LingoflyFood and drink in Western Armenian
172 words in Western Armenian on the topic “food and drink”: Սուրճ (surj) — coffee, Թէյ (t'ey) — tea, Ջուր (chur) — water, Հաց (hats) — bread.
172 words on the topic
- Թէյt'eyteaWritten with թ — a t with a puff of air. Spelled with տ instead, it would come out 'day'. Say t'-EY and you are drinking tea
- ՋուրchurwaterThe ջ sounds like ch as in 'church': choor, never 'joor'. Hence
ջրվէժ(chrvezh), a waterfall — water + to plunge - ՊանիրbanircheeseThe պ sounds like b in the West: ba-NEER. Anyone who studied the Eastern standard first knows this letter as p — a quick way to tell which norm you are hearing
- ՄրգերmrkerfruitThe plural of
միրգ, one fruit: the vowel i drops out and -եր takes its place. գ sounds like k: MR-ker - ԽնձորkhntsorappleThree consonants in a row, խ-ն-ձ: a little ə sneaks in between them, so say khən-TSOR. The ձ is ts, as in 'cats'
- ԼոլիկloligtomatoThe Western word is
լոլիկ(lolig); in everyday speech you also hearպոմիդոր, borrowed from Italian - ԱպուրabursoupThe պ sounds like b: a-BOOR, stress at the end. No separate word for broth — just մսի (msi)
ապուր(abur), meat soup - Քաղցրk'aghtsrsweetՔ is k with a puff of air and ղ is the throaty gh: k'-AGH-tsr. The opposite pole to
դառը(tarrə), bitter - ՃաշարանjasharanrestaurantBuilt from
ճաշ(jash), a meal, +արան, a place: literally 'the meal hall'. The ճ sounds like j as in 'jam': ja-sha-RAN - Ուտելudelto eatDo not mix with
կայ(gay), 'there is' — eating and existing are different verbs here, just as in English. The տ sounds like d: oo-DEL' - Խմելkhmelto drinkThe խ is a throaty kh — like the ch of Scottish 'loch', not the ch of 'church'. One verb covers water, tea and wine
- ՀասածhasadzripeFrom
հասնիլ(hasnil), to arrive or to ripen: a ripe fruit is literally one that has 'arrived'. The -ած ending marks a finished state - Ճաշjashlunchthe ճ sounds like j as in 'jam': 'jash'
- Ընթրիքənt'rik'dinnerthe opening ը is barely audible: the word comes out n'-TRIK', with a puff of air on the k at the end
- Կուլ տալgul dalto swallowTwo words:
կուլ(gul), swallowing, never stands alone and comes only with a verb, hereտալ(dal), to give — 'to give a swallow' - ԱխորժակakhorzhagappetiteAt the table you will hear
Բարի ախորժակ(pari akhorzhag) — literally 'good appetite', the wish that opens every shared meal - ԿարագgarakbutterButter, the dairy kind. Vegetable oil is
ձէթ, andիւղ(yugh) is fat in general - ԱլիւրalyurflourFlour-based food, baking, is
ալիւրեղեն - Ընկոյզənguyznutsthe opening Ը is a fleeting 'uh' grunt: ən-GOOYZ
- ԳազարkazarcarrotDo not confuse with
գազ, gas. The stress is on the last syllable: ka-ZAR - Պղպեղbghbeghpeppertwo ղ letters, both the throaty gh: bgh-BEGH
- ԼոբիlopibeansBean soup — լոպով
ապուր(abur) — is a winter classic of the Armenian table - Պատրաստելbadrasdelto prepareTo prepare in the broad sense — food, lessons, documents. Ready is
պատրաստ(badrasd) - Լուալlualto washOne root with
լուացք(luatsk'), the laundry. To wash the dishes isսպասք լուալ(sbask' lval) - ԴանակtanagknifeScissors have their own separate word,
մգրատ - Եփելyep'elto boilTo cook in water. In conversation the same verb says 'to cook':
ապուր(abur) եփեցինք (yep'etsink) — we made soup - Տապակելdabagelto fryThe bookish word for a frying pan is
տապակ, and the verb comes from it. Fried isտապակած(dabagadz) - Թխելt'khelto bakeAbout bread and pies. Baked goods are
թխուածք, cookies areթխուածքաբլիթ(t'khvadzk'aplit') - Կաթսաgat'sapotThe same word names the boiler of a house heating system
- Թաւայt'avayfrying panThe թ is a t on an exhale. The bookish word for the pan is
տապակ— the source of the verbտապակել(dabagel) - Գազօջախkazochakhstove
գազis gas andօջախa hearth. On its own,օջախalso means the family home - Գաւաթkavat'cupA cup with a handle and a trophy are one word. The little coffee cup is սուրճի (surji)
բաժակ(pazhag) - ԲաժակpazhagglassA glass, a tumbler and a wineglass. Բաժակս կը (gə) բարձրացնեմ — I raise my glass, the start of any toast
- Պատառաքաղbadarrak'aghforkfour syllables with a double rr in the middle: ba-dar-ra-KAGH
- ՇիշshishbottleOne of the shortest words at the table.
Շիշ(shish) մը (mə) գինի — a bottle of wine - Անձեռոցիկantserrotsignapkin
ձեռք(tserrk'), the hand, hides inside: literally 'for the hands'. Paper or cloth — one word - ՍկուտեղsgudeghtrayAn old and handsome word; in a café you may also hear the borrowed
պոդնոս, but the native one is nicer - Տաքdak'hotAbout food it is 'hot', about weather 'warm'; sweltering heat is
շոգ(shok) - Քաղցածk'aghtsadzhungryDo not confuse with
քաղցր(k'aghtsr), sweet - Թթուt't'usoura long breathy t: t'-t'u — two puffs in one word
- ԴառըtarrəbitterAbout taste and about fate alike:
դառը(tarrə)ճշմարտութիւն(jshmardut'yun) — the bitter truth - ԿուշտgushdfullThe partner of
քաղցած(k'aghtsadz), hungry.Կուշտ եմ(gushd em),շնորհակալութիւն(shnorhagalut'yun) — I am full, thank you - ՄատուցողmadutsoghwaiterFrom
մատուցանել, to serve, with the same -ող doer-ending asվաճառող(vajarrogh): 'the serving one' - ՊատուէրbaduerorderAn order in a café, at a workshop and for goods alike
- Պատուիրելbaduirelto orderThe verb of
պատուեր.Ի՞նչ(inch) պիտի (bidi) պատուիրենք (badvirenk) — what shall we order - ԲաժինpazhinportionFrom
բաժանել, to divide: a portion, a share and a department in an office are allբաժին(pazhin) - ԱղանդերaghanterdessertA native word, not a borrowing. Sweets in general are
քաղցրաւենիք - Առանց մսիarrants msiwithout meat
առանց(arrants) means without, as inառանց դեղատոմսի(arrants teghadomsi), without a prescription. After it the word stands in the possessive:միս(mis) →մսի(msi) - Տորթdort'cakethe final թ keeps its puff of air: t'ort'. A small pastry goes by
խմորեղեն - ՅոգուրտyokurdyogurtThe store yogurt in its cup. The homemade cultured milk has its own name,
մածուն— tangier, with no additives, and the two are not the same thing - Սերուցքserutsk'creamFrom
սեր— the same word that means 'love': here it is the skin that forms on milk. Sour cream is its own compound,թթուասեր, literally 'sour cream' - Պաղպաղակbaghbaghagice creamthree syllables, the ղ is a soft throat scrape: bagh-ba-GHAG
- Թխուածքաբլիթt'khvadzk'aplit'cookieboth t's breathe: t'khvadz-k'a-PLIT'
- Ծովախեցգետինdzovakhetskedinshrimpfive syllables, stress at the end: dzo-va-khets-ke-DEEN
- Խաղողkhaghoghgrapestwo syllables, both ղ's are soft throat scrapes: kha-GHOGH
- Սխտորskhdorgarlictwo syllables, three consonants queue up at the start: skh-DOR
- ԴդումttumpumpkinThe two դ's at the start are not a misprint. In autumn it is baked whole, and pilaf cooked with it —
դդումով փլաւ— is a dish of its own - ՍմբուկsmpugeggplantThe vegetable of the Armenian summer: it goes into
աջափսանդալ, the layered vegetable stew. There is also a casual word,բադրիջան, that arrived by way of Persian - ՁմերուկtsmerugwatermelonOpens with ձ, read ts in Western Armenian. Its partner at the fruit stand is
սեխ(sekh), melon, and the two are always sold side by side - ԵլակyelagstrawberryThe initial ե reads 'ye': YEL-ag. Raspberry is
ազնուամորի(aznvamori), and strawberry jam is ելակի մուրաբա (murapa) —մուրաբա(murapa) is jam - ՏանձdantspearEnds on ձ, read ts. Sits next to the apple,
խնձոր(khntsor): the two main fruits of an Armenian garden - Դեղձteghtspeachone syllable, the throat scrape ղ slides into ts: TEGHTS
- Բաղադրատոմսpaghatradomsrecipefour syllables, stress at the end: pa-gha-tra-DOMS
- Եռացնելyerratsnelto bring to a boilFrom
եռալ, to boil by itself; the -ացնել tail turns the heat onto something else: the waterկ'եռայon its own, and peopleկ'եռացնենit. Your cooking verbեփել(yep'el) is to boil-cook in it - Խառնելkharrnelto mixMixing in the pot and mixing things up are the same verb:
անունները խառնեցի— I mixed up the names. A mixture isխառնուրդ(kharrnurt) - Տաքցնելdak'tsnelto heat upFrom
տաք(dak'), hot. Its pairտաքնալis when the thing heats by itself: in the kitchen you heat the food, and a laptop heats itself - Հովացնելhovatsnelto cool downFrom
հով, cool shade. Do not confuse withսառեցնել, to freeze:հովացնել(hovatsnel) brings the pot to room temperature,սառեցնելsends it to the freezer - Ձու հարելtsu harelto whisk eggs
ձու(tsu) is an egg andհարելis to whisk. Cream is whisked with the same verb, and the whisk itself isհարիչ— built with the same -իչ tool tail as the grater - Ջուր աւելցնելchur aveltsnelto add water
աւելցնել(aveltsnel) is to add, fromաւելի(aveli), more. No article here: water in general, not that particular water - Կրիլին վրայ տապկելgrilin vra dabgelto grill
տապկելis to fry, andվրայ(vra) means 'on' but stands AFTER its word — Armenian order. Meat over coals goes by another verb,խորովել, the root of the famousխորոված - Պիտանելիութեան ժամկէտbidaneliut'ean zhamgedexpiration dateeight syllables across two words, stress at the end of each: bi-da-ne-li-u-t'YAN zham-GED
- Փճացած էp'jatsadz eto spoilFrom
փճանալ, to spoil. The word is wide: food, weather, mood and gadgets all spoil — հեռախօսս (herrakhoss)փճացած է(p'jatsadz e), my phone is broken - ԲանկաpangajarA casual word that arrived by way of Russian; everyone understands it in the shop. The label prefers the Armenian
ապակիէ տարայ— a glass container. No connection toպանք(bank'), the bank - Տանելու համարdanelu hamarfor takeawayLiterally 'for taking away':
տանիլ(danil) is to carry off. The café question is Հո՞ս (hos), թէ (t'e)՞տանելու համար(danelu hamar) — here, or to take away? - Ես բուսակեր եմyes pusager emI'm a vegetarian
բոյսis a plant andուտել(udel) is to eat: a 'plant-eater'. A vegan isվեգան. During Lent people say պահքի եմ (em), and cafés mark those dishesպահքային - Բարի ախորժակpari akhorzhagenjoy your meal
Բարի(pari), good, plusախորժակ(akhorzhag), appetite. People answer withշնորհակալութիւն(shnorhagalut'yun), thank you, orմիասին(miasin) — together - Փողոցային ուտելիքp'oghotsayin udelik'street food
փողոց(p'oghots) is a street, and -ային turns it into the adjective 'street', just asազգային(azkayin) comes fromազգ - Աղացած միսaghatsadz misground meatFrom
աղալ, to grind: literally ground meat. In the shop you will also hear the borrowedֆարշ - ԵրշիկyershigsausageOne word covers the sausage and the frankfurter alike. At the counter people often say the borrowed
սոսիսկա - Թունաձուկt'unatsugtuna
Ձուկ(tsug), fish — the word from the market — stands as the second root and keeps all its vowels: t'-oo-na-tsug - ՍաղմոնsaghmonsalmonRecognizably international, yet it lives by Armenian rules: the stress falls on the last syllable and the ղ is a soft throat sound
- ԿրեւետկաgrevedgaprawnThe bookish word,
ծովախեցգետին(dzovakhetskedin) — literally sea crayfish — names them in the mass. One prawn on a menu goes by the borrowedկրեւետկա(grevedga) - Ծովամթերքdzovamt'erk'seafoodFrom
ծով(dzov), the sea, plusմթերք, produce — the sameմթերքas in the grocery store. The word names a whole class of things, which is why it comes late - ՍալորsalorplumThe dried plum has a name of its own:
սալորաչիր. Armenian splits fresh from dried by the word, not by an adjective - Ազնուամորիaznvamoriraspberry
Մորիis the berry of this kind,ազնիւ(aznyu) means noble: the noble berry. In the compoundիւshrinks toու(u) - ՍեխsekhmelonShort and native. Its neighbor
ձմերուկ(tsmerug), the watermelon, is one market stall away — do not mix them up - Արքայախնձորark'ayakhntsorpineappleLiterally the king's apple:
արքա, king, plusխնձոր(khntsor), apple. In conversation people clip it to the borrowedանանաս - ՄանդարինmantarinmandarinA loanword, but it declines like a native: մանդարինի
կեղեւ(geghev) — the peel of the mandarin. The peel word comes at the end - Աւոքատոavok'adoavocadoAlso spelled
աւոքատօ. A borrowing that has learned Armenian grammar: the cases attach through an inserted -յ, as inաւոքատոյով— with avocado - ՃակնդեղjagnteghbeetOpens with ճ, the j-sound of
ճաշ(jash), lunch. In the possessive it stays whole:ճակնդեղի - ԲողկpoghgradishOne word covers the radish and the black radish alike. Three consonants close the word with no vowel between: boghk
- Կանաչիganachifresh herbsFrom
կանաչ(ganach), green. On the table it means the herbs served alongside the food, not the color - Սամիթsamit'dillEnds on a t with a puff of air, and the puff survives the possessive:
սամիթի— no softening - ՄաղադանոսmaghatanosparsleyA Greek word that kept its Greek throat-sound: the ղ is a soft gargled gh, nothing like a hard g
- Կոճապղպեղgojabghbeghginger
Կոճ, a tuber, plusպղպեղ(bghbegh), pepper — literally pepper root. A mouthful of consonants; say it slowly: go-ja-bgh-begh - ԵգիպտացորենyekibdatsorencornLiterally Egyptian wheat:
ցորեն(tsoren) is wheat. The boiled cob from the street cart carries this same long word - ՍպանախsbanakhspinachIt shares its opening with
սպանել, to kill, and nothing else — the roots are strangers. Say sba-NAKH - ԿարկանդակgargantagpieA long native word for the stuffed pie. The possessive keeps every vowel:
կարկանդակի - Տորթիկdort'igpastry
Տորթ(dort') is the whole cake; the single-serving piece adds the diminutive -իկ. In the pastry shop you will also hear the borrowedպիրոժնի - ՊոնչիկbonchigdonutIn Yerevan a
պոնչիկ(bonchig) comes with custard cream inside, by rule — and has its own little shops - Խմորեղէնkhmoreghenbaked goods
Խմոր(khmor), dough, plus the collective tail -եղէն, as inկաթնեղէն, dairy. The word names a whole class of things - Ջեմchemjam
Մուրաբա(murapa) is the preserve with whole fruit;ջեմ(chem) is the smooth stuff you spread. The ջ reads 'j' as in 'jam' — the word teaches its own sound - ՕշարակosharagsyrupThe pharmacy syrup and the coffee syrup share this word. In cafes you may hear the borrowed
սիրոպ - ԱդիբուդիatiputipopcornA playful native coinage — ati-poo-DEE. The cinema sign, though, says the borrowed
պոպկորն - Մաստակmasdagchewing gumA native word, kin to mastic resin. Children, though, say the borrowed
ժվաչկա - Լիմոնատlimonadlemonade
Կիտրոն(gidron) is the lemon, but the drink took the European name - Հանքային ջուրhank'ayin churmineral water
Հանքis a mine — the water of the mines. In Armenia people often just name the spring instead - ԿոկտեյլgogdeylcocktailAn English borrowing spelled by ear: gog-DEYL. The milky kind is կաթնային
կոկտեյլ(gogdeyl) - ԿակաոgagaococoaTwo vowels in a row betray the borrowing, and an -յ appears before the endings:
կակաոյով— with cocoa - Լուծուող սուրճludzvogh surjinstant coffee
Սուրճ(surj) is coffee.Լուծուող(ludzvogh) is the participle ofլուծուիլ, to dissolve, and it never changes - Թէյի ծրարt'eyi dzrartea bag
Ծրար(dzrar) is the envelope — a tea bag is, literally, a tea envelope. The tea stands in the possessive in front:թէյի(t'eyi) - Եռման ջուրyerrman churboiling water
Եռացնել(yerratsnel) is to bring to a boil. Plain hot water isտաք ջուր(dak' chur); water at full boil isեռման ջուր(yerrman chur) — water of the boiling - Ալքոլalk'olalcoholThe general word for anything strong. Vodka has its own old name,
օղի— say it 'oghi' - Ըմպելիքəmbelik'beverageThe opening ը is the fleeting vowel — barely audible. The bookish verb behind it is
ըմպել, to drink up; everyday speech prefersխմիչք
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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.
What is worth knowing about these words
Սուրճ (surj) — coffee. One drink-verb serves everything: սուրճ (surj) խմել (khmel), թէյ (t'ey) խմել (khmel), ջուր (chur) խմել (khmel) — drink coffee, tea, water. Order it with մէկ (meg) (one) in any café of the diaspora.
Թէյ (t'ey) — tea. Written with թ — a t with a puff of air. Spelled with տ instead, it would come out 'day'. Say t'-EY and you are drinking tea.
Ջուր (chur) — water. The ջ sounds like ch as in 'church': choor, never 'joor'. Hence ջրվէժ (chrvezh), a waterfall — water + to plunge.
Հաց (hats) — bread. Also means food in general: հաց (hats) ուտել (udel) — to eat, literally 'to eat bread'. Bread stands in for the whole meal.
Test yourself
Recalling a spelling from meaning is harder than recognizing a familiar word — and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “coffee” in Western Armenian?
One drink-verb serves everything:
սուրճ(surj)խմել(khmel),թէյ(t'ey)խմել(khmel),ջուր(chur)խմել(khmel) — drink coffee, tea, water. Order it withմէկ(meg) (one) in any café of the diaspora - How do you say “fruit” in Western Armenian?
The plural of
միրգ, one fruit: the vowel i drops out and -եր takes its place. գ sounds like k: MR-ker - How do you say “sweet” in Western Armenian?
Ք is k with a puff of air and ղ is the throaty gh: k'-AGH-tsr. The opposite pole to
դառը(tarrə), bitter - How do you say “breakfast” in Western Armenian?
նախ(nakh) is 'before',ճաշ(jash) is 'meal': literally 'the before-meal'. To eat breakfast, one verb:նախաճաշել(nakhajashel) - How do you say “smell” in Western Armenian?
համ(ham) is taste,հոտ(hod) is smell — two tiny words everyone swaps at first.Հոտ(hod) կու (gu) գայ (kay) — it smells
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
A menu, a market, a shop sign, the question “what is this?”. Food is the most frequent subject of the first weeks and the safest excuse to start talking.
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.
- Study spread over days wins 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 “coffee” in Western Armenian?
«Սուրճ» (surj), read “surj”. One drink-verb serves everything: սուրճ (surj) խմել (khmel), թէյ (t'ey) խմել (khmel), ջուր (chur) խմել (khmel) — drink coffee, tea, water. Order it with մէկ (meg) (one) in any café of the diaspora. It is one of 172 words in the set “food and drink” — the rest are in the table above.
How many food words do you need to start?
The whole set on this page is 172 words, but there is no need to start with all of it: the words you will need in the next few days are enough. Take them a few at a time — five to seven new ones per session.