The city and its places in Western Armenian
96 words Western Armenian words on the topic “the city and its places”: Ո՞ւր է — where is it?, Քաղաք — city, Փողոց — street, Այստեղ — here.
96 words on the topic
- Ո՞ւր էur ewhere is it?The Western 'where' is
ուր; the Eastern standard writesորտեղfor the same job. A word-initial ո usually sounds 'vo', but inուրit is a plain 'oo': OOR-eh - Քաղաքk'aghak'cityBoth ք are k with a puff of air and ղ is the throaty gh: k'-agh-AK'. Say it and the whole word lives at the back of the throat
- Փողոցp'oghotsstreetStarts with փ, a p with a breath, and ends on ts like 'cats': p'-ogh-TSS. The full word sits on every street sign
- ԱյստեղaysdeghhereBuilt like its twin 'there':
այս-(this) +-տեղ(place) — 'this place'. Spot the pattern and you get both words for the price of one - Այնտեղayndeghthere
այն-(that) +-տեղ(place): 'that place'. The partner ofայստեղ, here — swap the first vowel and you travel across the room - ՄետրոmedrosubwayA borrowed international word: say MED-ro and any passer-by will point you the way. The final ո is a plain 'o', not 'oo'
- ԱջachleftThe course's main trap: in Western Armenian
աջmeans LEFT, while the Eastern standard uses the same word for right. The Western 'right' isձախ. The ջ sounds like ch as in 'church': 'ach' - ՁախtsakhrightThe other half of the trap: Western
ձախmeans RIGHT where the Eastern standard means left. The ձ sounds like ts as in 'cats': TSAKH - Ուղիղughighstraight aheadBoth 'straight ahead' about a road and 'exactly, precisely' in general — the key word of every street direction you will be given
- ՄօտmodnearClassical spelling writes օ:
մօտ; the Eastern reformed spelling drops it:մոտ. The partner ofհեռու, far. Pronounce the t: 'mote' - ՀեռուherrufarTwo h's and a rolled ռ: her-RU. Ask
հեռո՞ւ է— is it far? — and the answer often comes back as a number of minutes - Խանութkhanut'storeThe ending -ութ turns a verb into the place where it happens:
խան-(to trade) +-ութ— the trading place. A pattern worth spotting - Դեղատունteghadunpharmacy
դեղ(medicine) +տուն(house): the medicine house. English builds 'drugstore' the same way - Մթերային խանութmt'erayin khanut'grocery store
մթերքis 'groceries', andխանութyou know from the base course: store. The adjective only says which store - Հերթhert'queueBoth the queue at the till and one's 'turn':
իմ հերթն է— it's my turn. The same root returns inհերթագրում, booking an appointment, in the health unit - ԲացpatsopenAlso 'light' as a color:
բաց կապոյտ— light blue. Its oppositeփակ, closed, is one letter shorter — the pair every shop door shows - Փակp'agclosedThe փ is a p on a breath. The partner of
բաց, open — and the pair is painted on doors exactly as you learned it: ԲԱՑ and ՓԱԿ - Հիւանդանոցhyuantanotshospital
հիւանդis 'sick', and the suffix -անոց builds 'a place for': the place for the sick. 'I am sick' isհիւանդ եմ— same root - Փոստp'osdmailThrough the breathy փ: p'-ost. Covers the post office and email alike
- ԱմբոխampokhcrowdA crowd with a squeeze to it — unmanaged, packed. People gathered for a purpose get the calmer
բազմութիւն - Լուսացոյցlusatsoytstraffic light
լոյս, light, plusցոյց, a showing: the light-shower. Same first half asլուսանկար, the photograph - Հեծանիւhedzanyubicycle
հեծնելis to ride astride,անիւis a wheel: the wheel you ride. There is no 'bi-' in it — the two wheels are implied - Աւտոբուսի կանգառavdopusi gankarrbus stopfrom
կանգնել, to stand: a stop is a standing place. The bus stands in the of-what form —աւտոբուսի— answering 'of what?' - Ուղեւորատոմսughevoradomstravel pass
ուղեւորis a passenger — fromուղի, the way — plus theտոմսyou know from tickets: a passenger's ticket - Երթուղիyert'ughiroute
երթis a run, a going,ուղիa way. The minibus in Yerevan is calledերթուղայինafter it — thoughմարշրուտկաwins in speech - Հետիոտնային անցումhediodnayin antsumcrosswalk
հետիոտնis a pedestrian — literally a walker — andանցումis a crossing, fromանցնել, to pass through - Խցանումkhtsanumtraffic jam
խուցis a narrow stall,խցանis a bottle cork: a jam on the road and a cork in the bottle are the same word - Կայանատեղիgayanadeghiparking lot
կայանելis to set a vehicle down,տեղis a place. On the signs you will find just the letter P - Բենզալցակայանpenzaltsagayangas stationsix syllables, stress on the last: ben-zal-tsa-ka-YAN
- Զբօսայգիzposaykipark
զբօսնելis to stroll,այգիis a garden: a park is a strolling garden. A plainայգիis the garden by the house - Գրադարանkrataranlibrary
գիրis writing, -արան is a place: a place of writings. The same -արան as inսրճարան, the café you know - Թանգարանt'ankaranmuseumfrom
թանկ, precious: the museum is the place of precious things. Yerevan's Matenadaran is an -արան too — the place of manuscripts - Թատրոնt'adrontheatera Greek word that traveled by the same road as English 'theater'. A play is
ներկայացում— literally a presenting - Կինոթատրոնginot'adroncinemakino + theater in one word. In conversation the short
կինոյdoes the job:կինոյ երթանք— let's go to the movies - Եկեղեցիyegeghetsichurchthe opening Ե reads 'ye': ye-ke-ghe-TSEE
- Մարզադաշտmarzatashdstadium
մարզելis to train,դաշտis a field: a training field. The sameմարզ-will return in the athlete and the training - ԽաչմերուկkhachmerugintersectionFrom
խաչ, a cross: the place where streets cross. The same root inխաչքար, a khachkar — the carved cross-stone - Մայթmayt'sidewalkA short word ending on a breathy թ. The roadway next to it is
երթեւեկելի մաս. You walk down it withմայթով, by the sidewalk - ՊողոտաboghodaavenueThree syllables, the opening պ without a puff: bo-gho-TA
- Նրբանցքnrpantsk'laneTwo syllables, consonant clusters at both ends with almost no vowel: nr-BANTSK'
- Առափնյա փողոցarrap'nya p'oghotswaterfront streetArmenian has no single word for the embankment:
ափis a shore,առափնյաriverside, and then the familiarփողոց, street. Yerevan has no river under the window — you need this in Batumi or Odesa - ԿամուրջgamurchbridgeThree syllables ending on ջ, a j as in 'jam'. The Victory Bridge in Yerevan is
Հաղթանակի կամուրջ. A little footbridge isկամրջակ— the same -ակ as inլճակ - Թունելt'uneltunnelA borrowing, but the opening թ stays breathy — not 'tunel' but t'unel. An underground crossing for people is a different thing:
ստորգետնյա անցում - ԼապտերlabderstreetlightFor the street kind and the pocket kind alike:
փողոցի լապտերandգրպանի լապտեր. The flashlight in your phone is aլապտերtoo - ՆստարանnsdaranbenchFrom
նստել, to sit, with the place-suffix -արան: the same tail as inզուգարան, a toilet. A bench is literally 'a sitting place' - Աղբարկղaghpargghpublic trash canTwo syllables, three consonants stacked at the end: agh-BARKGH
- Ավտոբուսի վարորդavdopusi varortbus driver
վարորդcomes fromվարել, to drive, with the doer-tail -որդ: a singer sings, aվարորդdrives. The order is the reverse of English: first whose, then who - Վերջին կանգառverchin gankarrlast stop
վէրջին, last, from the familiarվէրջ, an end, plusկանգառ, a stop. There is alsoվերջնակետ, the terminal point - Երթուղու համարyert'ughu hamarroute number
երթուղիis a route, here in the possessiveերթուղու;համարis a number. Careful: the sameհամարmeans 'for' —քեզ համար, for you - Պիկ ժամbig zhamrush hourThe order is the reverse of English: first
պիկ, peak, thenժամ, hour. Armenian also names it in its own words:խցանումների ժամ, the hour of traffic jams - Ավտոբուսների չվացուցակavdopusneri chvatsutsagbus schedule
չուis a run, a departure, andցուցակa list: a list of runs. The same word hangs over the departures board at the airport - Ուղեվարձը վճարելughevartsə vjarelto pay the fare
ուղիis a way andվարձa payment:ուղեվարձ, the fare. The verbվճարել, to pay, is the shop one you already use - Տեղ զբաղեցնելdegh zpaghetsnelto take a seat
զբաղեցնելmeans to occupy, fromզբաղած, busy — the same verb occupies a job and your time. To give up a seat isտեղը զիջել - Տաքսի կանչելdak'si ganchelto call a taxiThe same
կանչելsummons a doctor and a repairman:դոկտոր կանչել,վարպետ կանչել. Through an app people more often sayտաքսի պատվիրել, to order - Հաջորդ կանգառում իջնելhachort gankarrum ichnelto get off at the next stop
իջնելmeans to descend: out of transport Armenians do not 'exit', they 'get down'.Հաջորդis next,կանգառումat the stop, with the -ում location ending - Թաղամասt'aghamasneighborhood
թաղis a block,մասa part: a residential chunk of the city. An administrative district of a province is a different word,շրջան - Քաղաքի կեդրոնk'aghak'i getroncity center
քաղաքիis the possessive ofքաղաք, thenկեդրոն, center. In Yerevan people just sayԿենտրոն— that is the name of the district itself - Ծայրամասdzayramasoutskirts
ծայրis an edge, an end,մասa part — assembled exactly likeթաղամաս, only with the edge of the city instead of a block - Շինհրապարակshinhrabaragconstruction siteFour syllables, stress on the last: shin-hra-ba-RAK
- Ճանապարհի նորոգումjanabarhi norokumroad repair
նորոգումcomes fromնոր, new: making new again. Repairing appliances isվերանորոգում, with the վերա- 're-' prefix; the road manages without it - ՑուցանակtsutsanagsignpostFrom
ցուցադրել, to show. The same root inցուցափեղկ, a shop window, andչվացուցակ, a schedule: everything that shows something - Հանրային զուգարանhanrayin zukaranpublic toilet
հանրայինmeans public, fromհանրութիւն, the public;զուգարանis the toilet, with the same -արան tail asնստարան. The sameհանրայինinհանրային տրանսպորտ, public transport - Մաքուրmak'urcleanAbout streets, air and conscience alike:
մաքուր օդ,մաքուր խիղճ. To clean isմաքրելand cleanliness isմաքրութիւն - Կեղտոտgeghdoddirty
կեղտis dirt plus the familiar -ոտ tail, 'full of', as inարեւոտ. To get dirty isկեղտոտվել - Մարդաշատ էmartashad eit's crowdedEnglish makes an adverb; Armenian takes the adjective
մարդաշատ—մարդperson,շատmany — and addsէ, is. Without the verb:մարդաշատ փողոց, a busy street - ԳիւղkyughvillageOne syllable ending on the soft throat ղ. A villager is
գիւղացի, farming isգիւղատնտեսութիւն. A bigger settlement is still aգիւղ - Մայրաքաղաքmayrak'aghak'capital city
մայրis a mother andքաղաքis a city: the 'mother city'. English 'capital' grew from the head, Armenian went with the mother - Հասարակական տրանսպորտhasaragagan dransbordpublic transportThe adjective from
հասարակութիւն, society. In Yerevan people mostly just sayտրանսպորտor name the mode:մետրո,աւտոբուս - Մանկապարտեզmangabardezkindergarten
մանուկis a child andպարտեզis a garden: a calque of German 'Kindergarten', just like the English word. The nursery is a differentմանկամսուր - Խաղահրապարակkhaghahrabaragplayground
խաղis a game andհրապարակis a square. There is no word for 'children's' inside: the Armenian playground is a 'game square' - ՇատրվանshadrvanfountainA Persian word, as in many languages of the region. The street drinking fountain has its own name,
պուլպուլակ, a Yerevan landmark - Գերեզմանոցkerezmanotscemetery
գերեզմանis a grave and -ոց builds a place of many. The same -ոց elsewhere in the course marks places of a crowd - Հրշեջ ինքնաշարժhrshech ink'nasharzhfire truckThe same
հրշեջas the firefighter: the word serves as a person and as an adjective. The ambulance isշտապօգնութիւն, the police car isոստիկանական ինքնաշարժ - Թաղt'aghblockYour stretch of street;
թաղամաս, the district, is built on the same root and covers several of these - Պուրակburagsmall parkSmaller than
այգի, garden and park: the little green square between houses. The diminutive lives in the word - ԱշտարակashdaragtowerThe same name as the town north of Yerevan — the town was named by its tower. Old ones are stone,
քարե - ԱրվարձանarvartsansuburbA bookish word, but the housing listings use it every day:
արուարձանի բնակարան— an apartment in the suburbs - ԱվանavantownBetween the village and the city. One district of Yerevan carries the same name — the city grew around old avans
- ԱնցորդantsortpasserbyFrom
անցնել, to pass, with the doer-tail -որդ: 'the one passing'. Ask directions of exactly this person - Հետիոտնhediodnpedestrian
Ոտնis the root of foot: 'the foot-goer'. The zebra crossing isհետիոտնային անցում— the pedestrian passage - Ցուցատախտակtsutsadakhdagsignboard
Ցույցshowing +տախտակboard: 'the showing board'. The street pointer isցուցանակ— sameցույց, different board - Աղբարկղaghpargghlitter bin
Աղբtrash +արկղbox: 'the trash box' — the sameարկղas in the cash register,դրամարկղ. The big yard container isաղբաման - Փողոցային լապտերp'oghotsayin labderstreet lampThe tail -ային from
փողոց, street: 'of the street'. Bareլապտերcould be the pocket one — the adjective assigns the address - ԳազոնkazonlawnA loanword that came by way of Russian from French. The native
մարգագետինis a meadow, not the strip of grass by the house - Ծաղկաթումբdzaghgat'umpflower bedFrom
ծաղիկ, flower, plusթումբ, a mound — and in the compound the flower drops its vowel: dzaghga- - Շքամուտքshk'amudk'porch
Շուք, pomp, plusմուտք, entrance — the entrance word you know from every building. Porch and front entrance are one word here - Սանդուղքի աստիճանsantughk'i asdijanstair stepYou know
աստիճանas a degree; on the stairs it is a step, so the stairwell says it in full —սանդուղքի աստիճան, a step of the staircase - Տան համարdan hamarhouse number
Տուն, house, loses itsուin the possessive and givesտան. The sameհամարcounts the house and the hotel room — the neighbor word decides which - Փողոցի անունp'oghotsi anunstreet name
Անուն, name, serves people and streets alike. On the sign it wears the possessive ofփողոց:փողոցի անուն— the street's name - ՍիւնsyunpoleThe same word serves the column of a building. In the possessive the
ուdrops out — say 'syan' - Հին քաղաքhin k'aghak'old town
Հին, old — the adjective from the store lesson — never changes: every ending falls on the noun behind it, here the -ում formքաղաքում, in the city - Բնակելի շենքpnageli shenk'apartment building
Շենքis a multi-apartment building;տունis your own home — rental ads keep the two apart, and so should you - Լռութիւնlrrut'yunsilenceFrom
լռել, to be silent. Hold the double ռ a full beat — it is what keeps this word fromլուր, news, one trill apart - Շենքshenk'building
Բնակելի շենքis the apartment building from the city wave;շենքի կանոններare the house rules.Շենքis the structure as such,տունthe home. The ք is a k with a puff - Բացpatsopen (adj.)The same word as the sign on the shop door: adjective and adverb share one form.
Բացalso means light, as a color:բաց կապոյտ— light blue, from the store lesson - Փակp'agclosed (adj.)The partner of
բաց— and again one form for adjective and adverb. The verb isփակել; a dead end isփակուղի, a closed way
How it sounds in a sentence
A word list is a blank. Conversation is made of sentences, and these are the ones the words fit into most often.
- Ո՞ւր է մետրոնur e medronWhere is the subway?
- Այս քաղաքը շատ հին էays k'aghak'ə shad hin eThis city is very old
- Այս փողոցը նեղ էays p'oghotsə negh eThis street is narrow
- Այստեղ ազատ սեղան կայaysdegh azad seghan gayThere is a free table here
- Այնտեղ շուկայ կայayndegh shugay gayThere is a market over there
- Մետրոն մօտ էmedron mod eThe subway is close
What is worth knowing about these words
Ո՞ւր է (ur e) — where is it?. The Western 'where' is ուր; the Eastern standard writes որտեղ for the same job. A word-initial ո usually sounds 'vo', but in ուր it is a plain 'oo': OOR-eh
Քաղաք (k'aghak') — city. Both ք are k with a puff of air and ղ is the throaty gh: k'-agh-AK'. Say it and the whole word lives at the back of the throat
Փողոց (p'oghots) — street. Starts with փ, a p with a breath, and ends on ts like 'cats': p'-ogh-TSS. The full word sits on every street sign
Այստեղ (aysdegh) — here. Built like its twin 'there': այս- (this) + -տեղ (place) — 'this place'. Spot the pattern and you get both words for the price of one
Test yourself
Recalling a spelling from meaning is harder than recognizing a familiar word — and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “where is it?” in Western Armenian?
The Western 'where' is
ուր; the Eastern standard writesորտեղfor the same job. A word-initial ո usually sounds 'vo', but inուրit is a plain 'oo': OOR-eh - How do you say “right” in Western Armenian?
The other half of the trap: Western
ձախmeans RIGHT where the Eastern standard means left. The ձ sounds like ts as in 'cats': TSAKH - How do you say “queue” in Western Armenian?
Both the queue at the till and one's 'turn':
իմ հերթն է— it's my turn. The same root returns inհերթագրում, booking an appointment, in the health unit - How do you say “bicycle” in Western Armenian?
հեծնելis to ride astride,անիւis a wheel: the wheel you ride. There is no 'bi-' in it — the two wheels are implied - How do you say “gas station” in Western Armenian?
բենզին, gasoline, plusլցնել, to pour, plusկայան, a station; speech clips it toբենզակայան. The example puts it on theձախside and means the right — in the westձախis 'right'
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
Street, square, pharmacy, bank. An address is built out of these, and an address is something you have to both say and understand.
A list is read in a minute and forgotten in a day. What works: hide the translation, try to recall, get it wrong — and come back to the same words tomorrow.
- Recalling beats re-reading. Covering the translation and trying to remember it does more than reading it ten more times.checked many timesAdesope, Trevisan & Sundararajan, 2017, Review of Educational Research 87(3) · 188 experiments, 272 comparisons. g = 0.61; against plain re-reading 0.51, against passive review 0.93.
- This holds not only in experiments but in ordinary classrooms, with real students.checked many timesMawson & Kang, 2025, Behavioral Sciences 15(6):771 · 22 studies, d = 0.54 (confidence interval 0.31–0.77). The authors warn that individual studies disagree widely.
Frequently asked
How do you say “where is it?” in Western Armenian?
«Ո՞ւր է», read “ur e”. The Western 'where' is ուր; the Eastern standard writes որտեղ for the same job. A word-initial ո usually sounds 'vo', but in ուր it is a plain 'oo': OOR-eh. It is one of 96 words in the set “the city and its places” — the rest are in the table above.
How many street and place words do you need to start?
A dozen is enough. The set of 96 words on this page covers nearly every everyday case on the topic — but it is best taken a few at a time, not all at once.