Food and drink in Armenian
191 words Armenian words on the topic “food and drink”: Սուրճ — coffee, Թեյ — tea, Ջուր — water, Հաց — bread. 191 words can be played from recordings.
191 words on the topic
- Սուրճsurchcoffeedrinking is one verb for everything: surch khmel, t'ey khmel, jur khmel
- Թեյt'eyteawritten with t', a t on the exhale; with plain t it would be a different word
- Ջուրjurwaterhence jrvezh — waterfall: jur, water, plus vezhel — to pour down
- Հացhatsbreadhats also means food in general: hats utel — to have a meal
- ՊանիրpanircheeseP is a clean p with no puff, unlike the aspirated p'. Armenian tells the two p sounds apart, and the ear has to be trained to hear it
- Միսmismeatdo not confuse with misht — 'always': one letter apart. 'Meaty' is msayin — the vowel drops in the derivative too
- Ձուկdzukfishdz is a single fused dz sound, one motion, not d plus z. Hence dzknors — fisherman, with the u dropped
- Մրգերmrgerfruitthe plural of mirg — fruit: the vowel drops and -er is added. Shop signs print it plainly: mrger yev banjareghen
- Խնձորkhndzorapplethree consonants in a row, kh-n-dz: a little schwa sneaks between them — khənd-ZOR. Stress on the last syllable, as always
- Լոլիկloliktomatothe Eastern Armenian word. In the diaspora and Western Armenian you will more often hear pomitor — both are understood
- Աղցանaghtsansaladfrom agh — salt: literally 'the salted thing'. The same root in aghi — salty
- Ապուրapursoupstress on the last syllable: a-PUR. Broth needs no separate word — just msi apur, 'meat soup'
- Աղaghsalttwo sounds, yet a fertile root: aghtsan — salad, aghi — salty, aghander — dessert
- Քաղցրk'aghtsrsweetstarts with the aspirated k' — a k on the exhale. Hence k'aghtsravenik' — sweets
- Համեղhameghtastyham — taste, plus -egh — 'full of': literally 'full of taste'. Shnorhkegh, 'gracious', is built the same way
- Ուտելutelto eatdo not mix with ka — 'there is': a different job entirely
- Խմելkhmelto drinkkh is a deep, throaty sound, farther back than English h. One verb for water, tea and wine
- Թարմt'armfreshstarts with the aspirated t' — a t on the exhale. The word of the market: t'arm hats, t'arm dzuk
- Հասածhasatsripefrom hasnel — to reach, to ripen. A ripe fruit is literally 'arrived'
- Նախաճաշnakhachashbreakfastnakh — first, chash — food: 'the food before food'. To have breakfast is one word, nakhachashel
- Ճաշchashlunchthe first letter is a sharp, popped ch — harder than in church, softer than j
- Ընթրիքənt'rik'dinnerthe initial schwa is barely audible: it comes out ntr-EEK, with a puff of air at both ends
- Ծամելtsamelto chewstarts with the same sharp ts as tseruni; chewing gum is mastak, literally 'the thing one chews'
- Կուլ տալkul talto swallowtwo words: kul means nothing alone and lives only with tal — 'give'. In lively speech the same is said in one word, kllel
- Ախորժակakhorzhakappetiteat the table people wish bari akhorzhak — literally 'a good appetite'
- Կտորktorchunkfrom ktrel — to cut, the same place as ktron — receipt. Ktor is also a length of cloth
- Հոտhotsmellham — taste, hot — smell: two short words everyone mixes up. Hot e galis — 'it smells'
- ԿարագkaragbutterButter specifically; vegetable oil is dzet, and yugh is fat in general
- ԿարտոֆիլkartofilpotatoA borrowing; at the market you will also hear getnakhndzor, 'earth apple'
- ԱլյուրalyurflourThe word for flour; flour goods and baking are alyureghen
- ՄեղրmeghrhoneyThe bee is meghu — the same root. Mountain honey is lernayin meghr
- Ընկույզənkuyzwalnutsthe initial ը adds a short 'uh' before the word: enk-KEUZ
- ՍոխsokhonionGreen onion is kanach sokh; garlic is skhtor
- ԳազարgazarcarrotDon't mix with gaz, gas. Stress the last syllable: ga-ZAR
- Պղպեղpghpeghpeppertwo ղ, both a throaty gh: pgh-PEGH
- ԼոբիlobibeansLobov apour, bean soup, is a winter classic of the table
- Համեմունքhamemunk'spicesFrom ham, taste: spices are 'what gives taste'. Separately hamem is thyme
- Պատրաստելpatrastelto preparePreparing in the broad sense — food, lessons, documents. Ready is patrast
- Լվանալlvanalto washSame root as lvatsk', laundry from unit six; to wash dishes is spask' lvanal
- ԴանակdanakknifeScissors are mkrat, a separate word
- Եփելyep'elto boilTo boil in water; in speech the same verb covers cooking: inch es yepum — what are you cooking
- Տապակելtapakelto fryThe bookish word for a frying pan is tapak, and the verb comes from it; fried is tapakats
- Թխելt'khelto bakeAbout bread and pies; baked goods are tkhvatsk', and a cookie is tkhvatskablit
- Կտրելktrelto cutSame root as ktron, a receipt cut off the roll. To dice finely is manr ktrel
- Կաթսաkat'sapotThe same word names the home heating boiler
- Թավաt'avafrying panThe t' is an aspirated t; the bookish word is tapak, source of the verb tapakel
- ԳազօջախgazojakhstoveGaz is gas, ozhakh is a hearth — and ozhakh alone also means the family home
- Ափսեap'seplateStarts with the same ap' as palm and riverbank — an easy hook to remember; a deep one is khory ap'se
- Գավաթgavat'cupA cup with a handle and a trophy cup are one word; a coffee cup is sourji bazhak
- Բաժակbazhakdrinking glassA glass, a wineglass and a shot glass alike; bazhaks bardzratsum em, 'I raise my glass', opens any toast
- ԳդալgdalspoonA teaspoon is t'eyi gdal, a tablespoon is chashi gdal
- Պատառաքաղpatarrak'aghforkfive syllables with a doubled rr in the middle: pa-ta-rra-KAGH
- ՇիշshishbottleOne of the shortest words at the table; mi shish gini — a bottle of wine
- ԱնձեռոցիկandzerrotsiknapkinInside hides dzerk', hand: 'for the hands'. Paper and cloth share one word
- Թեյնիկt'eynikkettleFrom the familiar t'ey, tea; the electric kind is elektrakan t'eynik
- ՍկուտեղskuteghtrayAn old and pretty word; in cafes you may hear the borrowed podnos, but the own word is nicer
- Տաքtak'hotKnown from tak' jur, hot water; about food it is hot, about weather 'warm' — the heat is shog
- ՍառըsarrəcoldAbout objects and food; about the weather they say tsurt — tsurt e, it is cold outside
- Քաղցածk'aghtsatshungryDon't mix with k'aghtsr, sweet: one letter turns hunger into sugar
- ՀամhamtasteThe hamegh you know, tasty, comes from here; ham chuni means "it has no taste"
- ԱղիaghisaltyFrom agh, salt from unit four; oversalted is shat aghi e, very salty
- Թթուt't'usoura long aspirated t: t-tu
- ԴառըdarrəbitterAbout taste and about fate alike: darr chmarrut'yun, the bitter truth
- ԿծուktsusharpFrom ktsel, to bite: spicy food 'bites'. A sharp knife is sur
- ԿուշտkushtfullThe partner of k'aghtsats, hungry: kusht em, shnorhakalut'yun — I am full, thank you
- Համտեսելhamteselto tasteHam, taste, plus tesnel, to see: 'to see the taste'. For trying on clothes it is p'ordzel
- ՃաշացանկchashatsankmenuChash is food, tsank is a list; cafes will understand menyu too
- ՄատուցողmatutsoghwaiterFrom matutsel, to serve, with the same -ogh as in vacharogh, seller: "the one who serves"
- ՊատվերpatverorderAn order in a cafe, at a workshop, for goods — one word for all of them
- Պատվիրելpatvirelto orderThe verb from patver; inch enk patvirum — what are we ordering
- ՃաշատեսակchashatesakdishChash, food, plus tesak, kind: 'a kind of food'; the plate as tableware is ap'se
- ԲաժինbazhinportionFrom bazhanel, to divide: a portion, a share and a department at an office
- Սեղան երկու հոգու համարseghan yerku hogu hamartable for twoHogi is a soul, and people are counted as souls: yerku hogi — two people
- ԱղանդերaghanderdessertAn own word, not a borrowing; sweets in general are k'aghtsravenik'
- Առանց մսիarrants msiwithout meatArrants is 'without', known from arrants deghatonsi, without a prescription; after it the noun takes the genitive: mis becomes msi
- Տորթtort'cakeThe final t' is aspirated: tort'; a pastry is khmoreghen
- ՄակարոնmakaronpastaIn Armenian the word is singular, though English only has the plural: makaron yepel — to cook pasta
- ՅոգուրտyogurtyogurtThe store-bought kind in a cup; the homemade cultured one has its own word, matsun, and they are not the same — matsun is sourer and has no additives
- Սերուցքserutsk'creamFrom ser — the same skin on milk (and 'love' besides: the words coincide); sour cream is a separate word, t'vaser, sour ser
- Պաղպաղակpaghpaghakice creamfour syllables, gh is a soft throaty g: pagh-pa-GHAK
- ՇոկոլադshokoladchocolateAn international word; a bar is shokoladi salik, and the dark kind is darrə shokolad, with the darr you know
- Թխվածքաբլիթt'khvatsk'ablit'cookiefive syllables, two aspirated t's: t'khvats-k'a-BLIT'
- Տավարի միսtavari misbeefTavar, cattle, plus the mis you know, meat; the same build gives khozi mis, pork, and havi mis, chicken: the animal in the genitive plus mis
- Գառան միսgarran mislambGarr, a lamb, garran its genitive; the grown sheep is vochxar and its meat is sometimes vochxari mis, but on menus it is almost always garran mis
- Ծովախեցգետինtsovakhetsgetinshrimp (as food)six syllables, stress on the last: tso-va-khets-ge-TIN
- Խաղողkhaghoghgrapestwo syllables, both gh soft and throaty: kha-GHOGH
- ՎարունգvarungcucumberIn a salad it is cut together with the lolik you know, the tomato: varungi yev loliki aghtsan
- ԿաղամբkaghambcabbageSauerkraut is t'tu kaghamb, sour cabbage — t'tu is exactly 'sour'; stuffed cabbage rolls are tolma, made in a cabbage leaf
- Սխտորskhtorgarlictwo syllables, three consonants in a row at the start: skh-TOR
- ԴդումddumpumpkinTwo d's in a row at the start — not a typo; in autumn ddumov p'lav, pilaf with pumpkin, is cooked from it
- ՍմբուկsmbukeggplantThe main vegetable of the Armenian summer: ajap'andal, a vegetable stew, is made of it; the colloquial badrijan also exists
- ԿիտրոնkitronlemonA slice is kitroni ktor; kitronov t'ey, tea with lemon — what you season with takes -ov
- ՁմերուկdzmerukwatermelonIt starts with dz, one blended dz sound; the melon is the neighbor word sekh, and at the market they are always sold side by side
- ԵլակyelakstrawberryThe initial ե reads ye: yelak; raspberry is the neighbor word aznvamori, and strawberry jam is yelaki muraba
- ՏանձtandzpearIt ends in dz; beside the khndzor you know, the apple — the two main fruits of the Armenian garden
- Դեղձdeghdzpeachone syllable, the throaty gh slides into dz: degh-DZ
- Բաղադրատոմսbaghadratomsrecipefour syllables, stress on the last: ba-gha-dra-TOMS
- Բանջարեղենը մաքրելbanjareghenə mak'relto peel the vegetablesBanjareghen is vegetables as a collective — one word for the whole basket — plus makrel, to clean, from makur, clean; potatoes are keghevel, the peel is taken off
- Եռացնելyerratsnelto bring to a boilFrom yerral, to boil by itself; -atsnel aims the action: the water yerrum e, and they yerratsnum en it; the yepel you know is cooking in boiling water
- Խառնելkharrnelto mixBoth to mix in a pot and to confuse: anunnerə kharrnetsi, I mixed up the names; a mixture is kharrnurd
- Աղելaghelto add saltFrom the agh you know, salt; in living speech people say it in two words, agh dnel, to put in salt; to oversalt is shat aghel
- Տաքացնելtak'atsnelto reheatFrom t'ak, hot; its partner is t'akanal, to get hot by oneself: food t'akanum e in the microwave, and they t'akatsnum en it
- Հովացնելhovatsnelto coolFrom hov, coolness, cool; don't mix with sarretsnel, to freeze: hovatsnel brings it to room temperature, sarretsnel sends it to the freezer
- Ձու հարելdzu harelto beat the eggsDzu, an egg, plus harel, to whip; the same verb whips cream: serutsk harel; a whisk is harich, and a mixer is elektrakan harich
- Ջուր ավելացնելjur avelatsnelto add waterAvelatsnel, to add, from aveli, more — the very word of comparison; here with no article: water in general, not that particular one
- Գրիլի վրա տապակելgrili vra tapakelto grillThe tapakel you know, to fry, plus vrra, on — a postposition, standing after the word; kebabs over coals are called otherwise, khorovel
- Պիտանելիության ժամկետpitaneliut'yan zhamketexpiration dateeight syllables over two words, stress at the end of each: pi-ta-ne-li-u-T'YAN zham-KET
- Փչացել էp'chatsel eit has gone offFrom p'chanal, to spoil; a wide word: food, weather, mood and machines all p'chatsel — herrasons p'chatsel e, the phone broke
- ԲանկաbankajarA colloquial word that came through the neighboring language and is understood by everyone in a shop; the bookish label word is apake tara, a glass container; no link to the bank, bank
- ՀավելումhavelumsecondsFrom havelel, to add — the same root as in the phone app; in a canteen people ask simpler: mi k'ich el avelatsrek', add a little more
- Տանելու համարtanelu hamartakeawayLiterally 'for carrying': tanel, to carry; at a cafe they ask aystegh, te tanelu hamar — here or to go
- Առանց շաքարիarrants shak'ariwithout sugarArrants, without, and the word after it takes -i: arrants aghi, arrants k'athi; sugar here is shak'ar, not the k'aghtsr you know, sweet
- Ես բուսակեր եմyes busaker emI am vegetarianBuyts, a plant, utel, to eat: 'a plant-eater'; a vegan is vegan; during the fast Armenians say p'ahk'i em, and cafe menus are then marked p'ahkayin
- Բարի ախորժակbari akhorzhakbon appetitThe bari you know, good, plus akhorzhak, appetite: "good appetite"; the reply is shnorhakalut'yun or miasin, together
- Յուղոտ ուտելիքyughot utelik'fatty foodFrom յուղ 'oil and fat'; յուղոտ is fatty. About a person you do not say this: there the word is գեր, overweight
- ԿոնֆետkonfetcandySweets in general are քաղցրավենիք, from քաղցր 'sweet'. Chocolate is շոկոլադ, and it means the bar too
- Ազգային ուտեստazgayin utestnational dishFrom ազգ 'a people, a nation'; ուտել is to eat and ուտեստ is a dish, a bookish one. Menus more often say ճաշատեսակ
- Փողոցային ուտելիքp'oghotsayin utelik'street foodFrom փողոց 'street'. Do not confuse with փող 'money': the words only look alike
- Խոզի միսkhozi misporkkhoz — pig, which the course knows; Armenian names the meat by the animal in the genitive, and there is no separate word
- Հավի միսhavi mischicken (meat)hav — the chicken in the yard; on the counter it becomes havi mis, and the broth from it is havi arganak
- Բադի միսbadi misduck (meat)assembled like khozi mis: bad — the duck on the pond, badi mis — the same bird on the menu
- Աղացած միսaghatsats misground meatfrom aghal — to grind: literally 'ground meat'; in the shop you will also hear the borrowed farsh
- Խոզապուխտkhozapukhthamkhoz — pig, plus apukht — cured meat; basturma is built with the same apukht
- Երշիկyershiksausageone word covers sausage and hot dog; in the shop they may ask with the borrowed sosiska
- Թունաձուկt'unadzuktunadzuk — fish, which the course knows; in the compound it stands as the second root and keeps its vowel
- Սաղմոնsaghmonsalmonan international word living by Armenian rules: stress on the last syllable, and the gh is a throaty scrape
- Կրևետկաkrevetkaa shrimpyou know the bookish tsovakhechgetin — 'sea crayfish' — for shrimps as a crowd; one by one, on menus and price tags, the borrowed krevetka rules
- Ծովամթերքtsovamt'erk'seafoodtsov — sea, plus mt'erk' — produce; the word names a whole class of things, not one thing, which is why it comes later
- Սալորsalorplumthe dried plum has its own name, salorachir: Armenian tells fresh from dried by name, not by an adjective
- Ազնվամորիaznvamoriraspberrymori is the berry of this kind, azniv — noble: the noble berry; the vowel drops in the compound
- Սեխsekhmelona short native word; the watermelon next to it is dzmeruk, and confusing them at the market costs you
- Նուռnurrpomegranatethe symbol of Armenia: it turns up in food and in ornaments alike. In the genitive the vowel shifts: nran hjut is pomegranate juice
- Արքայախնձորark'ayakhndzorpineappleliterally 'kingly apple': ark'a plus khndzor, which the course knows; in speech it is cut down to ananas
- Մանդարինmandarintangerinea borrowing, but it declines like a native: mandarini keghew — tangerine peel
- Կիվիkivikiwiafter a number the noun stays singular: yerku kivi — two kiwi. The bird of the same name is not in the course
- Ավոկադոavokadoavocadothe word takes case through an inserted y: avokadoyov — with avocado
- Չամիչchamichraisindried grapes have their own name; nobody says choratsrats khaghogh
- Թուզt'uzfigan aspirated t' at the start; the dried fig keeps the same word with an adjective — chor t'uz
- Տաքդեղtak'deghbell pepperyou know pghpegh — the pepper from the mill; the garden vegetable is tak'degh, from tak' — hot
- Դդմիկddmikzucchiniddum — pumpkin; ddmik is its little relative, the -ik tail shrinking it
- Ճակնդեղchakndeghbeetthe initial ch is the same ch as in chash — lunch; in the genitive, chakndeghi
- Բողկboghkradishone word covers the small radish and the big black radish; three consonants meet at the end with no vowel between them
- Կանաչիkanachigreensfrom kanach — green, which the course knows; on the table kanachi is herbs to eat, not the color
- Սամիթsamit'dillan aspirated t' at the end; in the genitive, samiti, and the t does not soften
- Մաղադանոսmaghadanosparsleya Greek word; the gh here is a throaty roll, not an English g
- Կոճապղպեղkochapghpeghgingerkoch — root tuber, plus pghpegh — pepper, which the course knows: the pepper root
- Եգիպտացորենyegiptatsorencornliterally 'Egyptian wheat': tsoren — wheat; the boiled cob from the street cart carries the same long word
- Սպանախspanakhspinachit only shares its opening with spanel — to kill; the roots are different
- Բուլկիbulkibread rollyou know hats as bread in general; the soft round roll goes by the borrowed bulki
- Կարկանդակkarkandakpiea long native word; in the genitive, karkandaki, every vowel in place
- Տորթիկtort'ikpastrytort — cake, which the course knows; the single-serving piece is the diminutive tortik, and in the sweet shop you will hear pirozhni too
- Պոնչիկponchikdonutin Yerevan a ponchik always comes with custard inside, and whole shops exist just for it
- Խմորեղենkhmoreghenbaked goodskhmor — dough, plus the collective tail -eghen, as in katneghen — dairy; the word names a class of things, so it comes later
- Ջեմjemjammuraba is preserve with whole fruit; jem is the smooth spread for bread
- Օշարակosharaksyrupthe same word for a medicinal syrup at the pharmacy; in the coffee shop you will hear sirop too
- Ադիբուդիadibudipopcorna native, childlike word; the cinema sign will say popkorn
- Չիպսchipschipsthe word does not change for number: mi toprak chips — a bag of chips
- Մաստակmastakchewing guma native word, from mastic resin; kids say the borrowed zhvachka
- Լիմոնադlimonadlemonadeyou know kitron — lemon, but the drink goes by the European name, limonad
- Հանքային ջուրhank'ayin jurmineral waterhank' — mine, hence hank'ayin; in Armenia people more often ask for such water by the name of the spring
- Գազավորված ջուրgazavorvats jursparkling waterfrom gaz; water without gas is arrants gazi — genitive after arrants
- Կոկտեյլkokteylcocktailan English word written by ear; the milky one is kat'nayin kokteyl
- Կակաոkakaococoatwo vowels in a row betray the borrowing; a y appears before endings — kakaoyov
- Լուծվող սուրճlutsvogh surchinstant coffeeyou know surch; lutsvogh is a participle of lutsvvel — to dissolve, and it never changes
- Թեյի ծրարt'eyi tsrartea bagyou know tsrar as 'envelope' — a tea bag is called by the same word; t'ey stands before it in the genitive
- Եռման ջուրyerrman jurboiling wateryou know yerratsnel — to boil; tak' jur is just hot water, and boiling water is yerrman
- Ալկոհոլalkoholalcoholthe umbrella word for everything strong; vodka inside it is a separate oghi
- Ըմպելիքympelik'beveragethe initial ə is fleeting, barely audible in speech; ympel is the bookish 'to drink', while everyday speech says khmichk'
- Հյութhyut'juicefresh-squeezed is t'arm k'amats hyut'; the same word names the juice inside a fruit
- ՌեստորանrrestoranrestaurantThe course knows srcharan, the café, and chasharan, the canteen. A restaurant is a step above them: a tablecloth, a menu and a proper bill
- Թոնիրt'onirtonirA cousin of the tandoor — one word that spread across the region and stayed put
- Մատնաքաշmatnak'ashmatnakashThe furrows are not decoration: they keep the loaf from puffing into one big bubble
- Ժենգյալով հացzhengyalov hatszhengyalov hatsThe filling goes in raw: the greens finish cooking in the pan
- ԽորովածkhorovatskhorovatsThe verb is horovel, to roast over fire; khorovats is its participle, 'roasted'
- ԴոլմաdolmadolmaThe name comes from a Turkic root for filling; the dish is shared by the whole region, the recipe is not
- ՀարիսաharisaharisaYou stir it in shifts, taking turns: stopping is not allowed, or it burns
- Ղափամաghap'amaghapamaThe lid is cut off the top and set back on — the pumpkin itself serves as the pot
- ԲաստուրմաbasturmabasturmaChaman is both the spice and the coating; without it this is just dried meat
- Գաթաgat'agataKhoriz is that very filling; without it you get a plain cookie
- ՍուջուխsujukhsujukhThe same sweet as churchkhela next door; the word is Turkic for sausage
- Թանt'antando not confuse with matsun: tan is thin and salted, matsun thick and plain
- Մածունmatsunmatsunthe Georgian matsoni is the same word and the same product
- ԼոռիlorriLori cheesethe region of Lori and the cheese wear one name — think Roquefort or Parmesan
- Քյուֆթաk'yuft'akuftaEjmiatsin kufta is pounded on a stone slab — the sound carries across the whole yard
- Կարասkaraskarasthe neck was stoppered and sealed with clay — wine stood in it for years
- Փախլավաp'akhlavapakhlavathe Armenian kind differs by cinnamon in the filling and a less sweet syrup
- Լավաշlavashlavashelsewhere lavash has come to mean any thin bread; here it is precisely the bread from the tonir
- ԿրուասանkruasancroissantA borrowing spelled exactly as it sounds: k-r-u-a-s-a-n. The general word for sweet pastry is khmoreghen; the croissant is picked out of it by this very word
- Կաթkat'milkThe course knows it inside kat'ov — 'with milk'; the same word, minus the 'with' tail -ov
- Շաքարshak'arsugarThe root has appeared twice already: shak'araman, the sugar bowl — the tail -aman means 'a container' — and arants shak'ari, 'without sugar'
- ԿապուչինոkapuchinocappuccinoDoes not decline: only the article at the very end changes — kapuchino em uzum, kapuchinon tak e
How it sounds in a sentence
A word list is a blank. Conversation is made of sentences, and these are the ones the words fit into most often.
- Մեկ սուրճ, խնդրեմmek surch, khndremOne coffee, please
- Կաթով թեյ եմ խմումkat'ov t'ey em khmumI drink tea with milk
- Ջուր կա՞jur ka?Is there water?
- Առավոտյան թարմ հաց առաarravotyan t'arm hats arraIn the morning I bought fresh bread
- Առավոտյան հաց ու պանիր եմ ուտումarravotyan hats u panir em utumIn the morning I eat bread with cheese
- Միս չեմ ուտում, միայն ձուկmis chem utum, miayn dzukI don't eat meat, only fish
What is worth knowing about these words
Սուրճ (surch) — coffee. drinking is one verb for everything: surch khmel, t'ey khmel, jur khmel
Թեյ (t'ey) — tea. written with t', a t on the exhale; with plain t it would be a different word
Ջուր (jur) — water. hence jrvezh — waterfall: jur, water, plus vezhel — to pour down
Հաց (hats) — bread. hats also means food in general: hats utel — to have a meal
Test yourself
First by ear — the way you will meet the word in conversation. Click the speaker and pick the translation.
- What is this word?
It is Սուրճ (surch) — coffee.
- What is this word?
It is Մրգեր (mrger) — fruit.
- What is this word?
It is Համեղ (hamegh) — tasty.
- What is this word?
It is Ընթրիք (ənt'rik') — dinner.
- What is this word?
It is Կարտոֆիլ (kartofil) — potato.
Now the other way around: recall the spelling from the meaning. That is harder, and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “coffee” in Armenian?
drinking is one verb for everything: surch khmel, t'ey khmel, jur khmel
- How do you say “fruit” in Armenian?
the plural of mirg — fruit: the vowel drops and -er is added. Shop signs print it plainly: mrger yev banjareghen
- How do you say “tasty” in Armenian?
ham — taste, plus -egh — 'full of': literally 'full of taste'. Shnorhkegh, 'gracious', is built the same way
- How do you say “dinner” in Armenian?
you have seen it inside əntrik patrastel — to cook dinner
- How do you say “potato” in Armenian?
A borrowing; at the market you will also hear getnakhndzor, 'earth apple'
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
A menu, a market, a shop sign, the question “what is this?”. Food is the most frequent subject of the first weeks and the safest excuse to start talking.
A list is read in a minute and forgotten in a day. What works: hide the translation, try to recall, get it wrong — and come back to the same words tomorrow.
- Recalling beats re-reading. Covering the translation and trying to remember it does more than reading it ten more times.checked many timesAdesope, Trevisan & Sundararajan, 2017, Review of Educational Research 87(3) · 188 experiments, 272 comparisons. g = 0.61; against plain re-reading 0.51, against passive review 0.93.
- This holds not only in experiments but in ordinary classrooms, with real students.checked many timesMawson & Kang, 2025, Behavioral Sciences 15(6):771 · 22 studies, d = 0.54 (confidence interval 0.31–0.77). The authors warn that individual studies disagree widely.
Frequently asked
How do you say “coffee” in Armenian?
«Սուրճ», read “surch”. drinking is one verb for everything: surch khmel, t'ey khmel, jur khmel. It is one of 191 words in the set “food and drink” — the rest are in the table above.
How many food words do you need to start?
A dozen is enough. The set of 191 words on this page covers nearly every everyday case on the topic — but it is best taken a few at a time, not all at once.
Is there audio?
Yes, 191 words on this page can be played — click the speaker next to the word. The sound works on any phone, and nothing needs to be installed.