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: Chur ka՞ — "Is there water?". For example: “Դու՞ն ես” — Is it you? (you, of all people?). A rule from the Western Armenian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
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: Chur ka՞ — "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 եսtun yesIs it you? (you, of all people?)
- Դուն երթա՞սtun yert'asAre you going?
- Ինչքա՞ն արժեinchk'an arzheHow 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: Chur ka՞ — "Is there water?".
What does it look like in an example sentence Western Armenian?
“Դու՞ն ես” (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.