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Unit 7 · ու, է, ը, լ and ս · Meet

ու, է, ը, լ and ս

Read these vowels and consonants together in short words.

About this unit

This unit adds three vowels and two consonants. The vowel u is written with two characters that always stay together.

  • Ուուkid goat
    oo, as in “moon”
    ուլ · kid goat
    i

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

  • է
    e, as in “bed”
    է · is
    i

    A clear e, as in bed.

  • ըnine
    short ə, as in “about”
    ինը · nine
  • Լլmoon
    l, as in “lamp”
    լուսին · moon
  • Սսpupil
    s, as in “sun”
    սան · pupil

In the writing tasks, ու is a single key.

More words to read

անուն

name

մի

one / a
Reading tips

The vowel ու is written with two characters. Treat them as a team: մ + ու + ս is mus. Sentence-initial ու becomes Ու; all capitals use ՈՒ.

The sign ը is a real vowel. It can also be pronounced inside consonant clusters even when no ը is printed; we revisit that in the reading-rhythm unit.

Reading practice

Letters in words

Match each letter to the highlighted letter.

Letters in words

Match each letter to the highlighted letter.

Find the sound

Match the sounds to the letters.

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.

լուսին

Sound to spelling

Listen. Choose the spelling.

Spelling to sound

Read the word. Choose its sound.

է

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

moon

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

kid goat

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

nine

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

Read these vowels and consonants together in short words.

Next unit

անուն

name
moon

լուսին

moon

մի

one / a

է

is
kid goat

ուլ

kid goat
nine

ինը

nine
pupil

սան

pupil
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.