LingoflyԹող լինի, Աստված պահի, ապրես: the wish is a verb form of its own
A wish is simply the verb form without կ-. On its own it already means 'may it be so'. For example: “Աստված պահի ձեր երեխաներին” (astvats pahi dzer yerekhanerin) — God keep your children. A rule from the Armenian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
A wish is simply the verb form without կ-. On its own it already means 'may it be so'.
Աստված (astvats) պահի (pahi) (astvats pahi) is God keep you, առողջ (arroghj) մնաս (mnas) (arroghj mnas) stay healthy, հաջողություն (hajoghut'yun) ունենաս good luck. One letter separates a wish from a statement: կմնաս you will stay, մնաս (mnas) stay.
For a third person put թող (t'ogh), 'let', in front: թող (t'ogh) գա (ga) (t'ogh ga) let him come, թող (t'ogh) լինի (lini) (t'ogh lini) let it be. The negative is թող (t'ogh) չուշանա.
The trap: Ցավդ տանեմ literally means 'let me carry off your pain' and sounds alarming at first. It is in fact the warmest thing you can say to someone.
Table
| Occasion | What they say | Word for word |
|---|---|---|
| at the table | անուշ լինի (lini) | may it be sweet |
| the reply to it | առողջ (arroghj) մնաս (mnas) | stay healthy |
| a toast | կենացդ | to your life |
| instead of thanks | ապրես (apres) | live! |
| a congratulation | շնորհավոր (shnorhavor) ծնունդդ (tsnundd) | congratulated your birthday |
| a wish to a third party | թող (t'ogh) լինի (lini) | let it be |
| a blessing | Աստված (astvats) պահի (pahi) | God, keep |
| condolences | ցավակցում եմ (em) | I share the pain |
| about the deceased | Աստված (astvats) հոգին (hogin) լուսավորի | God, illuminate the soul |
By example
- Թող տոնը ուրախ լինի, առողջ մնաքt'ogh tonə urakh lini, arroghj mnak'May the holiday be joyful — stay healthy
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
the wish is a verb form of its own: how does it work in Armenian?
A wish is simply the verb form without կ-. On its own it already means 'may it be so'.
What does it look like in a Armenian example sentence?
“Աստված պահի ձեր երեխաներին” (astvats pahi dzer yerekhanerin) — God keep your children. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.