45 Basic Armenian Phrases for Everyday Conversation

A few basic Armenian phrases go a long way. With a small set of ready-made sentences you can greet people, order food, ask for directions and, just as importantly, show that you are making an effort. This list covers 45 phrases for everyday conversation in Eastern Armenian, the language spoken in Armenia, grouped by situation so you can learn the ones you need first.

Each phrase is written in Armenian script, then in Latin letters, then in English. Where there is a polite and an informal version, both are given. Use the polite one with strangers and older people until someone invites you to be more casual.

Greetings and goodbyes

1. Բարև (barev) – hello
2. Բարև ձեզ (barev dzez) – hello (polite)
3. Բարի լույս (bari luys) – good morning
4. Բարի երեկո (bari yereko) – good evening
5. Բարի գիշեր (bari gisher) – good night
6. Ցտեսություն (tstesutyun) – goodbye
7. Հաջող (hajogh) – bye (casual)

Small talk

8. Ինչպե՞ս ես (inchpes es) – how are you? (informal)
9. Ինչպե՞ս եք (inchpes ek) – how are you? (polite)
10. Լավ եմ (lav em) – I'm fine
11. Վատ չեմ (vat chem) – not bad
12. Ի՞նչ կա (inch ka) – what's new?
13. Ոչինչ (vochinch) – nothing much; it's nothing

Introducing yourself

14. Անունդ ի՞նչ է (anund inch e) – what's your name? (informal)
15. Ձեր անունն ի՞նչ է (dzer anunn inch e) – what's your name? (polite)
16. Անունս Աննա է (anuns Anna e) – my name is Anna
17. Ուրախ եմ ծանոթանալու համար (urakh em tsanotanalu hamar) – nice to meet you
18. Որտեղի՞ց եք (vorteghits ek) – where are you from? (polite)
19. Ես Լոնդոնից եմ (yes Londonits em) – I'm from London

To say where you are from, add -ից (-its) to the name of your city or country and finish with եմ (em), "I am".

When you don't understand

These are the most useful basic Armenian phrases of all for a beginner. Learn them first.

20. Ես չեմ հասկանում (yes chem haskanum) – I don't understand
21. Դանդաղ խոսեք, խնդրում եմ (dandagh khosek, khndrum em) – please speak slowly
22. Կրկնեք, խնդրում եմ (krknek, khndrum em) – please repeat
23. Անգլերեն գիտե՞ք (angleren gitek) – do you speak English?
24. Ես մի քիչ հայերեն գիտեմ (yes mi kich hayeren gitem) – I know a little Armenian
25. Չգիտեմ (chgitem) – I don't know
26. Սա ի՞նչ է (sa inch e) – what is this?

Being polite

27. Շնորհակալություն (shnorhakalutyun) – thank you
28. Շատ շնորհակալ եմ (shat shnorhakal em) – thank you very much
29. Մերսի (mersi) – thanks (casual, very common)
30. Խնդրում եմ (khndrum em) – please; you're welcome
31. Ներողություն (neroghutyun) – sorry; excuse me
32. Այո / Ոչ (ayo / voch) – yes / no
33. Հա / Չէ (ha / che) – yeah / nope (casual)

You will hear ha and che far more often than ayo and voch in everyday speech. Both pairs are fine to use.

Shopping, cafés and restaurants

34. Ես ուզում եմ... (yes uzum em...) – I want...
35. Ի՞նչ արժե (inch arzhe) – how much is it?
36. Քանի՞ դրամ է (kani dram e) – how many dram is it?
37. Ջուր, խնդրում եմ (jur, khndrum em) – water, please
38. Բարի ախորժակ (bari akhorzhak) – enjoy your meal
39. Շատ համեղ էր (shat hamegh er) – it was very tasty
40. Հաշիվը, խնդրում եմ (hashivə, khndrum em) – the bill, please

The dram is the Armenian currency, so kani dram e is the natural way to ask a price at a market or a kiosk.

Getting around

41. Որտե՞ղ է... (vortegh e...) – where is...?
42. Զուգարանը որտե՞ղ է (zugaranə vortegh e) – where is the toilet?
43. Աջ / ձախ / ուղիղ (aj / dzakh / ughigh) – right / left / straight on
44. Կանգնեք այստեղ, խնդրում եմ (kangnek aystegh, khndrum em) – stop here, please
45. Մոտ է / հեռու է (mot e / heru e) – it's close / it's far

Kangnek aystegh is the phrase you will use most in a taxi. Combine it with aj, dzakh and ughigh and you can guide a driver to almost any door in Yerevan.

How to learn these phrases

Don't try to memorise all 45 at once. Pick the five or six you are most likely to need this week and say them out loud until they come without thinking. Then use them for real, even if you feel awkward. The first time a shopkeeper answers you in Armenian, the phrase is yours for good.

It also helps to notice the patterns inside the phrases. Khndrum em turns almost anything into a polite request. Em means "I am" and e means "it is", and they appear again and again. The mark over a vowel, as in vortegh, shows that the word is a question. Once you spot these building blocks, new basic Armenian phrases become much easier to understand and remember.

Finally, listen more than you read. Armenian has sounds that English lacks, such as the throaty gh and the rolled r, and hearing them from native speakers will make your own pronunciation far more natural.

If you would like to practise these phrases in context and keep going from there, Haylingua has Eastern Armenian courses from complete beginner up to C1.