Կաշվե պայուսակ and դանակով կտրել: made of what, done with what
In a shop two questions come up more than any others: 'what is it made of?' and 'what do you do it with?'. English answers both with a preposition — 'of leather', 'with a knife'. Armenian barely knows prepositions: it hangs on an ending, and there are three endings here, one per question. For example: “Բնական կաշվե պայուսակ եմ փնտրում” — I'm looking for a natural leather bag. A rule from the Armenian course: worked…
How it works
In a shop two questions come up more than any others: 'what is it made of?' and 'what do you do it with?'. English answers both with a preposition — 'of leather', 'with a knife'. Armenian barely knows prepositions: it hangs on an ending, and there are three endings here, one per question.
-ե — the material as an adjective. Attached straight to the noun and placed before the thing: կաշվե պայուսակ (kashve payusak) — a leather bag, բրդե գուլպա (brde gulpa) — woolen socks, ապակե բաժակ (apake bazhak) — a glass tumbler, փայտե տախտակ (p'ayte takhtak) — a wooden board, թղթե տոպրակ (t'ght'e toprak) — a paper bag. This is the most common way, and in a shop you will hear exactly this one. Words in -ք change their stem: թուղթ (t'ught') → թղթե (t'ght'e).
-ից — 'out of what', answering with a full phrase. Placed after the thing: պայուսակը կաշվից է (payusakə kashvits e) — the bag is made of leather, բռնակը մետաղից է (brrnakə metaghits e) — the handle is of metal. This is the same -ից that means 'from': Երևանից (Yerevanits) — from Yerevan. The only difference from -ե is word order: կաշվե պայուսակ, but պայուսակը կաշվից է.
-ով (-ov) — 'with what, by means of what'. Դանակով կտրել — cut with a knife, մկրատով կտրիր (mkratov ktrir) — cut with the scissors, շերեփով լցնել (sherep'ov ltsnel) — pour with a ladle, քարտով վճարել (k'artov vcharel) — pay by card. The same -ով also means 'with something' in general: կիտրոնով թեյ — tea with lemon, սերուցքով սուրճ — coffee with cream.
-ով has three more jobs beyond this, and all three have already crossed your path. It also shows the way you travel: ավտոբուսով — by bus. It also marks the thing of pride and exchange: քեզնով հպարտանում եմ, այլ գույնով փոխել (ayl guynov p'okhel). And it makes adverbs: հաճույքով (hachuyk'ov) — with pleasure, գրավոր (gravor) next to բանավոր (banavor) — in writing and orally. One ending, four meanings — and every one is recognized by asking 'with what?'.
Table
| Question | Ending | Example | Where it stands |
|---|---|---|---|
| what kind (of what) | -ե | կաշվե պայուսակ | before the thing |
| what kind (of what) | -ե | ապակե բաժակ — a glass tumbler | before the thing |
| made of what | -ից | պայուսակը կաշվից է | after the thing |
| with what | -ով | դանակով կտրել — cut with a knife | with the verb |
| with what (accompaniment) | -ով | կիտրոնով թեյ — tea with lemon | before the thing |
| by what (travel) | -ով | ավտոբուսով — by bus | with the verb |
| how (adverb) | -ով | հաճույքով — with pleasure | with the verb |
By example
- Բնական կաշվե պայուսակ եմ փնտրումbnakan kashve payusak em p'ntrumI'm looking for a natural leather bag
- Այս բաժակը ապակուց է, ոչ թե պլաստիկիցays bazhakə apakuts e, voch t'e plastikitsThis tumbler is made of glass, not plastic
- Պանիրը քերիչով քերիրpanirə k'erichov k'erirGrate the cheese with a grater
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
How to say made of leather in Armenian?
In a shop two questions come up more than any others: 'what is it made of?' and 'what do you do it with?'. English answers both with a preposition — 'of leather', 'with a knife'. Armenian barely knows prepositions: it hangs on an ending, and there are three endings here, one per question.
Կաշվե vs կաշվից?
-ե — the material as an adjective. Attached straight to the noun and placed before the thing: կաշվե պայուսակ — a leather bag, բրդե գուլպա — woolen socks, ապակե բաժակ — a glass tumbler, փայտե տախտակ — a wooden board, թղթե տոպրակ — a paper bag. This is the most common way, and in a shop you will hear…
Armenian ending ով with what and by what?
-ից — 'out of what', answering with a full phrase. Placed after the thing: պայուսակը կաշվից է — the bag is made of leather, բռնակը մետաղից է — the handle is of metal. This is the same -ից that means 'from': Երևանից — from Yerevan. The only difference from -ե is word order: կաշվե պայուսակ, but…
How to say by bus in Armenian?
-ով — 'with what, by means of what'. Դանակով կտրել — cut with a knife, մկրատով կտրիր — cut with the scissors, շերեփով լցնել — pour with a ladle, քարտով վճարել — pay by card. The same -ով also means 'with something' in general: կիտրոնով թեյ — tea with lemon, սերուցքով սուրճ — coffee with cream.
How to say cut with a knife in Armenian?
-ով has three more jobs beyond this, and all three have already crossed your path. It also shows the way you travel: ավտոբուսով — by bus. It also marks the thing of pride and exchange: քեզնով հպարտանում եմ, այլ գույնով փոխել. And it makes adverbs: հաճույքով — with pleasure, գրավոր next to բանավոր…
What does it look like in an example sentence Armenian?
“Բնական կաշվե պայուսակ եմ փնտրում” (bnakan kashve payusak em p'ntrum) — I'm looking for a natural leather bag. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.