Այս, այդ, այն: three 'this' instead of two
English sorts things into 'this' (near me) and 'that' (not near me). Armenian sorts them into three, and by a different criterion: whose hands the thing is in. Այս — in mine, within reach. Այդ — in yours, the listener's: այդ գիրքը is the book in your hands. Այն — in neither of ours: a third person's, out the window, in another city. For example: “Սա իմ հեռախոսն է, այդ մեկը՝ քոնը” — This is my phone, and that one is…
How it works
English sorts things into 'this' (near me) and 'that' (not near me). Armenian sorts them into three, and by a different criterion: whose hands the thing is in. Այս (ays) — in mine, within reach. Այդ (ayd) — in yours, the listener's: այդ գիրքը (ayd girk'ə) is the book in your hands. Այն (ayn) — in neither of ours: a third person's, out the window, in another city.
Each of the three lives in two shapes. Before a noun comes the ay- form: այս սեղանը (ays seghanə), այդ սեղանը (ayd seghanə), այն սեղանը (ayn seghanə) — and note the -ը: after a demonstrative the article is obligatory, you cannot skip it. Standing alone, each one gets shorter: սա (sa) — this one (by me), դա (da) — that one (by you), նա (na) — that one over there, and also 'he, she'. Սա ի՞նչ է (sa inch e) — what is this? Դա իմն է (da imn e) — that one is mine.
The trio drags four more along. Places: այստեղ (aystegh) — here, այդտեղ — there by you, այնտեղ (ayntegh) — over there, in the distance. Manner: այսպես (ayspes) — this way, as I show, այդպես (aydpes) — the way you said, այնպես (aynpes) — that way, somehow so. The familiar Այդպես չեմ կարծում (aydpes chem kartsum) — 'I don't think so' — is a reply to your words specifically, and այս will not fit there.
And the main use, the reason այդ is heard most often: it points at what was just said. Not an object in the room but the other speaker's line. Այդ մասին խոսենք վաղը — let's talk about it tomorrow. Դա ճիշտ չէ (da chisht che) — that is not true. The rule is simple: if 'it' refers to someone's words, take այդ or դա — just like English 'that' in 'that's what you said'.
Table
| Where the thing is | Before a noun | Alone | Place | Manner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| by me | այս գիրքը — this book | սա — this | այստեղ — here | այսպես — this way |
| by you | այդ գիրքը — that book of yours | դա — that | այդտեղ — there, by you | այդպես — that way |
| with a third party, far away | այն գիրքը — that book there | նա — that one, he | այնտեղ — over there | այնպես — so, thus |
| about what was said | այդ մասին — about it | դա — that | — | այդպես — exactly so |
By example
- Սա իմ հեռախոսն է, այդ մեկը՝ քոնըsa im herrakhosn e, ayd mekə — k'onəThis is my phone, and that one is yours
- Այն տունը բլրի վրա մեր տատիկինն էayn tunə blri vra mer tatikinn eThat house on the hill belongs to our grandmother
- Այդ մասին ես չգիտեիayd masin yes chgiteiI did not know about that
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
three 'this' instead of two: how does it work in Armenian?
English sorts things into 'this' (near me) and 'that' (not near me). Armenian sorts them into three, and by a different criterion: whose hands the thing is in. Այս — in mine, within reach. Այդ — in yours, the listener's: այդ գիրքը is the book in your hands. Այն — in neither of ours: a third…
What does it look like in an example sentence Armenian?
“Սա իմ հեռախոսն է, այդ մեկը՝ քոնը” (sa im herrakhosn e, ayd mekə — k'onə) — This is my phone, and that one is yours. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.