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Unit 11 · ե, ո and և · Meet

ե, ո and և

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

About this unit

Two vowels sound different at the start of a word, and և joins two sounds in one sign.

  • ե
    e; ye at the start
    ես · I
    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
  • Ոոcandle
    o; vo at the start
    մոմ · candle
    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
  • ևsun
    ev; yev at the start
    արև · sun
    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

One common exception: ով (who) starts with a plain o.

More words to read

որ

that / which

ով

who

և

and
Reading tips

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 course 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.

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.

մոմ

Sound to spelling

Listen. Choose the spelling.

Spelling to sound

Read the word. Choose its sound.

ով

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

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

candle

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

sun

Build the word

Listen and build the word in typing order.

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

Next unit

ես

I
candle

մոմ

candle

որ

that / which

ով

who

և

and
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
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.