English

A question without a particle: the ՞ mark

The mark is put not at the end of the phrase but directly over the stressed vowel of the word the question is about: Ջուր կա՞յ (chur gay) — "Is there water?" For example: “Դու՞ն ես” (yes) — Is it you? (you, of all people?) A rule from the Western Armenian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.

Updated September 1, 2026 · Lingofly

How it works

The mark is put not at the end of the phrase but directly over the stressed vowel of the word the question is about: Ջուր կա՞յ (chur gay) (chur gay) — "Is there water?".

The practical conclusion for speech: raise the intonation exactly on the word that carries ՞. Move the mark — and the question changes its meaning.

By example

  • Դու՞ն ես
    tun yes
    Is it you? (you, of all people?)
  • Դուն կ'երթա՞ս
    tun g'ert'as
    Are you going?
  • Ինչքա՞ն կ'արժէ
    inchk'an g'arzhe
    How much does it cost?

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

A question without a particle: how does it work in Western Armenian?

The mark is put not at the end of the phrase but directly over the stressed vowel of the word the question is about: Ջուր կա՞յ (chur gay) — "Is there water?"

What does it look like in a Western Armenian example sentence?

“Դու՞ն ես” (yes) (tun yes) — Is it you? (you, of all people?) A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.

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