People and family in Armenian
138 words Armenian words on the topic “people and family”: Ընկեր — friend, Ընտանիք — family, Մայրիկ — mom, Հայրիկ — dad. 138 words can be played from recordings.
138 words on the topic
- Ընկերənkerfriendstarts with the fleeting schwa ə. It also means 'comrade' and a girl's boyfriend; a girlfriend is ənkeruhi
- Ընտանիքəntanik'familyalso with the initial ə. A relative of əntani — 'tame, domestic' — said of animals
- Մայրիկmayrikmommayr — mother — plus the endearing -ik. Hayrik, tatik and papik are built the same way
- Հայրիկhayrikdadhayr — father — plus the same endearing -ik. The pair of mayrik
- Երեխաyerekhachildthe initial e gives a ye glide: ye-re-KHA. The plural is yerekhaner, with no surprises
- Վաճառողvacharroghsellerthe same vacharr- root as in the counter. The -ogh ending turns a verb into its doer: 'the selling one'
- Գնորդgnordbuyerfrom gnel — to buy. Do not mix with gnal — to go: one letter, and the meaning is another
- Հարևանharevanneighborthe neighbor on your landing and the neighboring country alike: harevan erkir
- Տան տերtan terlandlordtun in the genitive gives tan — 'of the house', ter — master. When renting, this is exactly what people say
- Թոշակառուt'oshakarruretireet'oshak — pension, arrnel — to take: 'one who takes a pension'
- Ղեկավարghekavarbossghek — the wheel: a boss is 'the one at the wheel'. In speech shef is said more often
- Գործընկերgortsənkercoworkergorts — work — plus ənker — friend, from unit four: 'a comrade in work'
- Մարդmardpersonthe plural breaks the rule: not marder but mardik. This word has to be learned on its own
- Տղամարդtghamardmantgha — boy, mard — person: two familiar words stuck together into a third
- Կինkinwomankin is both woman and wife; the possessive ending shows which: im kinə — my wife
- Պատանիpataniyoung manthe age between yerekha and yeritasard. Derrahas is the same years, but with a shade of 'difficult age'
- Օրիորդoriordyoung ladythe polite word for an unmarried woman — think 'miss': Oriord Ani. Everyday speech simply says ajchik
- Ծերունիtseruniold mansounds like tse-ru-NI; the first letter is a sharp ts, snappier than the ts of cats
- Անծանոթantsanot'strangeran- is the negation prefix, tsanot' — familiar. The same word works as an adjective: antsanot k'aghak — an unfamiliar city
- Ամբոխambokhcrowdambokh is an unruly crowd, with a shade of being packed. People gathered for a cause are bazmut'yun
- Մազերmazerhairthe singular maz is one strand; hair as a head of hair is spoken of in the plural: mazerd geghetsik en
- Բարձրահասակbardzrahasaktallbardzr — high — plus hasak — height; of a house people simply say bardzr, of a person this
- Ցածրահասակtsatsrahasakshort in staturethe partner of the previous one: ts'atsr — low — plus hasak — height
- Երիտասարդyeritasardyoungthe same word as a noun means 'a young man'
- Մորուքmoruk'beardto let a beard grow is moruk t'oghnel — literally 'leave the beard'
- Բեղերbeghermustachehere Armenian, on the contrary, agrees on the plural: begher
- Նիհարniharskinnyto lose weight is niharel; the word is neutral, nothing offensive in it
- Գերgeroverweightabout a person it sounds a bit blunt; the politer word is lik'ə — 'full'
- Սիրունsiruncutefrom ser — love: 'dear to look at'; for stronger beauty there is geghetsik
- Արտաքինartak'inlooksfrom art — the outer side; the same word means 'external': artak'in gortser — foreign affairs
- ԲարիbarikindThe bari of bari luys and bari or, good morning and good day — there it wishes well, here it describes a person
- Զվարթzvart'cheerfulThe same zvart' as in Zvartnots, the temple and Yerevan airport: 'place of the joyful ones'
- ԽելացիkhelatsismartFrom khelk', mind. A smartphone is khelatsi herrahos — a 'smart telephone'
- ՉարcharmeanA strong word: char is about evil, not a bad mood. For angry at the moment use barkatsats
- ՀանգիստhangistcalmThe same word means 'rest' and 'quiet': hangist yeghir is both 'calm down' and 'be quiet'
- Քաղաքավարիk'aghak'avaripoliteBuilt on k'aghak', city: 'city-like', courteous — politeness was a town virtue
- ԾույլtsuyllazyThe noun is tsulut'yun, laziness; tsulanum em means 'I am being lazy'
- ԽիզախkhizakhbraveTwo kh sounds frame the word: khi-zakh. A more colloquial synonym is hamardzak
- ԱզնիվaznivhonestThe noun is aznvut'yun, honesty; azniv khosk is 'an honest word', one you can trust
- Բնավորությունbnavorut'yuncharacterFrom bnut'yun, nature: your character is your human nature. A hard one is 'heavy', tsanr bnavorut'yun
- ԳանգուրgangurcurlyAbout hair: gangur mazer; the mazer you know is hair; straight hair is ughigh mazer
- ՃաղատchaghatbaldIt starts with ch, a plain ch without a puff, as in chash, dinner; don't mix with chagh, a bar of a railing
- Ալեհերalehergray-hairedAlik, a wave, plus maz/her, hair: 'wave-haired'; about the person they often say aleher tghamard, and about the hair itself chermakats mazer
- Հասակhasakheight (of a person)The same word means age: ays hasakum, at this age; both senses come from hasnel, to grow to; the tall and short words you know are built from it
- ՍլացիկslatsikslimFrom slanal, to dash, to fly: slim here is "flying"; a compliment, unlike the nihar you know, thin, which can sound alarming
- Միջին հասակիmijin hasakiof medium heightMijin, middle, plus hasaki, the genitive of hasak; careful: mijin tariqi with the same mijin already means middle-aged
- Առատաձեռնarratadzerrngenerousfour syllables, two rolling rr: ar-ra-ta-DZERRN
- Համբերատարhamberatarpatient (adjective)From hamberel, to endure; hamberir — hold on: the word you will hear in a queue and at the doctor more than any other
- ԱշխատասերashkhataserhardworkingThe ashkhatank you know, work, plus ser, love: a 'work-lover'; the -ser tail gathers a whole family: girk'aser, a book-lover, hyuraser, hospitable
- ՎստահելիvstahelireliableFrom vstahel, to trust: reliable is one you can trust; don't mix with vstah, sure — vstah is about yourself, vstaheli about another
- ՀամեստhamestmodestAbout a person and about things: hamest untrik, a modest dinner, hamest gumar, a modest sum; here it is praise, not reproach
- Շփվողshp'voghsociabletwo syllables, p' is a p with a puff: shp'-VOGH
- ՀոգատարhogatarcaringHog, care, plus tanel, to carry: "a care-carrier"; the same root is in hogal, to care for, and anhog, carefree
- ԼուրջlurjseriousAbout a person and a matter alike: lurj khndir, a serious problem; on its own Lurj means 'seriously?' — the commonest reply of surprise
- Դաստիարակվածdastiarakvatswell-manneredfive syllables, stress on the last: das-ti-a-rak-VATS
- Հումորի զգացումhumori zgatsumsense of humorZgatsum, a feeling, from zganel, to feel; the same measure measures measure and taste: chapi zgatsum, a sense of proportion
- ԱգահagahgreedyThe direct opposite of the generous one; there is also the colloquial zhlat, stingy: agah wants more, zhlat will not give up his own
- ՀամառhamarrstubbornIt ends in the rolling rr; not always a reproach: hamarr ashkhatank, persistent work — there it is praise
- ԿոպիտkopitrudeAbout a person and a thing: kopit gortsvatsk, coarse fabric, kopit skhal, a gross mistake; exactly the same spread as in English
- Լկտիlktiimpudenttwo syllables, three consonants at the start with no vowel: lk-TI
- ԽորամանկkhoramankcunningKhor, deep, plus mank from mankut'yun, childhood: 'deep childishness', that is, a trick; in fairy tales the fox is always khoramank aghves
- ՇատախոսshatakhoschattyShat, much, plus khosel, to speak: "much-speaking"; built exactly like the lecturer and the speaker
- Ցրվածtsrvatsabsent-mindedFrom tsrel, to scatter: about a person and a cloud alike — tsrvats amper; the attention meanwhile tsrvum e, it scatters
- Դյուրաբորբոքdyuraborbok'hot-temperedfive syllables, stress on the last: dyu-ra-bor-BOK'
- ԱնտարբերantarberindifferentAn-, not, plus tarber, different: to one for whom everything is the same, nothing 'differs'; the an- prefix negates a whole shelf of words: anhog, anamot, anshnorkh
- Սովորությունsovorut'yunhabitFrom the sovorel you know, to learn, to get used to; one word for a habit and a custom: azgayin sovorutyunner, folk customs
- ԸնկերուհիənkeruhigirlfriendThe -uhi tail makes a female name from a male one: usutsich gives usutschuhi, buzhl gives buzhuhi; it also turns a friend into a girl — by context
- Ծանոթtsanot'acquaintanceBoth a noun and an adjective: tsanot demk', a familiar face; to meet is tsanotanal, an acquaintance is tsanotut'yun
- ՏաղանդtaghandtalentAn international word that came from Greek through a unit of weight; talented is taghandavor, with the -avor tail, "having"
- Ծնվելtsnvelto be bornFrom tsnel, to give birth, with -v-: to be born oneself; the same root as in tsogh, a parent, and tsnund, birth, birthday
- Մանկությունmankut'yunchildhoodFrom manuk, a child, with the -ut'yun tail; the u drops in the root: manuk gives mank-; the yerekha you know is a child in general, a manuk a very small one
- Պատանեկությունpatanekut'yunadolescencesix syllables, stress on the last: pa-ta-ne-ku-T'UN
- Չափահաս կյանքchap'ahas kyank'adult lifeChap', a measure, plus hasnel, to grow to: 'one who has reached the measure', of age; a grown person is chapahas or metsahasak
- ՍերունդserundgenerationThe same root as in serm, a seed: what was sown and grew up; a young generation is yeritasard serund, from generation to generation serndeserund
- Հայրենի քաղաքhayreni k'aghak'hometownFrom hayr, father — the same root as in Hayrenik, the fatherland; the native language, meanwhile, is mayreni, from the mother: Armenian remembers who gave what
- Երկրում հինգ տարի ապրելyerkrum hing tari aprelto live in the country for five yearsEnglish adds a prefix to "live"; Armenian manages with one aprel: the span itself shows the life was measured out; yerkrum, in the country, with the locative -um
- ՀուշhushmemoryA short word; memory as a faculty is hishoghut'yun — the same word you saw in phone memory; a hush is one particular imprint of the past; memoirs are husher
- Հին լուսանկարhin lusankaran old photoLuys, light, plus nkar, a picture: 'light-writing', exactly like the Greek photography; hin is old about a thing; about a person they say tarets
- ՃակատագիրchakatagirfateThe chakat you know, a forehead, plus gir, writing: 'what is written on the forehead'; the picture is old and eastern, the word alive and common
- Նոր կյանք սկսելnor kyank' skselto start a new lifeKyank', life, ends in k' on a puff; sksel, to begin — hence also the sksnak, the beginner from the previous unit
- Ընտանիք կազմելəntanik' kazmelto start a familyA family is not 'started' here but 'composed': kazmel, to compose — the same verb composes a sentence and a list
- ՀարուստharustwealthyThe word reaches beyond money: հարուստ լեզու 'a rich language', հարուստ փորձ 'rich experience'. Wealth is հարստություն
- Աղքատaghk'atpoorՂ and ք in a row: a throaty g followed by an aspirated k — agh-KAT
- ՍենյակակիցsenyakakitsroommateFrom սենյակ 'room' plus -ակից 'sharing with you'. The suffix works differently in դասընկեր, but here it is exactly like մրցակից
- Մանկության ընկերmankut'yan ənkerchildhood friendFrom մանկություն 'childhood' in the genitive, մանկության. The phrase մանկուց, 'since childhood', grows from the same root
- ՀայտնիhaytnifamousFrom հայտնել 'to announce'. The phrase հայտնի է, որ, 'it is known that', is no longer about fame but about fact
- ՈւժեղuzheghpowerfulFrom ուժ 'strength'. The word fits a person, the wind and the tea alike: ուժեղ թեյ is strong tea
- ԽելամիտkhelamitsensibleFrom խելք 'mind' and միտք 'thought'. About a person people usually say խելացի, clever; խելամիտ suits a decision
- Բարությունbarut'yunkindnessFrom բարի 'kind', the very word of the greeting բարի լույս. A kind-hearted person is բարեսիրտ
- Ինքնատիրապետումink'natirapetumself-controlSeven syllables: ink-na-ti-ra-pe-tum, with the linking -ա- sewing ինքն and տիրապետել together
- Համբերությունhamberut'yunpatienceThe adjective համբերատար, patient, is already in the course. The wish համբերություն is said to someone who is having a hard time
- Եսասիրությունyesasirut'yunselfishnessFrom ես 'I' and սեր 'love': self-love. The same -սիրություն builds հայրենասիրություն, patriotism, and հետաքրքրասիրություն from this lesson
- Ծուլությունtsulut'yunlazinessFrom ծույլ 'lazy'; inside the word ույ turns into ու. To be lazy is ծուլանալ
- Համառությունhamarrut'yunstubbornnessFrom համառ 'stubborn'. The adverb համառորեն from unit fifty-three was rendered as persistently: Armenian praises and scolds with one root
- Հետաքրքրասիրությունhetak'rk'rasirut'yuncuriosityA tongue-twister of four r sounds: he-tak-krkra-si-ru-tyun. Practice it syllable by syllable
- Պարկեշտությունparkeshtut'yundecencyFrom պարկեշտ 'decent, modest'. Ազնվություն means honesty and speaks of truth, while պարկեշտություն speaks of conduct
- Հնարամտությունhnaramtut'yunresourcefulnessFrom հնար 'a means' and միտք 'thought': a thought about a way out. Հնարք, the trick, from unit fifty-four is the same root with a different mark
- Անհոգությունanhogut'yuncarelessnessFrom ան- 'without' and հոգ 'care': care-freeness. In Armenian the word is a shade softer and not always a reproach
- ՎճռականvchrrakandecisiveThree consonants at the start: վ-ճ-ռ. The ճ is a crisp ch, the ռ rolled
- ԱմաչկոտamachkotshyFrom ամաչել 'to be embarrassed' plus -կոտ, the suffix of inclination. The same -կոտ makes լացկոտ, crybaby-ish, and վախկոտ, cowardly
- ՆեղսիրտneghsirttouchyFrom նեղ 'narrow' and սիրտ 'heart': narrow-hearted. To take offense is նեղանալ, from the same նեղ
- ԶիջողzijoghaccommodatingA participle in -ող from զիջել 'to give way': the one who yields. Closer to yielding than to easygoing, and it is honest to say so
- ԲծախնդիրbtsakhndirmeticulousFrom բիծ 'a spot', the very one from unit fifty, and խնդիր 'a task': a seeker of little spots. The judgment is more often approving than the English word suggests
- Ինքնասերink'naserpridefulFrom ինքն 'self' and սեր 'love'. The same prefix ինքն- as in ինքնատիրապետում and ինքնամփոփ of this unit
- ԿարեկիցkarekitsresponsiveFrom կարիք 'need' and -ակից 'co-': feeling need along with you. The noun կարեկցանք means compassion
- Ինքնամփոփink'namp'op'withdrawnFrom ինքն 'self' and ամփոփել 'to gather into one': gathered into oneself. Not about gloominess but about closedness
- ՈւղղամիտughghamitstraightforwardFrom ուղիղ 'straight' and միտք 'thought': straight-thinking. Two ղ in a row, as in ուղղություն, direction
- ԱնկանխատեսելիankankhateseliunpredictableThe negation an- on կանխատեսելի, predictable, from unit fifty-eight. A long word, but it assembles from familiar parts
- Հնազանդվելhnazandvelto obeyFrom հնազանդ 'obedient'. The one obeyed takes the dative: ծնողներին հնազանդվել. Լսել will not do here: that one is about ears
- Պարծենալpartsenalto boastWhat you boast about takes the instrumental: նոր մեքենայով պարծենալ. The noun պարծանք is the thing one is proud of
- Բամբասելbambaselto gossipThe noun բամբասանք means gossip. About whom takes the genitive with մասին: նրա մասին բամբասել
- Ձևանալdzevanalto pretendFrom ձև, shape, from unit fifty, plus -անալ. The transitive ձևացնել already stands in the course as to make believe: the difference is exactly the suffix
- Զսպվելzspvelto hold backThree consonants at the start: զ-ս-պ, with a barely audible uh between them
- Կատակ անելkatak anelto play a jokeFrom կատակ 'a joke' and անել 'to do'. On whom takes the genitive with վրա: նրա վրա կատակ անել
- Սուտ ասելsut aselto fibLiterally 'to say a lie', from սուտ from unit fifty-four. Bare ստել already stands in the course as to lie — the phrase with ասել is more specific, about one time
- Գաղտնի լսելgaghtni lselto eavesdropFrom գաղտնի 'secretly' and լսել 'to listen'. There is no separate verb: լսել covers hear and listen, and the secrecy is added by the adverb
- Իրեն պարտադրելiren partadrelto impose oneselfLiterally 'to force oneself'. Պարտադրել means to coerce, from պարտք, a debt
- Խոսքը պահելkhosk'ə pahelto keep one's wordThe same picture as in English: խոսք is the word, պահել is to keep. To break one's word is խոսքը դրժել
- Արժանանալarzhananalto deserveFrom արժանի 'worthy'. What you deserve takes the dative: մրցանակին արժանանալ. The adjective անարժան means undeserving
- Կշտամբելkshtambelto reproachThe noun կշտամբանք means a reproach. The word is slightly bookish; in speech people say նախատել
- Գովաբանելgovabanelto commendFrom գովել plus -բանել, a strengthened form. Plain գովել already stands in the course as to praise, and in living speech Armenians usually take that one
- Պարսավելparsavelto frown uponTo censure an act. Դատապարտել already stands in the course as to condemn — it also means to sentence in court, while պարսավել is only about opinion
- Հույսը չարդարացնելhuysə chardaratsnelto let downLiterally 'to not justify the hope'. The English let down is not carried by motion: Armenian speaks of hope
- Դիտմամբditmambon purposeThe instrumental of դիտավորություն, intent. By accident is պատահաբար
- Հիմարությունիցhimarut'yunitsout of foolishnessThe ablative of հիմարություն, foolishness: the English out of is carried by the ending -ից, not by a preposition
- Բարի մտադրությամբbari mtadrut'yambwith the best of intentionsLiterally 'with a good intention'. Մտադրություն, an intention, is already in the course; the instrumental gives մտադրությամբ
- Դա տգեղ էda tgegh eit is not niceThe prefix տ- is negative here, and գեղ is beauty: un-beautiful. About looks and about conduct alike
- Նա չարությունից չէna charut'yunits chehe meant no harmՉարություն is malice, from չար 'evil'. The ablative -ից carries the English out of
- Վստահությունvstahut'yuntrustFrom վստահ 'sure'. The verb վստահել means to trust, and the person trusted takes the dative: ընկերոջս վստահում եմ
- ՆախանձnakhandzenvyNoun and adjective at once: նախանձ մարդ, an envious person. The verb նախանձել means to envy
- Խղճահարությունkhghchaharut'yunpityFour consonants at the start: խ-ղ-ճ, read kh-gh-ch with tiny vowels slipping in
- Ազդեցությունazdetsut'yuninfluenceFrom ազդել, to influence, already in the course as a verb. On whom takes վրա: նրա վրա ազդեցություն
- Հեղինակությունheghinakut'yunauthorityFrom հեղինակ, the author, already in the course: authority is literally authorship in the eyes of people. The adjective հեղինակավոր means authoritative
- Փոխադարձաբարp'okhadardzabarmutualFrom փոխադարձ 'mutual' plus -աբար, the adverb suffix. The answer to a compliment sounds exactly so: փոխադարձաբար
- Հավասար հիմունքներովhavasar himunk'nerovas equalsLiterally 'on equal foundations'. Հիմունք is a basis, from հիմք of unit fifty-four; the instrumental plural gives հիմունքներով
- Լեզու գտնելlezu gtnelto get alongLiterally 'to find a tongue' — the same idiom as finding a common language. With whom takes հետ: նրա հետ լեզու գտնել
- Հեռու մնալherru mnalto stay out of itLiterally 'to remain far'. What you stay out of takes the ablative: վեճից հեռու մնալ
- Մարդիկmardikpeoplethe plural of mard is irregular, through -ik. The usual -er plural does not work here
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.
- Ընկերս Գյումրիից էənkers Gyumriits eMy friend is from Gyumri
- Կիրակի օրը ամբողջ ընտանիքով ճաշում ենքkiraki orə ambogh əntanik'ov chashum enk'On Sunday we have lunch with the whole family
- Մայրիկը հաց է թխումmayrikə hats e t'khumMom is baking bread
- Հայրիկը մեքենա է վարումhayrikə mek'ena e varumDad is driving the car
- Երեխան արդեն քնած էyerekhan arden k'nats eThe child is already asleep
- Վաճառողը շատ բարի էvacharroghə shat bari eThe seller is very kind
What is worth knowing about these words
Ընկեր (ənker) — friend. starts with the fleeting schwa ə. It also means 'comrade' and a girl's boyfriend; a girlfriend is ənkeruhi
Ընտանիք (əntanik') — family. also with the initial ə. A relative of əntani — 'tame, domestic' — said of animals
Մայրիկ (mayrik) — mom. mayr — mother — plus the endearing -ik. Hayrik, tatik and papik are built the same way
Հայրիկ (hayrik) — dad. hayr — father — plus the same endearing -ik. The pair of mayrik
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 Ընկեր (ənker) — friend.
- What is this word?
It is Հարևան (harevan) — neighbor.
- What is this word?
It is Կին (kin) — woman.
- What is this word?
It is Բարձրահասակ (bardzrahasak) — tall.
- What is this word?
It is Սիրուն (sirun) — cute.
Now the other way around: recall the spelling from the meaning. That is harder, and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “friend” in Armenian?
starts with the fleeting schwa ə. It also means 'comrade' and a girl's boyfriend; a girlfriend is ənkeruhi
- How do you say “neighbor” in Armenian?
the neighbor on your landing and the neighboring country alike: harevan erkir
- How do you say “woman” in Armenian?
kin is both woman and wife; the possessive ending shows which: im kinə — my wife
- How do you say “tall” in Armenian?
bardzr — high — plus hasak — height; of a house people simply say bardzr, of a person this
- How do you say “cute” in Armenian?
from ser — love: 'dear to look at'; for stronger beauty there is geghetsik
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
Mum, friend, child, neighbour. The first thing people ask you about, and the first thing you tell about yourself.
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 “friend” in Armenian?
«Ընկեր», read “ənker”. starts with the fleeting schwa ə. It also means 'comrade' and a girl's boyfriend; a girlfriend is ənkeruhi. It is one of 138 words in the set “people and family” — the rest are in the table above.
How many family words do you need to start?
A dozen is enough. The set of 138 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, 138 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.