LingoflyThe ending -ը / -ն: Armenian's own 'the'
Plain 'coffee' is սուրճ (surch). The coffee you have already been talking about is սուրճը (surchə): being definite rides on an ending, not on a separate word. For example: “Սուրճը (surchə) համեղ (hamegh) է” — The coffee is tasty. A rule from the Armenian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Plain 'coffee' is սուրճ (surch). The coffee you have already been talking about is սուրճը (surchə): being definite rides on an ending, not on a separate word.
The choice is simple: after a consonant -ը, after a vowel or before a word starting with a vowel -ն. So տղա (tgha) becomes տղան (tghan), the boy.
English keeps its 'the' out in front as its own word, so this tail is easy to drop. Say Հաշիվը (hashivə), խնդրեմ (khndrem) without it and you are asking for just any check.
By example
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Armenian ending ը and ն?
Plain 'coffee' is սուրճ (surch). The coffee you have already been talking about is սուրճը (surchə): being definite rides on an ending, not on a separate word.
Why Armenian puts ը at the end of a word?
Plain 'coffee' is սուրճ (surch). The coffee you have already been talking about is սուրճը (surchə): being definite rides on an ending, not on a separate word.
Սուրճ (surch) or սուրճը (surchə): which one is right?
Plain 'coffee' is սուրճ (surch). The coffee you have already been talking about is սուրճը (surchə): being definite rides on an ending, not on a separate word.
What does it look like in a Armenian example sentence?
“Սուրճը (surchə) համեղ (hamegh) է” (surchə hamegh e) — The coffee is tasty. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.