Language/Armenian/Vocabulary/Basic-Greetings
As an Armenian language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I am excited to introduce you to the most common Armenian greetings. Understanding these greetings and how to use them in different situations is an essential part of learning Armenian. This lesson is part of the "Complete 0 to A1 Armenian Course," designed for complete beginners who want to learn Armenian from scratch.
In this lesson, we will focus on Basic Greetings. You will learn how to say hello, goodbye, good morning, and good night in Armenian, as well as how to use them in different contexts. Let's get started!
With the completion of this lesson, consider investigating these related pages: Sports & Education and Learning.
Vocabulary
Here are some common Armenian greeting phrases and their English translations:
| Armenian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| բարև (barev) | bah-rev | Hello |
| հայ (hay) | hah-ee | Hi |
| բայց (baits) | bah-eets | Bye |
| բայց բայց (baits baits) | bah-eets bah-eets | Bye-bye |
| բարի գիշեր (bari gisher) | bah-ree gish-ehr | Good night |
| բարի օր (bari or) | bah-ree or | Goodbye (during the day) |
| բարի առավոտ (bari aravot) | bah-ree ara-vot | Good morning |
You may have noticed that some of the phrases have additional words in them. For example, "baits baits" is the equivalent of saying "bye-bye" in English. These additional words are a form of emphasis or endearment and are commonly used in Armenian speech.
Now that you have learned some of the most common Armenian greetings, we can move on to learning how to use them in different contexts.
Using Armenian Greetings in Different Situations
Informal Greetings
When greeting friends, family members, or colleagues informally, it is common to use "barev" or "hay" to say "hello." These greetings are usually accompanied by a hug or a kiss on the cheek. "Bari or" can be used to say "goodbye" during the day. "Bari gisher" is used to say "good night" when going to bed.
Here are some examples of how to use these greetings in context:
- Friend: Barev! Kides es? (Hello! How are you?)
- You: Lav em, shnorhakal em. Du? (I'm fine, thanks. And you?)
- Friend: Hay! Kides? (Hi! How are you?)
- You: Shat lav em, shnorhakalutyun. Vonc es? (I'm very well, thanks. And you?)
- Friend: Bari gisher! (Good night!)
- You: Bari gisher, yerkir es inchpes es? (Good night, what is your favorite country?)
Formal Greetings
When greeting someone formally, such as a stranger or someone in a position of authority, use "barev dzez" or "barev tsez" to say "hello" and "sir" or "madam" respectively. When saying goodbye, use "shnorhakal em" to express gratitude or "harcavqr" to say "goodbye."
Here are some examples of how to use these greetings in context:
- Stranger: Barev dzez, inchpes es? (Hello, how are you?)
- You: Lav em, shnorhakal em. Dzez zinvor enk? (I'm fine, thank you. Are you a soldier?)
- Authority figure: Barev tsez, inchu tarberakn e? (Hello, what's the problem?)
- You: Shat lav ban, shnorhakalutyun. Mer cankagorts e a? (I'm very well, thank you. Is this your office?)
- Authority figure: Harcavqr. (Goodbye.)
- You: Shnorhakal em, irokuma. (Thank you very much.)
Casual Greetings
When greeting someone casually, such as a friend or family member, it is common to use "barev" or "hay" to say "hello" and "baits" or "baits baits" to say "bye." In this context, the use of "bari or" and "bari gisher" is more formal and may not be used as casually.
Here are some examples of how to use these greetings in context:
- Friend: Hay, inchpes es? (Hi, how are you?)
- You: Shat lav em, shnorhakalutyun. Vonc es? (I'm very well, thank you. And you?)
- Friend: Baits, tzer kides? (Bye, how are you?)
- You: Lav em, shnorhakal em. Tsayn es? (I'm fine, thanks. And you?)
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know how to greet someone in Armenian in different contexts! Remember to use the appropriate greeting based on the situation and to accompany your greeting with a smile or a handshake where appropriate. Practice using these greetings with your Armenian-speaking friends and family, and continue to build your Armenian language skills. In the next lesson, we will learn how to introduce ourselves in Armenian, including how to say our names and where we are from.
Now that you've completed this lesson, don't stop learning! Check out these related topics: Geography & Mathematics Vocabulary.
Videos
Basic Armenian Phrases - YouTube
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
Sources
- 22 Essential Armenian Phrases You Should Know
- Useful Armenian Phrases Ararat Travel
- Armenian Popular Phrases - What You Should Know