Բանկից, քեզնից, դրանից: the -ից case and everything it can do
The course has already glimpsed this ending — in comparisons ('շուկան խանութից էժան է') and in turns like 'բացի քեզնից', 'դրանից հետո'. The forty-first unit demands it constantly, and it is time to gather it all into one rule. The case is called the ablative, the ending is -ից, and it attaches to the genitive, not to the dictionary form. For example: “Այս սակագինը մյուսից էժան է” — This rate is cheaper than the…
How it works
The course has already glimpsed this ending — in comparisons ('շուկան խանութից էժան է (shukan khanut'its ezhan e)') and in turns like 'բացի քեզնից (batsi k'eznits)', 'դրանից հետո (dranits heto)'. The forty-first unit demands it constantly, and it is time to gather it all into one rule. The case is called the ablative, the ending is -ից, and it attaches to the genitive, not to the dictionary form.
How it is formed. An ordinary noun has a genitive in -ի (-i), and -ից simply takes its place: բանկ (bank) → բանկի (banki) → բանկից (bankits), տուն (tun) → տան (tan) → տանից (tanits), գործարան (gortsaran) → գործարանից. Words in -ություն do the same: պայմանագրություն → պայմանագրությունից. Pronouns are irregular and must be known by heart: ես (yes) → ինձնից (indznits), դու (du) → քեզնից (k'eznits), նա (na) → նրանից (nranits), մենք (menk') → մեզնից, դուք (duk') → ձեզնից, նրանք (nrank') → նրանցից (nrants'its'), and սա (sa), դա (da), այն (ayn) → սրանից, դրանից (dranits), այնտեղից (aynteghits).
First: from where. Գործարանից եկա — I came from the factory, պահեստից բերեցին — they brought it from the warehouse, Երևանից (Yerevanits) — from Yerevan. English splits this into several prepositions (from, out of, off); Armenian manages with one ending, and that is a simplification, not a complication.
Second: from whom you took and who refused. Հաճախորդից գումար վերցնել (hachakhordits gumar vertsnel) — take money from the client, մատակարարից գնել — buy from the supplier, նրանից խնդրել (nranits khndrel) — ask him (literally 'from him'). English also says 'from' here, so the instinct carries over intact.
Third: more or less than. Comparison always goes through -ից: Այս սակագինը մյուսից էժան է (ays sakaginə myusits ezhan e) — this rate is cheaper than the other one. The second thing — the one compared with — stands in the ablative, and ավելի (aveli) can be dropped: word for word, 'cheap of the other'.
Fourth: cause and material. Վախից չխոսեց — he did not speak out of fear, ցրտից դողում է — he shivers from the cold, փայտից պատրաստված — made of wood. And finally, giving up and depending: գործարքից հրաժարվել (gortsark'its hrazharvel) — back out of the deal, եղանակից կախված — depending on the weather, վախենալ պատժից — fear the punishment. All the English prepositions here — from, out of, of, than — Armenian packed into one ending, and learning it is cheaper than learning each preposition separately.
Table
| Job of the case | Example | In English |
|---|---|---|
| from where | գործարանից եկա | came from the factory |
| from whom | հաճախորդից վերցնել | take from the client |
| than (comparison) | մյուսից էժան | cheaper than the other |
| from (cause) | ցրտից դողալ | shiver from the cold |
| of (material) | փայտից պատրաստված | made of wood |
| give up what | գործարքից հրաժարվել | back out of the deal |
| depend on what | եղանակից կախված | depending on the weather |
| me, you, him | ինձնից, քեզնից, նրանից | from me, from you, from him |
By example
- Այս սակագինը մյուսից էժան էays sakaginə myusits ezhan eThis rate is cheaper than the other one
- Հաճախորդից կանխավճար վերցրինք, մնացածը՝ առաքումից հետոhachakhordits kankhavchar vertsrink', mnatsatsə — arrak'umits hetoWe took the deposit from the client, the rest after delivery
- Գործարքից հրաժարվեցին վախից, ոչ թե հաշվարկիցgortsark'its hrazharvetsin vakhits, voch t'e hashvarkitsThey backed out of the deal out of fear, not by calculation
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
Բանկից, քեզնից, դրանից: how does it work in Armenian?
The course has already glimpsed this ending — in comparisons ('շուկան խանութից էժան է') and in turns like 'բացի քեզնից', 'դրանից հետո'. The forty-first unit demands it constantly, and it is time to gather it all into one rule. The case is called the ablative, the ending is -ից, and it attaches to…
What does it look like in an example sentence Armenian?
“Այս սակագինը մյուսից էժան է” (ays sakaginə myusits ezhan e) — This rate is cheaper than the other one. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.