Ի՞նչ ասացիք and թե ինչ ասացիք: the ՞ mark and the question inside a sentence
Asking again is the first thing anyone does in a foreign language, and here Armenian is unusual twice over: the question mark does not stand at the end, and a question inside a sentence is introduced by a special word. Both rules are short, but without them a sentence looks foreign. For example: “Ներողություն, ի՞նչ ասացիք, չլսեցի” — I'm sorry, what did you say — I didn't catch it. A rule from the Armenian course…
How it works
Asking again is the first thing anyone does in a foreign language, and here Armenian is unusual twice over: the question mark does not stand at the end, and a question inside a sentence is introduced by a special word. Both rules are short, but without them a sentence looks foreign.
The mark ՞ is placed inside the word. Not at the end of the sentence, as in English, but over the vowel of the stressed syllable of the word being asked about: Ի՞նչ ասացիք (inch asatsik'?) — what did you say, Ինչպե՞ս է գրվում (inchpes e grvum?) — how is it written, Այստեղից հեռո՞ւ է (aysteghits herru e?) — is it far from here? The full stop at the end of an Armenian sentence is :, and it stays where it is.
From this follows something English cannot do: the position of the mark changes the meaning. Դո՞ւ ես գնում — is it YOU who is going (not him)? Դու գնո՞ւմ ես — are you GOING (or staying)? Same words, same order, a different question. English does this with stress alone; Armenian writes it down.
There is no word for 'whether' — there is the mark. Ճի՞շտ եմ հասկացել (chisht em haskatsel?) — have I understood correctly; Կարելի՞ է հարցնել (kareli e hartsnel?) — may I ask; Ժամանակ ունե՞ք (zhamanak unek') — do you have time? Do not look for a word under English 'whether': its whole role is taken by ՞.
A question inside a sentence — with թե (t'e). When the question stops being a question and becomes part of the message, թե steps in front of the question word and the ՞ mark comes off: Չգիտեմ (chgitem), թե ինչ է նշանակում (t'e inch e nshanakum) — I don't know what it means; Հիշեցի (hishetsi), թե որտեղ ենք հանդիպել (t'e vortegh enk' handipel) — I remembered where we met; Ցույց տուր (tsuyts tur), թե ինչպես է արվում (t'e inchpes e arvum) — show me how it is done. Compare: Ի՞նչ է նշանակում (inch e nshanakum) — a direct question with the mark, թե ինչ է նշանակում — indirect, with թե and without the mark.
And թե in a choice: Տաքսի կանչե՞մ, թե՞ ոտքով գնանք (t'e votk'ov gnank') — shall we call a taxi, or shall we walk? Here the mark stands twice, on both halves: Armenian flags each option separately. The plain 'or' without a choice between questions is կամ (kam): թեյ կամ սուրճ (t'ey kam surch) — tea or coffee.
Table
| What you need | How | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a direct question | the ՞ mark inside the word | Ի՞նչ ասացիք |
| whether | only the ՞ mark | Ճի՞շտ եմ հասկացել |
| ask about another word | the mark moves | Դու գնո՞ւմ ես |
| an indirect question | թե, the mark comes off | չգիտեմ, թե ինչ է |
| an indirect where | թե որտեղ | հիշեցի, թե որտեղ ենք հանդիպել |
| a choice of two | the mark on both halves + թե՞ | Տաքսի կանչե՞մ, թե՞ ոտքով գնանք |
| a plain or | կամ, no mark | թեյ կամ սուրճ |
| the end of the sentence | the mark :, not a period | Չլսեցի: |
By example
- Ներողություն, ի՞նչ ասացիք, չլսեցիneroghut'yun, inch asatsik', chlsetsi?I'm sorry, what did you say — I didn't catch it
- Չգիտեմ, թե այս բառը ինչ է նշանակումchgitem, t'e ays barrə inch e nshanakumI don't know what this word means
- Հիմա գա՞նք, թե՞ երեկոյանhima gank', t'e yerekoyan?Shall we go now, or in the evening?
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
Armenian question mark ՞ inside the word?
Asking again is the first thing anyone does in a foreign language, and here Armenian is unusual twice over: the question mark does not stand at the end, and a question inside a sentence is introduced by a special word. Both rules are short, but without them a sentence looks foreign.
Why the Armenian question mark sits inside a word?
The mark ՞ is placed inside the word. Not at the end of the sentence, as in English, but over the vowel of the stressed syllable of the word being asked about: Ի՞նչ ասացիք — what did you say, Ինչպե՞ս է գրվում — how is it written, Այստեղից հեռո՞ւ է — is it far from here? The full stop at the end of…
What թե does before a question in Armenian?
From this follows something English cannot do: the position of the mark changes the meaning. Դո՞ւ ես գնում — is it YOU who is going (not him)? Դու գնո՞ւմ ես — are you GOING (or staying)? Same words, same order, a different question. English does this with stress alone; Armenian writes it down.
Ի՞նչ ասացիք vs թե ինչ ասացիք?
There is no word for 'whether' — there is the mark. Ճի՞շտ եմ հասկացել — have I understood correctly; Կարելի՞ է հարցնել — may I ask; Ժամանակ ունե՞ք — do you have time? Do not look for a word under English 'whether': its whole role is taken by ՞.
How to say whether in Armenian?
A question inside a sentence — with թե. When the question stops being a question and becomes part of the message, թե steps in front of the question word and the ՞ mark comes off: Չգիտեմ, թե ինչ է նշանակում — I don't know what it means; Հիշեցի, թե որտեղ ենք հանդիպել — I remembered where we met…
What does it look like in an example sentence Armenian?
“Ներողություն, ի՞նչ ասացիք, չլսեցի” (neroghut'yun, inch asatsik', chlsetsi?) — I'm sorry, what did you say — I didn't catch it. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.