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Unit 17 · ձ, ծ and ց · Meet

ձ, ծ and ց

Hear the contrast, find each printed shape, then read and retrieve the words.

About this unit

ձ, ծ and ց are joined sounds: a t-like start released straight into a hiss. They follow the familiar three-way pattern.

  • ձegg
    throat buzzes
    ձու · egg
  • Ծծsea
    no puff of air
    ծով · sea
  • Ցցbull
    puff of air
    ցուլ · bull
Reading tips

These are joined consonant sounds (affricates): start with a closure and release into friction. The three-way contrast returns: ձ / ծ / ց and ջ / ճ / չ.

You have now met the full modern alphabet. Keep each joined consonant sound together when blending a word.

Reading practice

The ts-family

Listen to the three models first. Then: which one is the mystery sound?

Listen first

buzzing dz
plain ts
airy tsʰ
Mystery sound

The ts-family

Listen to the three models first. Then: which one is the mystery sound?

Listen first

buzzing dz
plain ts
airy tsʰ
Mystery sound

The ts-family

Listen to the three models first. Then: which one is the mystery sound?

Listen first

buzzing dz
plain ts
airy tsʰ
Mystery sound

Letters in words

Match each letter to the highlighted letter.

Find the sound

Match the sounds to the letters.

A familiar capital outline

Match the related capital and lowercase shapes.

Read with support

Match the words to their pictures.

Read without a sound cue

Match the words to their pictures.

Sound to spelling

Listen. Choose the spelling.

Spelling to sound

Read the word. Choose its sound.

ծով

Sound to spelling

Listen. Choose the spelling.

Hear the trained contrast

Listen to the practice syllable. Choose its spelling.

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

egg

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

sea

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

bull

Recall the spelling

Listen and build the word without its picture.

Recall the spelling

Listen and build the word without its picture.

Recall the spelling

Listen and build the word without its picture.

Finish practice to save this unit.

You can read and write this

Hear the contrast, find each printed shape, then read and retrieve the words.

Next unit
egg

ձու

egg
sea

ծով

sea
bull

ցուլ

bull
Use a Armenian keyboard

On your phone, add Armenian in Settings → Languages or Keyboards. On a computer, add an Armenian input language in the operating system settings.

Use the on-screen letters whenever you prefer. The ու key inserts its two written characters together; spaces and punctuation have their own keys.

All letters

Ա ա
i

a. Open a, as in father.

մ
i

m. In lowercase մ, the tall stroke is on the right.

ն
i

n. In lowercase ն, the tall stroke is on the left; compare it with մ.

Ի ի
i

i. A clear ee sound.

Ու ու
i

Capital form: Ու. In an ALL-CAPITAL word, write ՈՒ: the second part becomes Ւ. Both forms spell u.

է
i

e. A clear e, as in bed.

ըshort ə, as in “about”
i

ə. A short neutral vowel, like the first sound of about.

Լ լ
i

l

Ս ս
i

s

հ
i

h

յ
i

y. The consonant y of yes, not the vowel in my.

Վ վ
i

v

Ր րone quick tap
i

ր is a brief tongue tap. The isolated recording includes a short helping vowel; that vowel is separate from the consonant. Compare the stronger rolled ռ, and listen to ր inside the words below.

արևսար
Օ օ
i

o. A plain o vowel, including at the start.

Ֆ ֆ
i

f. Often in borrowed words.

ե
i

At the start of a word, ե usually sounds ye, as in ես. Inside a word it sounds e, as in մեր.

եսմերInside a word: e in մեր · մեր
Ո ո
i

At the start of a word, ո usually sounds vo, as in որ. Inside a word it sounds o, as in տոմս. ով (who) is an exception: it begins with plain o.

որտոմսովInside a word: o in տոմս · տոմս
և
i

և is a joined letter (a ligature), spelling the sequence e + v, not one consonant. It sounds yev at word start and ev inside a word, as in արև. Its capital spelling Եվ uses two letters; all capitals use ԵՎ.

ևարևInside a word: ev in բարև · բարև
բthroat buzzes
i

b. Voiced b.

պno puff of air
i

p. Plain p, with little breath.

Փ փpuff of air
i

pʰ. p with a puff of air.

դthroat buzzes
i

d. Voiced d.

Տ տno puff of air
i

t. Plain t, with little breath.

թpuff of air
i

tʰ. t with a puff of air; never English th.

գthroat buzzes
i

g. Voiced g, always hard.

կno puff of air
i

k. Plain k, little breath.

Ք քpuff of air
i

kʰ. k with a puff.

Խ խair rubs, no buzz
i

kh / x. Friction like ch in Scottish loch.

ղthroat buzzes
i

gh / ʁ. Voiced back-of-mouth friction; not g + h.

զthroat buzzes
i

z

ժthroat buzzes
i

zh / ʒ. The middle sound in measure.

շair rubs, no buzz
i

sh / ʃ. As in ship.

ռrolled
i

rolled r. A stronger rolled r; compare the short tap ր.

ձthroat buzzes
i

dz. Voiced d + z released as one joined sound.

Ծ ծno puff of air
i

ts. Plain ts, little breath.

Ց ցpuff of air
i

tsʰ. ts with a puff.

ջthroat buzzes
i

j / dʒ. Voiced, as in jam.

ճno puff of air
i

ch / tʃ. Plain ch, little breath.

չpuff of air
i

chʰ / tʃʰ. ch with a puff.