A question without 'do': the mark ՞

In Armenian the question is marked not at the end of the phrase but directly over the stressed vowel of the word the question is about: Ջուր կա՞ — 'Is there water?'. For example: “Դու՞ ես” — Is it you? (you, of all people?). A rule from the Armenian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.

Updated September 1, 2026 · Lingofly

How it works

In Armenian the question is marked not at the end of the phrase but directly over the stressed vowel of the word the question is about: Ջուր կա՞ (jur ka?) — 'Is there water?'.

Practical takeaway for speech: your intonation rises exactly on the word carrying the ՞. Move the mark — and the meaning of the question moves with it. English does the same job with stress alone; Armenian writes it down.

By example

  • Դու՞ ես
    du es?
    Is it you? (you, of all people?)
  • Դու ե՞ս գնում
    du es gnum?
    Are you going?
  • Որքա՞ն է արժե
    vork'an e arzhe?
    How much does it cost?

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

A question without 'do': how does it work in Armenian?

In Armenian the question is marked not at the end of the phrase but directly over the stressed vowel of the word the question is about: Ջուր կա՞ — 'Is there water?'.

What does it look like in an example sentence Armenian?

“Դու՞ ես” (du es?) — Is it you? (you, of all people?). A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.

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Test the rule on examplesPractice