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Grammar Notes

Grammatical concepts we covered in this unit

  • all affirmative and some negative present tense, current reality conjugations of կարենալ ("to be able")
  • accusative of place (with and without motion)
  • dative with verbs of motion and without motion (for activities and people)
  • dative of purpose
  • dative case for most plurals
  • accusative of time
  • dative of time
  • ablative of duration and with some postpositions
  • instrumental infinitive

All affirmative and some negative present tense, current reality conjugations of կարենալ ("to be able")

Is կարենալ a regular verb in the present tense?

Good question! Կարենալ (like ըլլալ, ունենալ, and գիտնալ) is one of four verbs that have TWO conjugations in the present tense (and in the imperfect past tense, but we're not there yet)! The current reality is articulated by the conjugation provided below. The second present tense conjugation reflects habitual actions or assured future actions. Remember that, for all other verbs besides these four unusual verbs, current reality, habitual actions, and assured future actions are all expressed by just one present tense conjugation.

կարենալ ("to be able")
1st կրնամ կրնանք
2nd կրնաս կրնաք
3rd կրնայ կրնան

Forming the negative for կարենալ

The current reality present tense conjugation of կարենալ is a compound form, like the one we learned for գիտնալ and all other present tense verbs. To form the negative, you use the negative conjugations of ըլլալ (with the exception of the third-person singular that uses չի) PLUS the negative participle կրնար.

կարենալ ("to be able")
1st չեմ կրնար
2nd
3rd

Forming the negative for կարենալ

The current reality present tense conjugation of կարենալ is a compound form, like the one we learned for գիտնալ and all other present tense verbs. To form the negative, you use the negative conjugations of ըլլալ (with the exception of the third-person singular that uses չի) PLUS the negative participle կրնար.

կարենալ ("to be able")
1st չեմ կրնար չենք կրնար
2nd չես կրնար չէք կրնար
3rd չի կրնար չեն կրնար

Accusative of place (with or without motion)

Without motion

When talking about locations we are in or in which we do an activity, Western Armenian treats all physical locations like we treat the word "home" in English when we say, "I am home." Did you notice that there is no word "at" in that statement (whereas we would say "I'm at school" or "I'm at the café"). In Western Armenian, you don't say the word "at" when you are located in a place, and you also do not say "at" when talking about where you do something. Look at the following examples:

  • Տունն եմ = "I am home"
  • Տունը կը կարդամ = "I read [at] home"

Did you notice that we MUST add the definite article on the location where we do something or where we are located? The -ը or -ն must be added to the location—which one you use is determined by vocalic harmony rules: We don't like vowels next to one another, so if the word ends in a vowel or is immediately followed by a word that begins with a vowel, you use -ն instead of -ը. 

An important note: If we do not add the definite article on տուն in the examples above (you have the two possibilities shown here: տունն and տունը depending on whether the word immediately following տուն+definite article starts with a vowel), your listener will think that you are either a home (as in, you = home) or that you are reading home (as in, you are reading home as if it were a book).

NOTE: These rules are not the same for PROPER NOUN places (like Boston, Beirut, or Carousel Restaurant). In these situations, the proper noun does not have a definite article when we talk about being in or doing an activity in a proper noun place. Review the following examples:

  • Պոստոն եմ = "I am in Boston"
  • Պէյրութ կ՚ապրիմ = "I live in Beirut"

With motion

When talking about locations with verbs of movement or motion, Western Armenian treats all physical locations like we treat the word "home" in English when we say, "I am going home." Did you notice that there is no word "to" in that statement (whereas we would say "I'm going to school" or "I'm going to the café"). In Western Armenian, you don't say the word "to" when you are using a verb of movement (such as երթալ). Look at the following examples:

  • Տուն կ՚երթամ = "I am going home"
  • Ճաշարան կ՚երթամ = "I am going [to a] restaurant"

So, with physical locations, when there is a verb of movement (moving from location A to location B), we do not use the equivalent of "to" in Western Armenian (in general, usually marked by the dative forms). We also don't generally add the definite article on locations that we go to: So, it's Մարզասրահ կ՚երթամ (not Մարզասրահը կ՚երթամ) and Տուն կ՚երթամ (not Տունը կ՚երթամ). The ones with the definite article on them are used if it's a SPECIFIC gym or house we are going to: Այդ մարզասրահը կ՚երթամ ("THAT gym is where I go") and Փաթիլին տունը կ՚երթամ ("I go to Փալիլ's house").

Note that these rules hold with most PROPER NOUN places (like Boston, Beirut, or Մասիս Restaurant), too. In these situations, the proper noun is also unmarked when we talk about them with verbs of movement, however a definite article is added to the general place name when you say something like "Մասիս Restaurant" and "Գառնի Café." Review the following examples:

  • Պոստոն կ՚երթամ = "I go [to] Boston"
  • «Մասիս» ճաշարանը կ՚երթանք = "We go [to] Մասիս Restaurant"

Dative with verbs of motion and without motion (for activities and people)

With motion

In Western Armenian, we must use the equivalent form of "to" when we have a verb of motion toward an activity or a professional person. So, we do end up saying "I'm going to [the] doctor" or "I'm going to class." To reflect the "to" understanding, we use the dative case (which in the examples we see here is marked by the -ի suffix). Review the following examples:

  • Բժիշկի կ՚երթամ = "I go to [the] doctor"
  • Դասի կ՚երթամ = "I go to class"

Without motion

We also mark activities or professional persons with the dative with verbs without motion. The English equivalents here are "at" or "in." To reflect the "to" understanding, we use the dative case (which in the examples we see here is marked by the -ի suffix). Review the following examples:

  • Բժիշկի եմ = "I am at [the] doctor['s]"
  • Դասի եմ = "I am in class"

Dative of purpose

In English, the verb of your purpose is not changed in any way when you say, "I'm going to the library to study" ("to study" is your purpose). In Western Armenian, you must state your purpose for doing something by transforming the infinitive verb of your purpose with the dative -ու suffix. Look at the following examples:

  • Մարզասրահ կ՚երթամ մարզանք ընելու = "I go to the gym to exercise"
  • Գրադարան կ՚երթամ գիրք կարդալու = "I go to the library to read book[s]"
  • Գրադարան կ՚երթամ դաս սորվելու = "I go to the library to study"

Why -իլ verbs are special

One of the things that makes Western Armenian special are its preservation of -իլ verbs from Classical Armenian. Eastern Armenian changed -իլ verbs to -ել verbs (so, սորվիլ would be սորվել to an Eastern Armenian speaker).

When a verb ends in -իլ (and not -ալ or -ել), we don't just add the -ու suffix on the unchanged infinitive (as we do with -ալ and -ել verbs). We have to TRANSFORM the ի of -իլ verbs to ե, then add the -ու.

Notice these transformations:

  • սորվիլ → սորվել+ու
  • խօսիլ → խօսել+ու
  • ուսանիլ → ուսանել+ու

Dative case for most plural nouns

In general, the dative is the case of the indirect object and answers the questions to whom? or for what? or for whom?. In Western Armenian, we also use the dative case to answer the question when? and during? if the time is a countable quantity (like "free time"="the hours during which I am free," but not "yesterday," "today," or "this morning"). However, as we explained above in our discussion of postpositions and հետ, certain adpositions mandate that a complement appear in a particular case.

The postposition հետ mandates the use of dative with all words that are not personal pronouns. In our lessons for this unit, we saw a few examples of the plural dative:

  • ընկերներուս հետ = with my friends
  • ընկերներուդ հետ = with your friends
  • ընկերներուն հետ = with their/the friends
  • ազատ ժամերուս = in my free time
  • ազատ ժամերուդ = in your free time
  • ազատ ժամերուն = in their/the free time

Did you notice that these examples all have -ու added to the word that comes before հետ or has the understanding of "when"? The -ու suffix is added on top of plural forms of the word (the formation of which we discussed above). So, the steps for forming the dative case of plural nouns is as follows:

  1. Form plural
  2. Add -ու suffix
  3. Add definite article or possessive suffix

For the dative case of plural nouns that already have a special plural form, refer to the "Cases" section of our "Appendix."

Accusative of time

To say what time it is or the span of time something happens, we use the accusative case, which is normally reserved for direct objects. Remember that for most words (except for personal pronouns), the accusative and the nominative are the same—both are unmarked by a transformation or the addition of suffixes. However, there are few rules that we can follow.

For telling the time

To ask "What time is it?" we can ask it in two ways:

  • Ժամը քանի՞ է։
  • Ժամը քանի՞ն է։

To answer the question "What time is it?" we can use two different forms:

  • Ժամը մէկ է։
  • Ժամը մէկն է։

Notice that there are two options for how to tell someone the time. You can either add the definite article on քանի՞ ("How many?") and the number, or you can leave both definite articles out. Just make sure you maintain consistency. If you're asked the question with the definite article, use the definite article version in your response.

An important note about the numbers 2, 7, 9, and 10

When we are telling the time or date (or saying we do something at a particular time) using the form with the definite article or at the half-hour point, we transform the numbers 2, 7, 9, and 10. Here's what happens:

  • երկու → երկուք [Note that we must use this modified form when adding -ուկէս to mark a time at the half hour point 00:30]
  • եօթը → եօթն [Note that many speakers do not use this form when saying 7:30. Many say եօթուկէս.]
  • ինը → ինն [Note that many speakers do not use this form when saying 9:30. Many say ինուկէս.]
  • տասը → տասն [Note that many speakers do not use this form when saying 10:30. Many say տասուկէս.]

We transform the numbers (by adding a letter, changing ը→ն, or for some speakers: by dropping the ը completely) because these numbers end in vowel sounds, and we don't like vowel sounds next to one another. So, to tell the time, we say the following:

  • Ժամը մէկ է OR Ժամը մէկն է
  • Ժամը երկու է OR Ժամը երկուքն է
  • Ժամը եօթ է OR Ժամը եօթն է [PREFERRED]
  • Ժամը ին է OR Ժամը ինն է [PREFERRED]
  • Ժամը տաս է OR Ժամը տասն է [PREFERRED]
  • Ժամը տասներկուքուկէս է OR Ժամը տասներկուքուկէսն է [PREFERRED]

For parts of the day

In Western Armenian, we do not need to say the word "in" or "at" when talking about a general period of time (like daytime, night, morning, etc.). For saying we do something during a time of day, we use the following constructions:

  • Definite article on singular form: առտուն, ցերեկը, իրիկունը, գիշերը, կէսօրէն ետք → "in the morning," "at night"
  • Definite article on plural form: առտուները, ցերեկները, իրիկունները, գիշերները → "in the evenings"
  • No definite article on singular form (in a particular situation): With առտու, some speakers drop the definite article -ն when used with the word կանուխ (early)

For days of the week

In Western Armenian, we also do not need to say the word "on" when talking about doing an activity on a particular day of the week. For saying we do something on a particular day, we use the following constructions

  • Unmarked singular form: երկուշաբթի, երեքշաբթի, etc. (note the use of շաբաթ օր here) → "on Monday"
  • Definite article on plural form: երկուշաբթիները, ուրբաթները, շաբաթ օրերը, կիրակիները → "on Mondays"

Why շաբաթ can be confusing

շաբաթ actually means both "week" AND "Saturday," so if you want to make sure you're not causing any confusion, you can say շաբաթ օր for "Saturday."

Dative of time

So, technically, what we call "dative of time" is actually a partial vestige from Classical Armenian. In Classical Armenian, time and locations were marked with the locative case, that was formed by ի + [Dative/Accusative form of a word]. However, Western Armenian does not have the locative case (that Eastern Armenian does), but we did end up keeping the gist—we still use dative when things are happening at a specific time (however we do so without the ի preposition). For more information on this matter, consult page 165 of Fr. S.L. Kogian's Armenian Grammar (West Dialect).

As noted earlier, to tell the time or span of time something happens, we use the accusative case. However, to say something is happening AT a particular time, we use the dative form. Both քանի and the hours of the day all get -ին added to them when we're talking about doing an activity AT a particular time. So, note these examples:

  • քանիին = "at what time"
  • հինգին = "at five"
  • տասներկուքուկէսին = "at 12:30"
  • կէսօրին = "at noon"
  • կէսգիշերին = "at midnight"

Ablative of duration and with some postpositions

To talk about ranges of times or to give a reference point, we use the ablative -էն that we learned about when talking about origins (Լոնտոնէն եմ = "I'm from London"). Note the following examples:

  • մէկէն մինչեւ երկու = "from one to two" → Note that some speakers will also add a definite article on երկու and drop the մինչեւ, like so: մէկէն երկուքը (remember that երկու must get ք added before anything is added on top)
  • կէսօրէն ետք = "after noon" (the postposition ետք must be used with the ablative)
  • հինգուկէսէն եօթը = "from 5:30 to 7"
  • վեցէն առաջ = "before six" (the postposition առաջ must be used with the ablative)

The same rule follows when we are talking about doing something after a particular activity. Note the following examples:

  • քնանալէ առաջ = "before sleeping"
  • կարդալէ ետք = "after reading"
  • դաս սորվելէն վերջ = "at the end of studying"

Why -իլ verbs are special

For all infinitives that end in -ել or -ալ, we just add -ով without any changes to the unconjugated verb.

For -իլ verbs, however, we must perform an internal transformation on the infinitives before we can add the -ով suffix, like we do in these examples:

  • խօսիլ → խօսելէն = in reference to OR from speaking
  • դաս սորվիլ → դաս սորվելէն = in reference to OR from studying
  • ուսանիլ → ուսանելէն = in reference to OR from pursuing studies

Instrumental infinitive

The instrumental case is a special case that many languages—even when they have case—do not have. It's very commonly used in Western Armenian and in languages like Russian, Basque, and Sanskrit. The instrumental answers the questions in what manner?, by means of, or with what?. It is sometimes also used to answer the questions how long? and how?. In English, the meaning of what Armenian accomplishes with the instrumental case is often reflected by the word "using" or by the following prepositions: with, by, via.

The most commonly used suffix for the instrumental case is -ով that is added maintaining the order of adding suffixes:

  1. Form plural (if necessary)
  2. Add case suffix [often -ով for this case, though other endings are possible with different categories of words]
  3. Add definite article or possessive suffix [if necessary, though this is very rare to see added to a word modified to show its instrumental function]

For our purposes in this unit, we are forming instrumental infinitives that answer the questions "How are you spending your time?" or "In what manner do you spend your time?" → Ինչ հետաքրքրական աշխատանքներո՞վ կ՚անցնես ժամանակդ։

To form the instrumental infinitive, we usually just add the -ով ending on the infinitive, like these examples:

  • ընելով = by doing
  • կարդալով = with/by reading

For all infinitives that end in -ել or -ալ, we just add -ով without any changes to the unconjugated verb.

For -իլ verbs, however, we must perform an internal transformation on the infinitives before we can add the -ով suffix, like we do in these examples:

  • խօսիլ → խօսելով = with/by speaking
  • դաս սորվիլ → դաս սորվելով = with/by studying
  • ուսանիլ → ուսանելով = with/by pursuing studies