Unit 12 · զ, ժ, շ and ռ · Read

զ, ժ, շ and ռ

Distinguish z, zh, sh and the rolled r.

Meet the letters

Tap a card and listen. Try saying it too.

Զ զ
i

z

Ժ ժ
i

zh / ʒ. The middle sound in measure.

Շ շ
i

sh / ʃ. As in ship.

Ռ ռ
i

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

Words to read

hour

ժամ

hour
dog

շուն

dog
zero

զրո

zero
cold

սառը

cold
radio

ռադիո

radio
Reading tips

զ · z

ժ · zh / ʒ · The middle sound in measure.

շ · sh / ʃ · As in ship.

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

Pair ս with զ: the second has voice. Pair շ with ժ the same way. Watch the shape as well as the sound.

Armenian distinguishes ր and ռ. Both use the tongue near the ridge behind the upper teeth, but ռ has the stronger trill.

Listen to զրո. A short helping vowel makes the first consonant group easier to say. Read what is printed; do not insert an extra ը when writing it.

Reading practice

Letters in words

Match each letter to the highlighted letter.

Find the sound

Match the sounds to the letters.

Find each word

Match the words to the pictures.

Find each word

Match the pictures to the words.

Sound to spelling

Listen. Choose the spelling.

Sound to spelling

Listen. Choose the spelling.

Sound to spelling

Listen. Choose the spelling.

Spelling to sound

Read. Choose the sound.

սառը

Spelling to sound

Read. Choose the sound.

ռադիո

Write a word

Listen and write the word.

hour

Write a word

Listen and write the word.

dog

Write a word

Listen and write the word.

zero

Listen and write

Listen and write the word.

Listen and write

Listen and write the word.

Finish practice to save this unit.

You can read and write this

Distinguish z, zh, sh and the rolled r.

Next unit
hour

ժամ

hour
dog

շուն

dog
zero

զրո

zero
cold

սառը

cold
radio

ռադիո

radio
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 մ
i

m. Keep the two arches in view.

Ն ն
i

n. One arch: 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 է
i

e. A clear e, as in bed.

Ը ը
i

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

Լ լ
i

l

Ս ս
i

s

Հ հ
i

h

Յ յ
i

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

Ր ր
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
Վ վ
i

v

Օ օ
i

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

Ֆ ֆ
i

f. Often in borrowed words.

Ե 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
Եվ 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
Բ բ
i

b. Voiced b.

Պ պ
i

p. Plain p, with little breath.

Փ փ
i

pʰ. p with a puff of air.

Դ դ
i

d. Voiced d.

Տ տ
i

t. Plain t, with little breath.

Թ թ
i

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

Գ գ
i

g. Voiced g, always hard.

Կ կ
i

k. Plain k, little breath.

Ք ք
i

kʰ. k with a puff.

Խ խ
i

kh / x. Friction like ch in Scottish loch.

Ղ ղ
i

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

Զ զ
i

z

Ժ ժ
i

zh / ʒ. The middle sound in measure.

Շ շ
i

sh / ʃ. As in ship.

Ռ ռ
i

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

Ձ ձ
i

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

Ծ ծ
i

ts. Plain ts, little breath.

Ց ց
i

tsʰ. ts with a puff.

Ջ ջ
i

j / dʒ. Voiced, as in jam.

Ճ ճ
i

ch / tʃ. Plain ch, little breath.

Չ չ
i

chʰ / tʃʰ. ch with a puff.