Pimsleur Armenian - Armenian Phrases

Eastern and Western Armenian - Different Dialects

The two Armenian dialects are quite different. To illustrate this difference, here are a few words in English, with their corresponding translations into Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian. These Armenian phrases will demonstrate the differences. For some basic Armenian words both dialects use the same terminology (like for 'Yes' and 'No', 'Hello' and 'Thank you'), whilst for others there are totally different words (i.e. for 'Welcome'):

English - Eastern Armenian

Yes = Ayo (այո)

No = Oč (ոչ)

Excuse me = Neroġowt'iown (ներողություն)

Hello = Barev (բարեւ)

How are you(formal) = Vonts ek (վո՞նց եք)

What's up = Inch ca chca (ի՞նչ կա չկա)

Please = Xndrem (խնդրեմ)

Thank you = Šnorhakal em (շնորհակալ եմ)

Thank you very much = Šat šnorhakal em (շատ շնորհակալ եմ)

Welcome = Bari galowst (բարի գալուստ)

Goodbye = C'tesowt'iown (ցտեսություն)

Good morning = Bari lowys (բարի լույս)

Good afternoon = Bari òr (բարի օր)

Good evening = Bari ereko (բարի երեկո)

Good night = Bari gišer (բարի գիշեր)

I love you = Es sirowm em k'ez (ես սիրում եմ քեզ)

I am Armenian = Es hay em (Ես Հայ եմ)

English - Western Armenian

Yes = Ayo (այո)

No = Oč (ոչ)

Excuse me = Neroġowt'iown (ներողութիւն)

Hello = Parev (բարեւ)

Please = Xntrem (խնդրեմ)

Thank you = Šnorhagal em (շնորհակալ եմ)

Thank you very much = Šad šnorhagal em (շատ շնորհակալ եմ)

Welcome = Pari egar / Pari egak (բարի եկար / բարի եկաք)

Goodbye = C'desowt'iown (ցտեսութիւն)

Good morning = Pari lowys (բարի լոյս)

Good afternoon = Pari òr (բարի օր)

Good evening = Parirgown / Pari irigown (բարի իրկուն / բարի իրիկուն)

Good night = Kišer pari (գիշեր բարի)

What satisfied customers think about the Pimsleur ARMENIAN audios :

I ordered this so my husband and I could learn a little Armenian (I am of Armenian descent). I have other Armenian language tools, such as the VocabuLearn cassettes, a textbook, and Samuelian's transliteration dictionary, and they are all helpful in their own way, but in terms of amount of progress for time spent, Pimsleur beats them all.

The Western Armenian Pimsleur lessons start out by teaching you how to ask someone if she understands Armenian and by the end of the first lesson, you can understand and participate in a brief conversation that centers around that. Each subsequent lesson builds on that first lesson, teaching you more words and phrases. The lessons are in both English and Armenian.

The way that Pimsleur handles pronunciation is also very helpful, especially for individuals who are not used to hearing Armenian. Some of the words are very long, and can sound very confusing. Pimsleur walks you through the pronunciation of each word, starting with the final syllable and working backwards. My husband, who has pretty crappy pronunciation (since he didn't learn how to make the "gh" and "kh" sounds), has been doing surprisingly well with this method. I still have to help him out, but overall, it is as good as can be expected without an actual person telling you what you are doing wrong, although the lessons do usually address common mistakes.

Pimsleur also sneaks in grammar lessons, so you gradually figure out some of the grammar constructs. Some people catch on to this more easily than others, but the course does make an effort to teach you. Femina Formosa, (USA)