Ստիպուած էի, կարելի էր: must and can in yesterday and tomorrow
"I had to wait", "parking was not allowed". Modality almost always sits in yesterday or in tomorrow. The modal words themselves do not conjugate. The copula next to them is what moves. For example: “Ստիպուած էի ամբողջ գիշեր օդանաւակայանին մէջ սպասել” — I had to wait at the airport all night. A rule from the Western Armenian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
"I had to wait", "parking was not allowed". Modality almost always sits in yesterday or in tomorrow. The modal words themselves do not conjugate. The copula next to them is what moves.
Bedk e in all three times: bedk e yertam — I have to go; bedk ēr yert'ayi — I had to go. In the past not only does է (e) become էր (er), the verb also moves into the past.
Karenam conjugates like an ordinary verb: karenam — I can; karenayi — I could. Kareli e — one may — moves only the copula: kareli ēr — it was allowed. Chi kareli in the past: chēr kareli — it was not allowed.
Separately stands sdibuadz — forced, from sdipel — to force. Next to it lives partavor em — I am obliged: an obligation to somebody, the word of contracts. And a trap: "no need" and "not allowed" are different things, here too. Bedk che shdapel — nobody demands it. Chi kareli shdapel — you must not hurry, it is forbidden.
Table
| English | Now | Yesterday | Tomorrow |
|---|---|---|---|
| must | պէտք է երթամ | պէտք էր երթայի | պիտի պէտք ըլլայ երթամ |
| no need | պէտք չէ շտապիլ | պէտք չէր շտապիլ | պիտի պէտք չ'ըլլայ շտապիլ |
| can | կարենամ օգնել | կարենայի օգնել | պիտի կարենամ օգնել |
| one may | կարելի է | կարելի էր | պիտի կարելի ըլլայ |
| not allowed | չի կարելի | չէր կարելի | պիտի չ'ըլլայ կարելի |
| had to / will have to | ստիպուած եմ | ստիպուած էի | ստիպուած պիտի ըլլամ |
| am obliged | պարտաւոր եմ | պարտաւոր էի | պարտաւոր պիտի ըլլամ |
| worth | արժէ փորձել | արժէր փորձել | պիտի արժնա փորձել |
By example
- Ստիպուած էի ամբողջ գիշեր օդանաւակայանին մէջ սպասելsdibuadz ei ampoghch kisher otanavagayanin mech sbaselI had to wait at the airport all night
- Այնտեղ կայանել չէր կարելիayndegh gayanel cher gareliIt was not allowed to park there
- Վաղը պիտի պէտք ըլլայ ինքնաշարժը վերադարձնեմvaghə bidi bedk' əllay ink'nasharzhə veratartsnemTomorrow the car will have to be returned
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
must and can in yesterday and tomorrow: how does it work in Western Armenian?
"I had to wait", "parking was not allowed". Modality almost always sits in yesterday or in tomorrow. The modal words themselves do not conjugate. The copula next to them is what moves.
What does it look like in an example sentence Western Armenian?
“Ստիպուած էի ամբողջ գիշեր օդանաւակայանին մէջ սպասել” (sdibuadz ei ampoghch kisher otanavagayanin mech sbasel) — I had to wait at the airport all night. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.