Language/Armenian/Vocabulary/Telling-Time
As an Armenian language teacher with 20 years of experience, I am excited to teach you how to tell time in Armenian. This lesson will cover how to ask for and give the time, in addition to talking about different parts of the day. I will also provide cultural information and interesting facts about the Armenian language and culture.
After mastering this lesson, these related pages might interest you: Frequently Used Verbs & Legal Terms.
Basic Concepts
Before we dive into telling time, here are some basic concepts to help you better understand how Armenians measure time:
- Armenians use a 24-hour clock system, similar to most European countries. - Unlike many languages, the Armenian word for "hour" does not change when pluralized. Thus, "one hour" is "mi hat" and "two hours" is "erku hat". - The Armenian word for "minute" is "hats'".
Telling Time
To ask for the time in Armenian, you can use the following phrases:
- "Տեսային է ինչ ժամը" (tesayin e inch zhamy) - "What time is it?" - "Ինչ ժամը է" (inch zhamy e) - "What time is it?" (shorter version) - "Դուք ինչ ժամին եք" (duk inch zhamin yek) - "What time do you have?"
To answer these questions, you can use the following phrases:
- "Ժամը [insert time] է" (zhamy [insert time] e) - "The time is [insert time]" - "[Insert time] է" ([insert time] e) - "[Insert time]" (shorter version)
Here are some examples:
Armenian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
Տեսային է ինչ ժամը | tesayin e inch zhamy | What time is it? |
Ժամը երկու է | zhamy yergu e | The time is two. |
Ունենալ եք դուք | unenal ek duk | You have... |
Դուք ինչ ժամին եք | duk inch zhamin yek | What time do you have? |
Տարեթիվ | taretev | 'Year |
At times, you may need to express time more precisely, such as:
- 12:00 (noon) - "կեսգիշերի կես" (kesgisheris kes) - literally "half of noon" - 12:00 AM (midnight) - "գիշերի մեջ" (gisheris mej) - "in the night" - 6:30 AM - "վեցնապատիկ" (vechnapatik) - "half past six"
There is no specific way to express time to the quarter hour in Armenian, but you may use the following approximation:
- 3:15 PM - "երեկոյան ինը երես մեկը" (erekoian iny eres meky) - "quarter past three in the afternoon"
If you need to talk about different parts of the day, you may use the following general terms:
- Առավոտ (aravot) - "morning" - Կեսգիշեր (kesgisher) - "noon" - Առավոտյա (aravotya) - "afternoon" - Երեկ (ereko) - "evening" - Գիշեր (gisher) - "night"
For example:
- "Առավոտին ես" (aravotin es) - "I am in the morning"
You may also use more precise terms such as:
- 4:00 AM - "գիշերի քառասուն" (gisherin k'arasun) - "four in the morning" - 8:30 PM - "երեկոյան ութերորդը" (erekoian ut'erordy) - "eight-thirty in the evening"
Interesting Facts and Cultural Information
- Armenians have used a similar 24-hour clock system since medieval times, indicating a long history of precise timekeeping. - Armenia is known for its many beautiful clocks, both ancient and modern, many of which are still in active use in public spaces. - Armenian clocks often feature intricate designs, from floral motifs to religious symbols and scenes. - Armenia's strategic location on the ancient Silk Road made it an important hub for measuring time, as traders and merchants needed to accurately coordinate their schedules and movements.
I hope this lesson has been helpful in teaching you how to tell time in Armenian, and providing cultural information and interesting facts about the language and its history. Keep practicing, and you'll be telling time like a native Armenian in no time!
Videos
What time is it? -Telling the time in Armenian - YouTube
Other Lessons
- Days of the week
- Introduce Yourself Ինչպես ներկայանալ
- Vocabulary for the Future Indicative
- At the Post Office
- Hobbies and Leisure Activities
- Modes of Transportation
- Countries Erkrner Երկրներ
- Hobbies
- Transportation
- Armenian Idioms
Sources