Unit 8 · ե, ո and և · Read

ե, ո and և

Hear how these letters sound at the start and inside a word.

Meet the letters

Tap a card and listen. Try saying it too.

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

Words to read

I

ես

I
who

ով

who
and

և

and
name

անուն

name
that / which

որ

that / which
sun

արև

sun
Reading tips

ե · e / initial ye · Usually e; word-initial ե usually begins with y + e.

ո · o / initial vo · Usually o; word-initial ո usually begins with v + o.

և · ev / initial yev · The joined spelling for e + v; initial pronunciation is normally yev.

Inside a word, ե usually reads e and ո usually reads o. At the start, expect ye and vo. Contrast ես (yes, I) with է (e, is). This is a useful default, not a promise for every compound or loanword.

Ու / ու is the u team, not vo + another vowel. The common word ով (ov, who) is an exception to initial vo.

և is a compact joined sign. In modern Armenian, its capital spelling is Եվ; all capitals use ԵՎ. You may meet traditional եւ in older or diaspora texts; this module follows modern Armenian spelling.

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.

Spelling to sound

Read. Choose the sound.

և

Spelling to sound

Read. Choose the sound.

ես

Spelling to sound

Read. Choose the sound.

որ

Spelling to sound

Read. Choose the sound.

ես

Spelling to sound

Read. Choose the sound.

որ

Spelling to sound

Read. Choose the sound.

Exception
ով

Write a word

Listen and write the word.

I

Write a word

Listen and write the word.

who

Write a word

Listen and write the word.

and

Listen and write

Listen and write the word.

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

Hear how these letters sound at the start and inside a word.

Next unit
I

ես

I
who

ով

who
and

և

and
name

անուն

name
that / which

որ

that / which
sun

արև

sun
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.