Այս, այդ, այն: three "this" where you expect two
English splits the world in two: this — near, that — far. Here there are three, and not by distance: what decides is whose hands the thing is in. Ays — in mine. Ayd — in yours: ayd girkə. Ayn — in neither of ours: a third person's. For example: “Սա իմ հեռախօսն է, այդ մէկը՝ քոնը” — This is my phone, and that one is yours. A rule from the Western Armenian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
English splits the world in two: this — near, that — far. Here there are three, and not by distance: what decides is whose hands the thing is in. Ays — in mine. Ayd — in yours: ayd girkə. Ayn — in neither of ours: a third person's.
Each has two shapes. Before a noun — the ays- form: ays seghanə, ayd seghanə, ayn seghanə. The -ը after a demonstrative is obligatory. Standing alone is shorter: sa — this, in my hands; da — this, in yours; an — that one; also "he, she". Sa inch՞ e — what is this?
Places: aysdegh — here; ayddegh — there, by you; ayndegh — far away. Manner: aysbes — like this; aydbes — the way you said; aynbes — so, that way. Aydbes ch'em karts'er — "I don't think so" — a reply to your words; ays will not fit.
The main job of ayd is to point at what has already been said, not at an object in the room. Ayd masin khosenk' vaghə — let's talk about it tomorrow.
Table
| Where the thing is | Before a noun | Alone | Place | Manner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in my hands | այս գիրքը — this book | սա — this | այստեղ — here | այսպես — like this |
| in your hands | այդ գիրքը — this book of yours | դա — this | այդտեղ — there, by you | այդպես — that way |
| far away, a third person | այն գիրքը — that book | ան — that one, he | այնտեղ — over there | այնպես — so |
| about what was said | այդ մասին — about it | դա — that | — | այդպես — exactly so |
By example
- Սա իմ հեռախօսն է, այդ մէկը՝ քոնըsa im herrakhosn e, ayt megə k'onəThis is my phone, and that one is yours
- Այն տունը բլրի վրայ մեր տատիկինն էayn dunə plri vray mer dadiginn eThat house on the hill belongs to our grandmother
- Այդ մասին ես չգիտէիayt masin yes chkideiAbout that I did not know
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
three "this" where you expect two: how does it work in Western Armenian?
English splits the world in two: this — near, that — far. Here there are three, and not by distance: what decides is whose hands the thing is in. Ays — in mine. Ayd — in yours: ayd girkə. Ayn — in neither of ours: a third person's.
What does it look like in an example sentence Western Armenian?
“Սա իմ հեռախօսն է, այդ մէկը՝ քոնը” (sa im herrakhosn e, ayt megə k'onə) — This is my phone, and that one is yours. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.