LingoflyԻ՞նչ ըսիք and թէ ինչ ըսիք: the ՞ mark and a question inside a sentence
Asking again is the first thing you do in a foreign language. Two things here are unusual: the question mark does not stand at the end, and a question inside a sentence is introduced by the word թէ (t'e). For example: “Ներողութիւն, ի՞նչ ըսիք (neroghut'yun, inch əsik'), չլսեցի” (chlsetsi) — Excuse me, what did you say? I didn't catch it. A rule from the Western Armenian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Asking again is the first thing you do in a foreign language. Two things here are unusual: the question mark does not stand at the end, and a question inside a sentence is introduced by the word թէ (t'e).
The ՞ mark sits over the stressed vowel of the word being asked about: ի՞նչ ըսիք (inch əsik') — what did you say? Where the mark sits changes the meaning. «Դո՞ւն կ'երթաս» (g'ert'as) — is it YOU who is going, not him? «Դուն (tun) կ'երթա՞ս» — are you going? English does this with intonation; here it is written. There is no word for "whether": «Ճի՞շդ հասկցած եմ (jishd hasgtsadz em)» — have I understood correctly?
A question inside a sentence takes թէ (t'e), and the mark is dropped: թէ (t'e) այս (ays) բառը (parrə) ինչ (inch) կը (gə) նշանակէ (nshanage) (t'e ays parrə inch gə nshanage) — what this word means. In a choice the mark goes on both halves: գա՞նք (kank'), թէ (t'e)՞ երեկոյեան (yeregoyean) (t'e yeregoyean) — shall we come now or in the evening? A plain "or" with no question is «կամ (gam)».
Table
| What you need | How | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a direct question | the ՞ mark inside the word | Ի՞նչ ըսիք (inch əsik') |
| "whether" | only the ՞ mark | Ճի՞շդ հասկցած եմ (jishd hasgtsadz em) |
| to ask about another word | the mark moves | Դուն (tun) կ'երթա՞ս |
| an indirect question | թէ (t'e), the mark is dropped | չեմ գիտեր (chem kider), թէ (t'e) ինչ (inch) է |
| an indirect "where" | թէ (t'e) ուր (ur) | յիշեցի, թէ ուր հանդիպած էինք (hishetsi, t'e ur hantibadz eink') |
| a choice of two | the mark on both halves + թէ (t'e)՞ | Թաքսի (t'ak'si) կանչե՞մ, թէ (t'e)՞ ոտքով (vodk'ov) երթանք (yert'ank) |
| a plain "or" | կամ (gam), without the mark | թէյ կամ սուրճ (t'ey gam surj) |
| the end of a phrase | the mark "։", not a period | Չլսեցի (chlsetsi)։ |
By example
- neroghut'yun, inch əsik', chlsetsiExcuse me, what did you say? I didn't catch it
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
Where does the question mark go?
The ՞ mark sits over the stressed vowel of the word being asked about: ի՞նչ ըսիք (inch əsik') — what did you say? Where the mark sits changes the meaning. «Դո՞ւն կ'երթաս» (g'ert'as) — is it YOU who is going, not him? «Դուն (tun) կ'երթա՞ս» — are you going? English does this with intonation; here it is written. There is no word…
How to ask could you repeat that?
Asking again is the first thing you do in a foreign language. Two things here are unusual: the question mark does not stand at the end, and a question inside a sentence is introduced by the word թէ (t'e).
T e before indirect questions?
Asking again is the first thing you do in a foreign language. Two things here are unusual: the question mark does not stand at the end, and a question inside a sentence is introduced by the word թէ (t'e).
How to say i dont know what it means?
The ՞ mark sits over the stressed vowel of the word being asked about: ի՞նչ ըսիք (inch əsik') — what did you say? Where the mark sits changes the meaning. «Դո՞ւն կ'երթաս» (g'ert'as) — is it YOU who is going, not him? «Դուն (tun) կ'երթա՞ս» — are you going? English does this with intonation; here it is written. There is no word…
Or questions marking both options?
A question inside a sentence takes թէ (t'e), and the mark is dropped: թէ (t'e) այս (ays) բառը (parrə) ինչ (inch) կը (gə) նշանակէ (nshanage) — what this word means. In a choice the mark goes on both halves: գա՞նք, թէ (t'e)՞ երեկոյեան (yeregoyean) — shall we come now or in the evening? A plain "or" with no question is «կամ» (gam).
No question mark at the end of the sentence?
Asking again is the first thing you do in a foreign language. Two things here are unusual: the question mark does not stand at the end, and a question inside a sentence is introduced by the word թէ (t'e).
What does it look like in a Western Armenian example sentence?
“Ներողութիւն, ի՞նչ ըսիք (neroghut'yun, inch əsik'), չլսեցի” (chlsetsi) (neroghut'yun, inch əsik', chlsetsi) — Excuse me, what did you say? I didn't catch it. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.