Shopping and money in Western Armenian
88 words Western Armenian words on the topic “shopping and money”: Խանութ — store, Շուկայ — market, Բանկ — bank, Վաճառասեղան — market counter.
88 words on the topic
- Խանութkhanut'storeThe ending -ութ turns a verb into the place where it happens:
խան-(to trade) +-ութ— the trading place. A pattern worth spotting - ՇուկայshugaymarketClassical spelling adds a final յ:
շուկայ. An old trade word you will recognize across the whole region — say shoo-GUY - ԲանկpangbankAn international word, but the բ sounds like p in the West: 'pangk'. Your first bank where the b reads p
- Վաճառասեղանvajarraseghanmarket counter
վաճառել(to sell) +սեղան(table): literally 'the selling table'. The ռ in the middle is a full rolled rr, and both halves will come back as words of their own - ՎաճառողvajarroghsellerSame root
վաճառ-as in the market counter. The ending -ող turns a verb into its doer: literally 'the selling one' - ԳնորդknortbuyerFrom
գնել, to buy. The same -ող doer-ending as inվաճառող, the seller — one buys, the other sells - Կշեռքgsherrk'scalesFrom
կշռել, to weigh. Armenian keeps it singular — oneկշեռք— where English insists on a pair of scales - ԿիլոգրամgilokramkilogramAt the market you will almost always hear the short form
կիլօ:մէկ կիլօ պոմիտոր— a kilo of tomatoes - Թարմt'armfreshStarts with the breathy թ, a t on an exhale. The key word of every market:
թարմ հաց, fresh bread,թարմ ձուկ, fresh fish - ՀասածhasadzripeFrom
հասնիլ, to arrive or to ripen: a ripe fruit is literally one that has 'arrived'. The -ած ending marks a finished state — you will see it again - Գնապիտակknabidagprice tag
գին(price) +պիտակ(label): two words stuck together into one - Թանկt'angexpensiveAbout prices and about people alike:
թանկ ընկեր— a dear friend. English draws the same double line with 'dear' - ԷժանezhancheapThe partner of
թանկ. The opening Է is a plain 'eh' with no y-glide — Ե at the start of a word would give one - ԶեղչzeghchdiscountAsk
Զեղչ կա՞յ— is there a discount? — the shortest haggle in the language, written on half the shop windows - ՄնացորդmnatsortchangeFrom
մնալ, to stay or remain: literally 'the remainder'. Small coins as such have their own word,մանր - ԿտրոնgdronreceiptFrom
կտրել, to cut: the receipt is what gets 'cut off' the roll. Same root asկտոր, a piece, later in the course - Ինչքա՞ն կը լինիinchk'an gə linihow much do I owe?Literally 'how much does it come to' — the checkout question for the total. The price of a single thing is asked differently:
որքա՞ն է արժէ - Սա թանկ էsa t'ang ethis is expensive
սաis 'this' for the thing in your hands or right in front of you; for something far away it becomesդա - Աւելի էժան չ'ըլլա՞յaveli ezhan ch'əllaycan it be cheaper?Literally 'won't it be cheaper?' — the market way to bargain: a soft question, never a demand.
աւելիis the comparison word you will meet everywhere - Կ'առնիմg'arrnimI'll take itThe Western 'I take':
առնել→կ'առնիմ, by the familiar կ'-plus-stem pattern. One word seals the deal - Պետք չէbedk' cheI don't need itIn writing
պէտք չէ, in living speech almost alwaysպէտք չի. Softened further with a thank-you:պէտք չէ, շնորհակալութիւն - Մի հատ էլmi had elone more
հատmeans 'piece, unit' — the little counting word Armenian inserts almost everywhere:մի հատ սուրճ, one coffee. Here it carries 'another one' - Մթերային խանութmt'erayin khanut'grocery store
մթերքis 'groceries', andխանութyou know from the base course: store. The adjective only says which store - ԶամբիւղzampyughbasketOne word for the supermarket basket and the woven market basket — no second word to learn
- 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 - Դրամարկղtramargghcash register
դրամ(money) +արկղ(box): literally 'the money box'. In everyday speech you will hear the borrowedքասսաjust as often - ՏոպրակdobragbagThe checkout question is
Տոպրակ պէ՞տք է— do you need a bag? Answer with the phrase you learned two lessons ago - 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 - Ընտրելəndrelto chooseThe same verb means 'to vote':
ընտրութիւններ— elections, literally 'choices' - Չափսchap'ssizeFrom
չափ, a measure. For clothes and shoes sayչափս;չափstays for measures in general - Աւելի մեծaveli medzbiggerComparisons are built with
աւելի:մեծis big,աւելի մեծis bigger — no ending to bend. For 'more' in the sense of quantity it'sաւելի շատ - Աւելի փոքրaveli p'ok'rsmallerThe same recipe:
աւելի+փոքր, small. The quantity twin isաւելի քիչ— less - Երաշխիքyerashkhik'warrantyThe warranty on appliances:
մէկ տարուայ երաշխիք— a one-year warranty. The slip it comes with isերաշխիքային թերթիկ; a person who vouches for you isերաշխաւոր - Ապրանքի վերադարձabrank'i veratartsproduct return
ապրանքis merchandise,վերադարձa return — the same returning as the debt's. At the counter you will hearապրանքը կը վերադարձնէ՞ք— will you be returning the product? - ԳովազդkovaztadvertisingFrom
գովել, to praise: advertising is literally 'praising'. A job announcement is NOTգովազդbutհայտարարութիւն— գովազդ always sells something - Գովազդային տեսահոլովակkovaztayin desaholovagcommercialA long word, stress on the last syllable: de-sa-ho-lo-VAG
- Ապրանքանիշabrank'anishbrand
ապրանքis 'goods',նիշis 'mark': a 'goods-mark'. This is the official word; about a clothing label people say the borrowedբրենդ - ԼոգոտիպlokodiblogoAn international word; in speech people often clip it to
լոգօ. There is no native Armenian rival — a rare case, since the language usually builds a calque from its own roots - Զեղչերու վաճառքzeghcheru vajarrk'saleThe familiar
զեղչ, discount, in the plural plusվաճառք, selling. Shop windows write it shorter:զեղչեր, orմինչեւ 50% զեղչ— up to 50% off - Ձեռնտու առաջարկtserrndu arracharggood deal
ձեռքis 'hand',տալis 'to give':ձեռնտուis literally 'giving into the hand', that is, profitable.Առաջարկis an offer in trade and at work alike:աշխատանքի առաջարկ, a job offer - Գները համեմատելknerə hamemadelto compare prices
համեմատելis 'to compare'; its nounհամեմատութիւն, comparison, comes later in this wave. To compare with something:համեմատել … հետ - Փաթեթp'at'et'packettwo syllables, both the փ and the թ breathe: p'a-T'ET'
- Ապակիabagiglass (material)Window glass and a glass made of glass are one word; the drinking glass itself is
բաժակ. The window isպատուհան, andապակին կոտրուեցաւ— the glass broke - ՄետաղmedaghmetalEnds on the throat scrape ղ. Metallic is
մետաղեայ. Keep it apart fromմետաքս, silk — the two words are near-identical to the eye and strangers in meaning - ՊլաստիկblasdigplasticAn international word, said as spelled.
Պլաստիկ տոպրակ— a plastic bag,պլաստիկ քարտ— a plastic card. No -ե tail is added; the word stays as it is - Թուղթt'ught'paperone syllable with a breathy t at both ends: t'-OOKT'
- ԱմուրamursturdyAbout things and people alike:
ամուր բռնիր— hold tight,ամուր ընկերութիւն— a firm friendship. A fortress isամրոց, from the same root - Որակյալvoragyalhigh-qualityFrom
որակ, quality. The opening ո reads 'vo'. Keep apart fromորակաւորում, qualification — that one is about a person, this one about a thing - Առեւտրի կեդրոնarrevdri getronshopping mall
առեւտուրis trade (its possessiveառեւտրի), andկեդրոնis center, your old friend. In Yerevan most people just sayմոլ— the mall - Ցուցափեղկtsutsap'eghgshop windowfour syllables, a breathy փ inside and a sharp k' at the end: tsu-tsa-p'e-GHK'
- Գանձապահkantsabahcashier
գանձis treasure andպահելis to keep: 'the keeper of the treasure'. The register itself isդրամարկղ, the money box you met at the market - ԳնումknumpurchaseFrom
գնել, to buy. Caution: the same letters can be a form of the motion verb —կ'երթամmeans both 'I buy' and 'I go'. The sentence decides - Բոնուսային քարտponusayin k'ardloyalty cardThe -ային tail turns a noun into an adjective, the way
ամիս, a month, becameամսական, monthly. Points on it areմիաւորներ, and youհաւաքելthem — gather them - Նվերի փաթեթաւորումnveri p'at'et'avorumgift wrappingYour
նվեր, gift, plusփաթեթաւորել, to pack — fromփաթեթ, the packet of this unit. At the till they ask:փաթեթաւորե՞մ նվերի համար— shall I wrap it as a gift? - Խանութի սայլակkhanut'i saylagshopping cart
խանութis the store you know,սայլis a cart, and -ակ makes it small. The sameսայլակnames a wheelchair:անւասայլակ, a 'wheel cart' - Ապրանքը փոխանակելabrank'ə p'okhanagelto exchange an itemYour
ապրանք, goods, plusփոխանակել, to swap one thing for another. The sameփոխ-root runs throughփոխել, to change, and money exchange - Վերադարձ ձեւակերպելveratarts tsevagerbelto process a return
վերադարձis a return, andձեւակերպելis the paperwork verb — to put into form. Requests and contracts get the sameձեւակերպել - ԽոտանվածkhodanvadzdefectiveFrom
խոտան, the cull, the rejected. In speech people usually describe it:թերութիւն ունի— it has a defect, orանսարք է— it does not work - Չափսը չեկավchap'sə chegavthe size didn't fitYour
չափս, size, plusեկաւ, it came: Armenian says the size 'did not come'. The չ- at the front is the negation, soչեկավ— it didn't come - Չեկը պահելchegə bahelto keep the receiptYour
չեկ, receipt, plusպահել, to keep. The little article -ը is doing real work here: it is THAT receipt, the one from this purchase - Սա կեղծ էsa geghdz eit's a fake
կեղծmeans counterfeit; the same root stands inկեղծիք, forgery, andկեղծաւոր, a hypocrite. The genuine one isիսկական - Ապրանքը առկա էabrank'ə arrga ein stock
առկաmeans present, on hand. In speech a bareկա՞— is there? — does the job. The negative answer isառկա չէ— out of stock - Այլ գույնով փոխելayl kuynov p'okhelto exchange for another colorWhat you change INTO takes -ով:
այլ գոյնով— with another color,մեծ չափսով— with a bigger size. Yourգոյն, color, is inside;այլis the bookish 'other' - Ձեռքի ժամացույցtserrk'i zhamatsuytswristwatchYour
ձեռք, hand, andժամացոյց, clock: a 'hand clock'. The wall one isպատի ժամացոյց, and the alarm clock isզարթուցիչ— 'the waker' - Օծանելիքodzanelik'perfumefive syllables, stress at the end: o-tsa-ne-LEEK'
- ԿոսմետիկաgosmedigacosmeticsAn international word. A makeup bag is
կոսմետիկայի պայուսակ— literally a cosmetics bag. Makeup itself is the separate wordշպար, andշպարուելis to put it on - Օգտագործվածokdakordzvadzusedfive syllables, opens with the open օ: og-ta-gorts-VATS'
- Սակարկելsagargelto haggleFrom
սակ, the price. At the Vernissage market people put it plainly:զեղչ ըրեք— make a discount, orվէրջին գինը որքա՞ն է— what is the final price? - Գրախանութkrakhanut'bookstore
գիրքplusխանութ, andգիրքloses its ի on the way: գր-. The library isգրադարան, built the same way - Մեծածախmedzadzakhwholesale
մեծbig +ծախsale. Retail is the mirrorմանրածախ, fromմանր, fine - Երաշխիքային ժամկետyerashkhik'ayin zhamgedthe warranty period
Երաշխիքis a warranty; -ային makes a trait out of a noun, as inշրջադարձային - Պատվերովbadverovmade to orderFrom
պատվեր, an order, with the ending -ով: 'by order'. The English preposition is not translated with a word here - Վերցնելvertsnelto takeLong but frequent. The casual
առնելmeans both 'take' and 'buy' — at the market they are one motion - Տալdalto giveTo whom — the dative:
ինծի տուր— give me. The same verb builds 'have someone do':գրել տալ— let someone write - Գնելknelto buyThe famous trap:
գնելis to buy,գնալis to go — one vowel runs the whole errand - Կիլոն ի՞նչ արժեgilon inch arzhehow much is a kilo
Արժելis to be worth. The question mark ՞ sits over the vowel inside the phrase and the word order stays perfectly straight - Զեղչ կա՞zeghch gais there a discountArmenian has no word for 'whether': the question mark ՞ over the last vowel does that job alone.
Զեղչis the discount from the store unit - Ունե՞քunek'do you haveThe polite plural of
ունեմ, I have:ունիք. The goods go before the verb — fresh bread, do you have? - Սա կվերցնեմsa gvertsnemI'll take thisThe prefix կ- makes the future:
վերցնեմis 'that I take',կվերցնեմis 'I will take'. Point and say it — the purchase is made - Ինձ տոպրակ է պէտքints dobrag e bedk'I need a bagNeed is built as a frame:
ինծի ... է պէտք— to-me it-is necessary. There is no verb 'to need'.Տոպրակis the bag from the store unit - Դրամարկղը որտե՞ղ էtramargghə vordegh ewhere is the checkout
Դրամարկղis the cash register — the money-box. The question wordորտե՞ղstands after the noun with its article, not at the front - Այսքանըaysk'anəthat's all
Այսքանmeans 'this much'; the article -ը closes the count — nothing more is being taken - Կանխի՞կ, թե՞ քարտովgankhig, t'e k'ardovcash or cardIn a choice question the mark ՞ is written twice — over
կանխի՞կand overթե՞. Learn the phrase before the first purchase - Մանրը պէտք չէmanrə bedk' cheno change neededOn the receipt the change is
մնացորդ; what you wave away in person isմանրը— the small coins - Գնումների ցանկknumneri tsangshopping listAssembled like the to-do list:
գնում, a purchase — fromգնալ, to go — in the plural possessive plusցանկ, list - 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.
- Խանութը ժամը ինըին կը բացուիkhanut'ə zhamə inəin gə patsuiThe store opens at nine
- Շուկայ երթանք միասինshugay yert'ank' miasinLet's go to the market together
- Բանկը ո՞ւր էpangə ur eWhere is the bank?
- Վաճառասեղանին վրայ թարմ բանջարեղեն կայvajarraseghanin vray t'arm panchareghen gayThere are fresh vegetables on the market counter
- Վաճառողը շատ բարի էvajarroghə shad pari eThe seller is very kind
- Գնորդը հերթի մէջ էknortə hert'i mech eThe buyer is in the queue
What is worth knowing about these words
Խանութ (khanut') — store. The ending -ութ turns a verb into the place where it happens: խան- (to trade) + -ութ — the trading place. A pattern worth spotting
Շուկայ (shugay) — market. Classical spelling adds a final յ: շուկայ. An old trade word you will recognize across the whole region — say shoo-GUY
Բանկ (pang) — bank. An international word, but the բ sounds like p in the West: 'pangk'. Your first bank where the b reads p
Վաճառասեղան (vajarraseghan) — market counter. վաճառել (to sell) + սեղան (table): literally 'the selling table'. The ռ in the middle is a full rolled rr, and both halves will come back as words of their own
Test yourself
Recalling a spelling from meaning is harder than recognizing a familiar word — and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “store” in Western Armenian?
The ending -ութ turns a verb into the place where it happens:
խան-(to trade) +-ութ— the trading place. A pattern worth spotting - How do you say “kilogram” in Western Armenian?
At the market you will almost always hear the short form
կիլօ:մէկ կիլօ պոմիտոր— a kilo of tomatoes - How do you say “change” in Western Armenian?
From
մնալ, to stay or remain: literally 'the remainder'. Small coins as such have their own word,մանր - How do you say “one more” in Western Armenian?
հատmeans 'piece, unit' — the little counting word Armenian inserts almost everywhere:մի հատ սուրճ, one coffee. Here it carries 'another one' - How do you say “closed” in Western Armenian?
The 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
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
How much it costs, whether there is a smaller one, whether cards are accepted. A shop forgives mistakes: miss a word and they will show you the thing with their hands anyway.
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 “store” in Western Armenian?
«Խանութ», read “khanut'”. The ending -ութ turns a verb into the place where it happens: խան- (to trade) + -ութ — the trading place. A pattern worth spotting. It is one of 88 words in the set “shopping and money” — the rest are in the table above.
How many shopping words do you need to start?
A dozen is enough. The set of 88 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.