inquiring About Well-being: Use "lav եք?" (are you good?) in formal contexts to ask someone how they are doing.

8. Expressing Happiness: If you are happy to see someone, you can say "shat urakh yem" (I am very happy).

9. Offering Good Wishes: When parting, "hajoghutyun" (good luck) is a great way to wish someone well.

10. Politeness in Conversations: If you need to interrupt or speak to someone, "k'nerk" (excuse me) is a polite way to gain their attention.

Now, let's practice using these greetings in various scenarios.

Practice Exercises

Here are ten exercises designed to help you apply what you've learned about Armenian greetings. After each exercise, detailed solutions and explanations will be provided.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the following dialogues with the appropriate greetings.

1. A: ___! How are you?

B: I'm great, ___!

2. A: Good morning, ___!

B: ___, how are you today?

3. A: ___! Nice to see you!

B: ___, I'm happy to see you too.

Exercise 2: Match the Greeting

Match the Armenian greeting with its English translation.

| Armenian | English |

| --- | --- |

| 1. բարև | a. good night |

| 2. բարի լույս | b. hello |

| 3. շնորհակալություն | c. thank you |

| 4. ցտեսություն | d. goodbye |

Exercise 3: Conversation Role Play

Create a dialogue between two characters meeting for the first time. Use at least three greetings from the lesson.

Exercise 4: Multiple Choice

Choose the correct greeting for the following situations:

1. You meet someone in the morning.

• a) բարև

• b) բարի լույս

• c) ցտեսություն

2. You want to thank a friend for their help.

• a) շնորհակալություն

• b) խնդրում եմ

• c) ուրախ եմ

Exercise 5: Rewrite the Sentence

Rewrite the following sentences using the appropriate greetings:

1. I want to say hello to my friend.

2. I need to ask for a favor, excuse me!

Exercise 6: Listening Comprehension

Listen to a recording of a conversation and identify the greetings used. Write them down.

Exercise 7: Greeting in Context

Write a short paragraph about meeting a friend after a long time. Include at least four different greetings.

Exercise 8: Translation Practice

Translate the following greetings from English to Armenian:

1. How are you?

2. Good evening.

Exercise 9: Scenario Completion

Fill in the blanks in the scenario: You walk into a shop and greet the owner. What do you say?

• "___! How are you?"

Exercise 10: Greeting Variation

Create three different variations of a greeting for meeting someone you haven't seen in a while.

Solutions to Exercises

Now let's go over the solutions to each of the exercises.

Solution to Exercise 1

1. A: Բարև! How are you?

B: I'm great, բարև!

2. A: Good morning, բարև!

B: Բարի լույս, how are you today?

3. A: Բարև! Nice to see you!

B: Բարև, I'm happy to see you too.

Solution to Exercise 2

1. b

2. a

3. c

4. d

Solution to Exercise 3

A: Բարև! My name is Anna. How are you?

B: Բարև! I'm David. Nice to meet you!

Solution to Exercise 4

1. b

2. a

Solution to Exercise 5

1. I want to say բարև to my friend.

2. I need to ask for a favor, կներեք!

Solution to Exercise 6

(Answers will vary based on the recording used.)

Solution to Exercise 7

(Answers will vary based on individual writing.)

Solution to Exercise 8

1. Ինչպես եք?

2. Բարի երեկո.

Solution to Exercise 9

• "Բարև! How are you?"

Solution to Exercise 10

1. Բարև, սիրելի! (Hello, dear!)

2. Բարև, ընկեր! (Hello, friend!)

3. Բարև, հարազատ! (Hello, relative!)

Now that you've had the opportunity to practice, I hope you feel more confident in using Armenian greetings. Remember, the key to mastering a language is consistent practice and engagement with native speakers when possible. Keep using these greetings in your daily interactions to reinforce your learning!

Table of Contents - Armenian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Alphabet and Pronunciation

• Armenian Alphabet
• Pronunciation Rules

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-20
• Telling Time

  ---

Basic Sentence Structure

• Subject-Verb-Object
• Yes/No Questions

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Describing Relationships

  ---

Nouns and Pronouns

• Noun Gender and Plurals
• Personal Pronouns

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Foods
• Eating Out

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Asking for Directions

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Adverbs of Time, Manner, and Place

  ---

Armenian Traditions and Customs

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Traditional Music and Dance

Sources

• 22 Essential Armenian Phrases You Should Know
• Useful Armenian Phrases Ararat Travel
• Armenian Popular Phrases - What You Should Know

Other Lessons

• Legal Terms
• Family Members and Relationships
• Greetings Ողջույն
• Modes of Transportation
• Computer
• Basic words
• Science and Technology Terms
• How to say Good Bye?
• Clothes
• Frequently Used Verbs

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