Language/Armenian/Grammar/Past-Tense

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Armenian → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Past Tense

Welcome to the exciting world of Armenian grammar! In this lesson, we will embark on a journey to explore the past tense in Armenian, an essential aspect of the language that will help you express actions that have already happened. Understanding how to navigate this grammatical territory is crucial for effective communication, whether you're sharing stories, recounting experiences, or talking about your daily life.

Throughout this lesson, we will cover the following topics:

The importance of the past tense in Armenian.

How to form regular and irregular verb conjugations.

Practical examples to illustrate usage in different contexts.

Engaging exercises to practice what you’ve learned.

By the end of this lesson, you will be well-equipped to use the past tense confidently. So, let’s dive in!

Importance of the Past Tense[edit | edit source]

The past tense is a fundamental component of any language. It's how we narrate our experiences, share our stories, and connect with others through shared memories. In Armenian, the past tense allows you to discuss events that have occurred, making it a vital tool for conversation. Mastering this tense will enable you to engage more deeply with the language and the culture.

Overview of Past Tense Conjugation[edit | edit source]

In Armenian, verb conjugation in the past tense can be a bit tricky, as it involves both regular and irregular forms. We will break down these forms into manageable parts.

Regular Verbs[edit | edit source]

Regular verbs in Armenian generally follow predictable patterns when conjugated in the past tense. The endings will vary based on the subject pronoun.

Here’s the basic structure to remember:

For singular subjects (I, you, he/she):

Add -ել (el) to the verb root for the first person (I).

Add -եց (ets) for the second person (you).

Add -եց (ets) for the third person (he/she).

For plural subjects:

Add -եցին (etsin) for the first person plural (we).

Add -եցիք (etsik) for the second person plural (you all).

Add -եցին (etsin) for the third person plural (they).

Let’s look at a table of examples for regular verbs:

Armenian	Pronunciation	English
գրել	grel	to write
գրեցի	grets'i	I wrote
գրեց	grets	you wrote
գրեց	grets	he/she wrote
գրեցին	grets'in	we wrote
գրեցիք	grets'ik	you all wrote
գրեցին	grets'in	they wrote

Irregular Verbs[edit | edit source]

Irregular verbs do not follow the standard patterns and must be memorized. Some common irregular verbs include:

1. լինել (linel) – to be

2. հեռանալ (herranal) – to leave

3. տեսնել (tesnel) – to see

Let's see how these verbs are conjugated in the past tense:

Armenian	Pronunciation	English
լինել	linel	to be
եմ	yem	I was
ես	yes	you were
է	e	he/she was
ենք	yenk	we were
եք	yek	you all were
են	yen	they were

Armenian	Pronunciation	English
հեռանալ	herranal	to leave
հեռացա	herratsa	I left
հեռացար	herratsar	you left
հեռացավ	herratsav	he/she left
հեռացանք	herratsank	we left
հեռացաք	herratsak	you all left
հեռացան	herratsan	they left

Armenian	Pronunciation	English
տեսնել	tesnel	to see
տեսա	tes'a	I saw
տեսար	tes'ar	you saw
տեսավ	tes'av	he/she saw
տեսանք	tes'ank	we saw
տեսաք	tes'ak	you all saw
տեսան	tes'an	they saw

Using the Past Tense in Context[edit | edit source]

Understanding how to conjugate verbs in the past tense is just the beginning. The next step is to learn how to use it in real-life contexts. Here are some situations where you will commonly use the past tense:

1. Sharing Memories:

"Yesterday, I visited my grandmother." (Երեկ, ես այցելեցի իմ տատիկին։)

2. Discussing Past Events:

"We celebrated my birthday last week." (Մենք նշել ենք իմ ծնունդը անցած շաբաթ։)

3. Talking about Experiences:

"I traveled to Armenia last summer." (Ես անցյալ ամառ այցելեցի Հայաստան։)

Let’s see a few more examples in a table:

Armenian	Pronunciation	English
Ես գնացի	Yes gnatsi	I went
Նա լսեց	Na lsets	He/she listened
Մենք խաղացինք	Menk khaghats'ink	We played
Դուք տեսաք	Duk tes'ak	You saw
Նրանք խոսեցին	Nrank' khos'ets'	They spoke

Practice Exercises[edit | edit source]

Now that you have a grasp of the past tense, it's time to put your skills to the test. Here are 10 exercises designed to reinforce your learning:

1. Conjugate the following verbs in the past tense:

(to eat) ուտել

(to drink) խմել

(to read) կարդալ

2. Translate the following sentences into Armenian:

"I wrote a letter."

"They played football."

"He saw a movie."

3. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in past tense:

Yesterday, I (to go) __________ to the market.

We (to meet) __________ our friends last night.

She (to finish) __________ her homework.

4. Match the English sentences with their Armenian translations:

"You were happy."

"We left early."

"I saw the mountains."

* A. "Ես տեսա լեռները։"

B. "Մենք հեռացանք շուտ։"

C. "Դուք ուրախ էիք։"

5. What is the past tense form of the following irregular verbs?

(to be) լինել

(to leave) հեռանալ

(to see) տեսնել

6. Create three sentences using the past tense about your last vacation.

7. Correct the mistakes in the following sentences:

"Ես գնացի երեկ տունը." (I went home yesterday.)

"Նա լսեց երաժշտություն երեկ." (He listened to music yesterday.)

8. Write a short paragraph about a memorable event in your life using at least five verbs in the past tense.

9. Transform the following present tense sentences into past tense:

"I eat breakfast."

"They play games."

"She reads books."

10. Identify the subject and verb in the following past tense sentences:

"Մենք գնացինք զբոսանքի։" (We went for a walk.)

"Նա տեսավ ֆիլմ։" (He saw a movie.)

Answers and Explanations[edit | edit source]

Here are the answers to the exercises for your reference:

1.

ուտել: ուտեցի (I ate), ուտեց (you ate), ուտեց (he/she ate), ուտեցինք (we ate), ուտեցիք (you all ate), ուտեցին (they ate)

խմել: խմեցի (I drank), խմեց (you drank), խմեց (he/she drank), խմեցինք (we drank), խմեցիք (you all drank), խմեցին (they drank)

կարդալ: կարդացի (I read), կարդաց (you read), կարդաց (he/she read), կարդացինք (we read), կարդացիք (you all read), կարդացին (they read)

2.

"Ես գրեցի նամակ։"

"Նրանք խաղացին ֆուտբոլ։"

"Նա տեսավ ֆիլմ։"

3.

Yesterday, I (to go) գնացի to the market.

We (to meet) հանդիպեցինք our friends last night.

She (to finish) ավարտեց her homework.

4.

"You were happy." - C. "Դուք ուրախ էիք։"

"We left early." - B. "Մենք հեռացանք շուտ։"

"I saw the mountains." - A. "Ես տեսա լեռները։"

5.

(to be) եմ (I was)

(to leave) հեռացա (I left)

(to see) տեսա (I saw)

6. (Answers will vary, but should use past tense verbs.)

7.

"Ես գնացի երեկ տուն։"

"Նա լսեց երաժշտություն երեկ։"

8. (Answers will vary, but should include at least five past tense verbs.)

9.

"I eat breakfast." → "Ես ուտեցի նախաճաշ։"

"They play games." → "Նրանք խաղացին խաղեր։"

"She reads books." → "Նա կարդաց գրքեր։"

10.

"Մենք" is the subject, "գնացինք" is the verb.

"Նա" is the subject, "տեսավ" is the verb.

By the end of this lesson, you should feel more confident in your ability to use the past tense in Armenian. Remember, practice makes perfect! Keep engaging with the language, and don’t hesitate to revisit this lesson as needed.

Happy learning!

Table of Contents - Armenian Course - 0 to A1[edit source]

Course Presentation

Greetings and Introductions

Alphabet and Pronunciation

Numbers and Time

Basic Sentence Structure

Family and Relationships

Nouns and Pronouns

Food and Dining

Verbs and Tenses

Travel and Transportation

Adjectives and Adverbs

Armenian Traditions and Customs

Videos[edit | edit source]

Armenian Past Tense Explained - Learn Armenian Language Basics ...[edit | edit source]

Sources[edit | edit source]

Other Lessons[edit | edit source]

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