Դիմումն ընդունվեց: one letter -վ- and nobody acting

The note on impersonal turns flashed the sign խանութը փակվում է and promised to come back. Here we are, because the entire language of institutions stands on this: 'the application has been accepted', 'the documents are being reviewed', 'the visa has been denied'. The state never says 'we accepted' — it says 'it was accepted', and that is done with a single inserted -վ- before the verb's ending. For example…

Updated September 1, 2026 · Lingofly

How it works

The note on impersonal turns flashed the sign խանութը փակվում է (khanut'ə p'akvum e) and promised to come back. Here we are, because the entire language of institutions stands on this: 'the application has been accepted', 'the documents are being reviewed', 'the visa has been denied'. The state never says 'we accepted' — it says 'it was accepted', and that is done with a single inserted -վ- before the verb's ending.

The scheme is simple. Ընդունել (əndunel) — to accept → ընդունվել (əndunvel) — to be accepted. Քննարկել (k'nnarkel) — to review → քննարկվել. Մերժել — to reject → մերժվել (merzhvel). Հաստատել (hastatel) — to approve → հաստատվել. The verb you get conjugates like any other: դիմումն ընդունվում է (dimumn əndunvum e) — the application is being accepted, դիմումն ընդունվեց (dimumn əndunvets) — the application was accepted, դիմումն ընդունվել է (dimumn əndunvel e) — the application has been accepted.

If the doer is really needed, it is added with the turn կողմից (koghmits) — 'on the part of' — placed AFTER the doer: որոշումը դատարանի կողմից ընդունվեց (voroshumə datarani koghmits əndunvets) — the decision was made by the court. Live speech almost never does this: if the actor is known, an Armenian simply says it actively — դատարանը որոշում ընդունեց (dataranə voroshum əndunets). The կողմից passive is the language of paper, and it sounds exactly as heavy as English officialese.

Now the trap the note was written for. The same letter -վ- also makes reflexive verbs, and only meaning tells them apart. Լվանալ (lvanal) — to wash, լվացվել — to wash oneself, not 'to be washed'. Հագնվել (hagnvel) — to get dressed. Տեղափոխվել (teghap'okhvel) — to move house. One and the same suffix covers both 'he was relocated' and 'he moved', and context decides: with people it is usually reflexive, with paper always passive.

And the third use of the same -վ-, the most common one on signs: the impersonal ban and permission. Արգելվում է ծխել (argelvum e tskhel) — smoking is prohibited. Թույլատրվում է լուսանկարել — photography is permitted. There is no subject here at all, and you should not look for one — the verb stands in the third person singular and agrees with nothing. This is the most Armenian way to say 'not allowed' on a sign.

Table

Դիմումն ընդունվեց: one letter -վ- and nobody acting
ActiveWith -վ-How it translatesType
ընդունելընդունվելto be acceptedpassive
քննարկելքննարկվելto be reviewedpassive
մերժելմերժվելto be rejectedpassive
վավերացնելվավերացվելto be certifiedpassive
լվանալլվացվելto wash oneselfreflexive
տեղափոխելտեղափոխվելto move housereflexive
արգելելարգելվում էis prohibitedimpersonal
— (the doer)դատարանի կողմիցby the courtthe doer in a passive

By example

  • Դիմումն ընդունվեց և քննարկվում է
    dimumn əndunvets yev k'nnarkvum e
    The application was accepted and is under review
  • Վիզան մերժվել է առանց բացատրության
    vizan merzhvel e arrants batsatrut'yan
    The visa was denied without explanation
  • Այստեղ լուսանկարել արգելվում է
    aystegh lusankarel argelvum e
    Taking pictures here is prohibited

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

Դիմումն ընդունվեց: how does it work in Armenian?

The note on impersonal turns flashed the sign խանութը փակվում է and promised to come back. Here we are, because the entire language of institutions stands on this: 'the application has been accepted', 'the documents are being reviewed', 'the visa has been denied'. The state never says 'we accepted'…

What does it look like in an example sentence Armenian?

“Դիմումն ընդունվեց և քննարկվում է” (dimumn əndunvets yev k'nnarkvum e) — The application was accepted and is under review. 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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