There are different ways to greet in Armenian. This article lists the variety of Armenian greetings, and also describes the meaning that Armenians put into each of them.
The Armenian language is related to the Indo-European language family. Its foundations were laid around 405-406. n. e. priest and scientist Mesrop Mashtots.
In 2005, the Armenian alphabet turned exactly 1600 years old; this event was massively celebrated all over the world. Only about 6.5 million people speak Armenian. The majority of them are the population of the territory of Armenia and Azerbaijan, a smaller part are those emigrating from there to other countries.
Armenian, being a language with ancient written traditions, took many of its distinctive features from other languages of the Indo-European group, many of which are long dead. Thus, thanks to him, many clues have been preserved by which one can study the features of ancient culture. There are not many countries where ancient traditions are observed with the same zeal with which they are observed in Armenia. The current population very organically weaves them into their life.
Barev Dzes and other greetings in Armenian
Greetings in Armenian there are quite a lot. Here are the main ones:
- barev;
- wohjuin;
- vonz es.
Usually, when meeting a person they know on the street, Armenians say to him “Barev dzes!”, which roughly translated into Russian means a simple “Hello!”, and literally “Good sun to you!” “Bari” means “good”, “arev” means “sun”, “dzes” means “you, you”. To add a little respect to your greeting, you can say: “Barev dzes argeli!” "Argeli" - "respected". There is also a shortened one option “barev dzesa” - a simple “barev”, in most situations it is completely enough. It can also be replaced with the word “vokhchuin”.
In those situations when you need to briefly ask a person how things are going with him, that is, ask a question in the spirit of “how are you?”, “How are you?”, the address “vonces” comes in handy. “Barev vonces?” - "Hello how are you?". If a person is not just an acquaintance, but at least somewhat close, a special address is used, depending on the gender of the person who is going to be greeted - either “Vonces akhper jan?”, which means “How are you, brother?” , or “Vontzes kuirik jan?”, meaning “How are you, sister?” When addressing a girl, Armenians sometimes say “Vontzes siryun jan.” "Siryun" is translated as "beautiful." When addressing a child, adults, as a rule, say to him: “Barev akhchik jan” if it is a girl or “Barev tga jan” if it is a boy. When addressing an elderly person, they use the word “tatik” - if it is a grandmother, “ daddy” - if they greet a grandfather.
You can also choose a greeting in Armenian based on the current time of day. "Bari Luys" should be used in the morning, "luys" means light. “Barii or”, where “or” is “day”, as you might guess, is a common daytime greeting. The evening greeting sounds something like “Barii ereko”, translated into Russian as “Good evening”. To wish a person good night, you need to say “Barii gisher.”
After an Armenian greets you, in most cases he will ask something like: “Inch ka chka?” If translated not literally, but approximately, it will mean something like: “What news? Has anything new happened in your life? Armenians also have a special tradition of showing interest in the lives of all family members of the interlocutor after greeting him. Going straight to the heart of the matter is considered uncivilized, so you need to be prepared in advance for detailed questioning, and only after that - discussing the issue of interest to him or yourself.
Other common phrases in Armenian
- stesutsyun - “goodbye”;
- hajokh - “for now”;
- Gorzert Wonzen? - "How are you?";
- bari akhorzhak - “bon appetit”;
- Karelia dzer et tsanotanal? - “Can I meet you?”;
- im anune - “my name is”;
- inchpesa dzer anune? - "what is your name?";
- tuil tvek dzes hravirel - “let me invite you”;
- es ktsankayi vahy tesvel dzes het - “I would like to see you tomorrow”;
- es dzes than haskanum - “I don’t understand you”;
- duk haskanumek ruseren - “do you understand Russian?”;
- shnorakalyutyun - “thank you”;
- khndrem - “please”;
- ayo - “yes”;
- voch - “no”;
- knerek - “sorry”;
- sa inch arji? - "How much does it cost?";
- khntrumem tvek gnatsutsake - “please give me the bill”;
- tomse inch arji? - "how much does the ticket cost?";
- wonts asnem? - "how to get to?";
- es molorvelem, es petka antsem - “I’m lost, I need to go through”;
- indz sa dur chi galis - “I don’t like it.”
Tasib
Armenians are, in principle, very hospitable and friendly people.. There is even a special tradition associated with this national feature - the so-called “tasib”.
Despite their stormy temperament and hot-tempered nature, Armenians welcome guests into their home with great cordiality. Regardless of the guest’s status in Armenian society, the hosts surround him with attention and honor in every possible way, and willingly provide overnight accommodation if necessary. The table set for guests is usually bursting with all kinds of treats. “Eat your bread” is a phrase inviting guests to the table.
Briefly about the family traditions of Armenians
Any Armenian social unit is built strictly hierarchically; each family member is obliged to maintain respectful relationships with other members. It is customary to respect elders In a special way, these foundations are absorbed by Armenian children along with their mother’s milk, and are reinforced in the process of observing how each member behaves towards the other. Responsibilities between relatives, as a rule, are clearly distributed.
In general, the older members actively care for the younger members, and the younger members, in return, treat the elders with, if not warmth, then at least respect. The Armenian people are a very close-knit community, not only when it comes to close relatives. Any Armenian always knows where and how to find members of his family, no matter how distant they may be, and tries to maintain contact with them.
Video
You will learn interesting and useful information about the Armenian language from this video.
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Noah begat Ham, Shem, Japheth, and Yam. And there was a great Flood. And Noah's ark landed on Mount Ararat. Years passed, Noah's son Japheth gave birth to Gomer, who had a son, Askenaz. Askenaz is considered the ancestor of the Armenians, and it is with him that the great story begins.
The Armenian language is ancient to many civilizations and peoples. The Armenian language is one of the main groups in the Indo-European family and began to form 4500 years ago. In terms of beauty and richness, the Armenian language ranks second after the French language. The alphabet that is used was created in 405 by the priest Mesrop Mashtots.
If you are interested in the history of Armenian writing, we advise you to visit the village church and tomb of Mesrop Mashtots in Oshakan village. In addition, we can “see” and “touch” the letters of the Armenian alphabet. IN village of Artashavan For the 1600th anniversary of the alphabet, a complex with huge Armenian letters was built. All 39 letters are carved from stone with national ornaments. You can get to the complex by taxi or by renting a car in Yerevan.
We also recommend visiting the “Matenadaran” named after Mesrop Mashtots – the Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, where you will find the most ancient manuscripts and manuscripts. The guide will tell in detail the history of each manuscript from the beginning of creation to restoration. Matenadaran is located on Mesrop Mashtots Avenue. Matenadaran can be easily reached on foot from the center.
In Armenia, Russian-speaking and English-speaking tourists do not feel a language barrier. Almost everyone speaks Russian perfectly, and Russian-speaking tourists feel comfortable in terms of communication. English is used mainly in the capital, big cities and resort areas. In rural areas, English speakers may have difficulties, but if you know a few standard phrases, you can easily find a solution.
Armenians love it when foreigners say Armenian phrases, so don't worry if your Armenian isn't perfect. You will always be praised for your knowledge of Armenian. And so, let's start with the most common statements that you will hear in Armenia. These colorful expressions cannot be translated word for word into another language; they lose their meaning. For example, you will hear the frequently repeated words “ors arev” and “mores arev” (oath in the name of father and mother). For an Armenian, parents are sacred, and such an oath is priceless. If you decide to become an Armenian, you definitely need to remember these two expressions.
Armenians very often use the word “jan” affectionately, which translates as “darling”. Well, for example, akhper jan - dear brother, sirun jan - beauty, etc. If you want to show a person that he is dear to you, say “tsavt tanem” (literally translated means I will take away your pain).
For minimal communication, remember the following words and expressions;
Yes-ayo
No–voch
Thank you– shnorhakalutyun
Please– khndrum em
Hi Hello– barev (barev dzez)
Good morning– bari louys
Good afternoon– bari or
Good evening– bari ereko
Good night– bari gisher
Goodbye– tstesutyun
Sorry–knereq
How are you (How are you?)– inchpes
Fine– lav
Badly–vat
I don't speak Armenian– yes chem khosum hayeren
I do not understand– Yes dzez chem haskanum
What is the price?- Inch arje?
Barev dzez! Good morning! - Bari luys! Good afternoon - Bari or! Good evening! - Bari hereko! Hello! All the best! Welcome! ARMENIAN PHRASE BOOK FOR THE FREE TRAVELER (Wikipedia) hello! How are you? - Vonz e gorzerd?
Yes amusnatsats than How are you doing? - Ինչպե՞ս եք - Inchpes ek? How are you doing? Inch norutyu ka? (Inch ka?) I haven't seen you for a long time. - Վաղուց չենք հանդիպել - Vakhuts chenk andipelCan I know what your name is? - Dzer anunn inch e? Here is my business card.
Bari galust! Goodbye! Tstesutyun! Good night! - Bari gisher! Until the evening! Karoh eat dzez vorave banov okonkol? I understand you - I eat dzez haskanum. Nothing, everything will be fine! Yes urakh em vor dzez dur e galis! Good idea! - Love mitke! You did well! As you wish - Inchpes uzum es What does it matter - Yes inch nshanakutyun uni? So what - Heto inch? Who cares? - Um inch highlander?
You are on the special website of the WUA “Africa for everyone!” www.africa.travel.ru is an information resource for independent travelers to southern countries. Shat snorakal eat Please (in response to “thank you”). LoveNothing. - Ոչինչ - Vochinch Never mind! Barev dzez Let's meet in (foyer). Pokhantsek dzer mayrikin im bari makhtanknere Say hello to Armen. Yes evs mi bazhak surch kehemeiFeel at home. - Զգացեք Ձեզ ինչպես Ձեր տանը - Zgatsek dze inchpes dze tane Let's pay in half.
Armenian language Russian-Armenian phrasebook
Armenian names and surnames, perhaps due to the influence of the Armenian diasporas of different countries on the Armenian nation itself, are unusually diverse. This name is found in the XIII-XI centuries BC. e., and some geographical objects retained the root “Nairi” subsequently.
Congratulations! — Shnorhavorum eat dzez! I congratulate you from the bottom of my heart! — Srtants shnorhavorum eat kez! Happy New Year! - Shnorkhavor nor tari! Happy B-day! Good luck in your work - Ashkhatankayin hadjohutyunner! All the best! I would like to see you tomorrow - Yes ktsankayi vahy tesvel dzez het Are you free tomorrow evening? It happens - Patahuma Better luck next time! I have a request for you - Yes mi khndrank unem If it doesn’t bother you - Ete dzez hamar dzhvar che I want to ask you about one thing! - Uzum eat mi ban khndrel!
Es chei uzum dze viravorel! Zguish ehek! I warn you - Yes dzez zgushatsnum eat! I'm warning you for the last time! - Verchin angam eat kez zgushatsnum! Are you sure about this? - Duk hamozvac ek dranum? Yes dzez zarmatsnuma? Yes hiatsats eat! I am glad that you like!
How do you say “good afternoon, hello” in Armenian?
I didn’t understand the question - Chkhaskatsa hartsy I don’t understand you - Yes dzez than haskanum Why are you asking about this? You don't have to know Armenian to speak it. Read Armenian words and phrases in Russian letters! Goodbye - Tstesutyun/minch nor andipum Yes - Ayo No - Voch Agree - Amatsaynem Good - Love Thank you - Shnorakalutyun Thank you very much - Shat snorakalutyun Please - Khndrem Happy birthday!
E-mail to the site administrator. List of all countries in the world. Our “Guest Book”, “Russian BackPacker” forums, linking policy. Yes molorvel emDo you speak Russian?
Weather in Stepanakert
Tuil tvek dzez hemelu ban yurasirel Would you like something to drink? Langs.Pro is a resource where you can find language teachers if you study languages, and students if you teach languages. May all your wishes come true! May all your dreams come true! - Toh irakananan ko bolor erazanknery!
I don’t want to - What’s wrong! This is impossible! Sorry - Neretsek I'm guilty - I'm eating a mechavor Nothing - Vochinch! I'm very surprised - Yes shat zarmatsatsem Didn't expect - Chei spasum Really? This is incredible! You said it right - Duk chisht asatsik Well done - Apres Indifference and ignorance - Antarberutyun ev antehyakutyun I don't care - Indz hamar mievnuyna What's the difference?
Inchpes Kareli e! Does this surprise you? The Infinity translation agency would like to tell its readers that philologists conducted research for the European Day of Languages.
In films where there is an Armenian role, he will definitely say: “jan”. What does jan mean in Armenian? How is this word used? First, let's look at dictionaries.
What dictionaries say
Jan is translated from Armenian into Russian as dear. There are discussions among translators on the topic: “What does jan mean in Armenian and what is its origin.” There are two opinions:
- Turkic origin of the word;
- Armenian origin of the word.
These two groups belong to different language families: the Turkic peoples belong to the Altai, and the Armenians belong to the Indo-European. It should be noted that all eastern peoples use this word in different variations. In many nations, jan is the soul or life. This suggests an earlier source for the word. Much is clarified by turning to the surviving ancient Indo-European languages for clarification.
In the Farsi language, especially in its Old Persian version, we see many more meanings of the word jan. These are, for example, the following:
- heart;
- life;
- force;
Comparison with Hindi confirms the diminutive form of jan added to the name. Many names in India end with ji or jan.
It can be argued against the Turkic version that the word is used only by those peoples who encountered Indo-European culture, in particular the Armenian.
What native speakers say
It is interesting to know the opinion of native speakers themselves about what jan means in Armenian. In Armenian culture, when a person is called jan or jana, it means that the interlocutor is close in spirit, a nice and respected person. Communication with him is pleasant.
But if you ask directly what jan means in Armenian, the answer will not be immediately available. Someone will say - this is the soul, and someone will answer - life. Literally, janya means body. An ancient Sanskrit word meaning man. The Bible tells how God made a body from dust, breathed into it the breath of life, and Adam became a soul. Apparently, the roots of the word go so far that many peoples consider the word theirs.
Many people talk about the ambiguity of the translation of jan. From Armenian to Russian it most often means dear. In everyday life, the word is added to names, and mother is also addressed this way. And they can simply tell the girl: “Jana, please give me that thing.” In this case it becomes an appeal. You can hear at the market: “What are you selling, jan?” This is a warm and cozy, peaceful word.
Wovidjan, don't eat cilantro
In the movie "Attention, Turtle!" There is an Armenian boy - an excellent student, Vova Manukyan. He is the instigator of various experiments and generally the first boy in the class. When his parents go to work, he stays with his grandmother. My grandmother hung boxes on the balcony in which she grows greens instead of flowers. What is Armenian cuisine without greens! It is called men's bread in the Caucasus.
Vova loves to eat fresh aromatic grass, but the grandmother notices everything and affectionately says to her grandson:
Wovidjan, don't eat cilantro.
To which the grandson invariably replies:
Nobody eats!
This is repeated throughout the film during all the scenes filmed on the Manukyans' balcony.
Jan in Armenian is a diminutive prefix to a name. You can translate the grandmother’s words as follows: “Vovochka, don’t pick the cilantro.”
If you call an adult that way, he will be puzzled. Jan is a word for very close ones. This is an analogue of the Russian word darling.
"Mimino"
The difference in the traditional perception of the world between Armenians and Georgians is shown by the most talented director G. Danelia. In the film “Mimino” the explosive hero V. Kikabidze first does something and then thinks about it. Nearby, the peace-loving hero F. Mkrtchan smooths out his temper: “Valik-dzhan, I’ll tell you one smart thing, just don’t be offended.”
The address jan in this case means respect. The interlocutor warns that in no case does he want to offend Valiko or teach him about life. It is known that Frunzik Mkrtchyan said that it is not nice to teach a person, you need to help him. But do it without him knowing about it.
As they say in Armenia
So, what does jan mean in Armenian? There is a joke that in Armenia you go out into the street and it’s like you see your reflection in a mirror. People can be judged by the impression they make. A passerby will stop and ask how to get to such and such a street. In this case, he will use different addresses to the woman:
- Kur-jan - the visiting young man will ask. He called her sister, which means he considers her young enough.
- Akhchik-jan - passers-by consider you younger than themselves, they called you their daughter.
- Morkur-jan - the girl will say, giving way. She called me aunt. It's a pity.
- Mayrik-jan, let me help you - a man who looks to be the same age rushes to pick up the scattered vegetables from a fallen bag. So it's a bad thing - he called her a mother. Old age is just around the corner.
- Tatik-jan, how can I help you? - the new neighbor will ask affectionately. Called me grandma. Ah, neighbor, ah, jan.
Of course, along with these addresses there are also the generally accepted official paron and tikin, which means lady and master. But they are somehow cold and aloof. Tikin implies that the woman is nobody's, not needed, or alien. Paron - from the word baron, introduced by the crusaders. In Russian the analogue is barin. This is what they can say to a person, ending disagreements in a dispute. Let him know that they don’t consider him family. You can't tell him jan.
Translation from Armenian must take into account the mentality of the nation. Armenia is a country of customs. By and large, all Armenians are relatives. They remember this and try to preserve ancient traditions that regulate relationships and have long become the core of society.