Երևի, հավանաբար, իհարկե: how sure the speaker is
In a repair shop and in an argument about taste, half the meaning hangs not on facts but on how sure the speaker is. 'Probably the board burned out', 'of course we'll replace it', 'they're unlikely to fix it'. English drops in a comment word; Armenian does too — and there are about a dozen of them. They never change form and are memorized as a list. For example: “Երևի լարերի հետ խնդիր կա” — There's probably a…
How it works
In a repair shop and in an argument about taste, half the meaning hangs not on facts but on how sure the speaker is. 'Probably the board burned out', 'of course we'll replace it', 'they're unlikely to fix it'. English drops in a comment word; Armenian does too — and there are about a dozen of them. They never change form and are memorized as a list.
The most frequent is երևի (yerevi) — probably, I'd say. From երևալ (yereval) — to appear, be visible: Երևի պահեստամաս է պետք (yerevi pahestamas e petk') — probably a spare part is needed. More bookish and more confident — հավանաբար — presumably, from հավանական — probable. Միգուցե (migutse) — maybe, with a shade of hesitation; after it the verb often takes the կ- prefix: միգուցե կգա (migutse kga).
At the other end — certainty. Իհարկե (iharke) — of course, the most frequent agreement in the language. Անպայման (anpayman) — definitely, without fail: անպայման կզանգեմ (anpayman kzangem). Իսկապես (iskapes) — truly, indeed: իսկապես լավ վարպետ է (iskapes lav varpet e). Անշուշտ — undoubtedly, and it sounds official.
Separately — verdicts on how things turn out. Ցավոք (tsavok') — unfortunately: Ցավոք, վերանորոգման ենթակա չէ (veranorogman yent'aka che). Բարեբախտաբար (barebakhtabar) — fortunately. Ըստ իս — in my view, alongside the more colloquial իմ կարծիքով (im kartsik'ov).
And one word-order trap. All these words love the beginning of the sentence and are set off by a comma, as in English: Ցավոք, չեմ կարող (chem karogh). But երևի and իհարկե often slip inside, right after the subject: Ես (yes), իհարկե, կգամ (kgam). What you must not do is put them at the very end: the phrase Կգամ իհարկե (kgam iharke) sounds cut off. English tolerates 'of course' at the end; Armenian does not.
Table
| Word | Meaning | How sure | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| միգուցե | maybe | the least | միգուցե կգա |
| երևի | probably | medium, colloquial | երևի պահեստամաս է պետք |
| հավանաբար | presumably | medium, bookish | հավանաբար վաղը կլինի |
| իսկապես | truly | high | իսկապես լավ վարպետ է |
| իհարկե | of course | high | իհարկե կփոխենք |
| անպայման | definitely | a promise | անպայման կզանգեմ |
| ցավոք | unfortunately | a verdict | ցավոք, ուշացանք |
| բարեբախտաբար | fortunately | a verdict | բարեբախտաբար, երաշխիքով է |
By example
- Երևի լարերի հետ խնդիր կաyerevi lareri het khndir kaThere's probably a problem with the wires
- Ցավոք, էկրանը վերանորոգման ենթակա չէtsavok', ekranə veranorogman yent'aka cheUnfortunately the screen can't be repaired
- Անպայման կզանգենք, երբ պատրաստ լինիanpayman kzangenk', yerb patrast liniWe'll definitely call when it's ready
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 sure the speaker is: how does it work in Armenian?
In a repair shop and in an argument about taste, half the meaning hangs not on facts but on how sure the speaker is. 'Probably the board burned out', 'of course we'll replace it', 'they're unlikely to fix it'. English drops in a comment word; Armenian does too — and there are about a dozen of them.…
What does it look like in an example sentence Armenian?
“Երևի լարերի հետ խնդիր կա” (yerevi lareri het khndir ka) — There's probably a problem with the wires. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.