LingoflyՇատ, բաւական, չափազանց: exactly how much
Between "good" and "too good" lies a short, rigid scale. On the left քիչ (k'ich) — little. Then բաւական (pavagan) — quite: everything is fine, but without delight. Then շատ (shad) — very, and at the same time "many". What the word is attached to tells them apart: շատ լաւ (shad lav) — very good, շատ (shad) մարդ (mart) — many people. On the right չափազանց (chap'azants) — too; the verdict is already negative. For example: “Այս (ays) ֆիլմը (filmə) բաւական (pavagan) հետաքրքիր (hedak'rk'ir) է” — This film is quite…
How it works
Between "good" and "too good" lies a short, rigid scale. On the left քիչ (k'ich) — little. Then բաւական (pavagan) — quite: everything is fine, but without delight. Then շատ (shad) — very, and at the same time "many". What the word is attached to tells them apart: շատ լաւ (shad lav) — very good, շատ (shad) մարդ (mart) (shad mart) — many people. On the right չափազանց (chap'azants) — too; the verdict is already negative.
All of them stand before their word and change nothing in it: շատ (shad) հետաքրքիր (hedak'rk'ir) գիրք (kirk') (shad hedak'rk'ir kirk'). The comparative աւելի (aveli) behaves the same, and the superlative glues itself to the front: ամենալաւը (amenalavə) — the best.
Table
| Word | How much | Example |
|---|---|---|
| քիչ (k'ich) | little | քիչ (k'ich) կը (gə) քնանամ (k'nanam) — I sleep little |
| բաւական (pavagan) | quite, fairly | բաւական (pavagan) լաւ (lav) է — quite good |
| շատ (shad) | very; many | շատ (shad) հետաքրքիր (hedak'rk'ir) է — very interesting |
| աւելի (aveli) | more, -er | աւելի (aveli) կամաց (gamats) — quieter |
| ամենա- | the most | ամենալաւը (amenalavə) — the best |
| չափազանց (chap'azants) | too — already bad | չափազանց (chap'azants) թանկ (t'ang) է — too expensive |
By example
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
exactly how much: how does it work in Western Armenian?
Between "good" and "too good" lies a short, rigid scale. On the left քիչ (k'ich) — little. Then բաւական (pavagan) — quite: everything is fine, but without delight. Then շատ (shad) — very, and at the same time "many". What the word is attached to tells them apart: շատ լաւ (shad lav) — very good, շատ (shad) մարդ (mart) — many people. On the right…
What does it look like in a Western Armenian example sentence?
“Այս (ays) ֆիլմը (filmə) բաւական (pavagan) հետաքրքիր (hedak'rk'ir) է” (ays filmə pavagan hedak'rk'ir e) — This film is quite interesting. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.