Language/Armenian/Grammar/Adjective-Endings
As an Armenian language teacher with 20 years of experience, I believe that learning how to express feelings and emotions is critical in understanding the language. That is why in this lesson, we will discuss the usage of different adjective endings in Armenian language. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to describe your emotions clearly and accurately in Armenian, and understand how to use different adjectives according to the noun they modify.
What are adjectives?
Before we dive into the usage of different adjective endings, let's first define what adjectives are. Adjectives are words that describe or modify a noun or pronoun. In Armenian language, adjectives follow the noun they modify, unlike in English where adjectives come before the noun. Here are a few examples:
- բարձր լինել (barjr linel) - to be tall
- փոքր նշան (pokʰr nshan) - small sign
- բաց պատուհան (batʃ patuhɑn) - open window
In each of these examples, the first word is the adjective.
Using different adjective endings in Armenian
Armenian language has four different adjective endings:
- և (-yev)
- ան (-an)
- ար (-ar)
- ակ (-ak)
Which ending you should use, depends on the gender and number of the noun the adjective modifies. Here is a quick guide:
և (-yev)
Use this ending for adjectives that modify singular masculine nouns.
Armenian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
մեծ տարին (-mets tʰɑrin) | mets tʰɑriny | big year |
ան (-an)
Use this ending for adjectives that modify singular feminine nouns.
Armenian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
խումբերի գեղեցիկ պատիվ (-xumbɛri kɛɡɛtsʰik pativ) | xumbɛri kegɛtsʰik pativi | beautiful team spirit |
ար (-ar)
Use this ending for adjectives that modify plural nouns, regardless of their gender.
Armenian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
փոքր ուստի (-pokʰr usti) | pokʰr usti | small rooms |
ակ (-ak)
Use this ending for adjectives that modify multiple masculine nouns.
Armenian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
մեծ ուժերի կործանելի (-mets uʒɛri kʰortsanɛli) | mets uʒɛri kʰortsanɛli | formidable enemies |
Exceptions to the rules
There are some exceptions to these rules. For example, if you want to modify a feminine noun that starts with a vowel, you use the ին (-in) ending instead of the ան (-an) ending. Here is an example:
Armenian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
այգի ին ցուրտ (-ajgi in tsurt) | ajgi in tsurt | quick eye |
It's important to remember that practice is key when it comes to using different adjective endings in Armenian language. Make sure to practice speaking and writing Armenian sentences that use different adjectives with the appropriate endings.
Conclusion
In conclusion, adjectives are essential when expressing feelings and emotions in Armenian language. By learning how to use different adjective endings, you will be able to describe the world around you more accurately and vividly. Remember to practice as much as possible to master the correct usage of adjective endings. In the next lesson, we will talk about how to express politeness in Armenian language. Stay tuned!
Related Lessons
- The Present Simple
- The Dative and Accusative Cases
- Indefinite Article
- The Nominative Case
- Attributive Participle
- Future Tense
- The Ablative Case
- Prepositions and Postpositions
- Expressing Hypothetical Scenarios
- Conditional Mood