Learn Armenian handwriting with our guide to the handwritten Armenian alphabet. See Armenian letters in print, handwriting and cursive, with tips for writing Armenian.

Armenian Handwriting: How to Write the Armenian Alphabet

If you’ve learned to recognise the Armenian alphabet on a screen or in a book, you may notice something surprising when you first see Armenian handwriting: the letters can look quite different.

Just as handwritten English develops loops, joins and simplified letter shapes, handwritten Armenian has its own natural forms. Some closely resemble printed Armenian script, while others change considerably when written quickly or in cursive.

This guide introduces the Armenian handwriting alphabet, explains the difference between printed and handwritten Armenian letters, and offers practical advice for learning to write Armenian naturally.

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What does Armenian handwriting look like?

Modern Armenian is written using its own distinctive writing system, the Armenian script.

The Armenian alphabet was developed in the early fifth century and is traditionally attributed to Mesrop Mashtots. Modern Armenian has 39 letters and is written from left to right.

When you first learn Armenian, you’ll usually encounter printed forms such as:

Ա Բ Գ Դ Ե Զ Է Ը Թ Ժ

or their lowercase equivalents:

ա բ գ դ ե զ է ը թ ժ

But these aren’t necessarily exactly how an Armenian speaker will form each letter when writing a shopping list, taking notes or writing a card.

Armenian letters handwritten naturally become more fluid. Strokes can be simplified, curves become more prominent and experienced writers may connect or partially connect letters.

This is why learning to recognise both printed Armenian and Armenian alphabet handwriting is useful if you want to become a confident reader and writer.

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The Armenian Handwriting Alphabet

When learning Armenian handwriting, it’s useful to study four forms of each letter together:

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Printed vs handwritten Armenian

Printed Armenian script is highly standardised. The Armenian you see in books, websites and digital interfaces is created using typefaces designed to make individual characters clear and consistent.

Handwriting is naturally more variable.

A person’s Armenian alphabet handwriting can change according to their education, age, writing speed, region and individual style. The same letter may therefore look slightly different when written by two Armenian speakers.

Think about the English lowercase letter a. The printed a commonly seen in typefaces doesn’t necessarily resemble the way someone writes an a with a pen.

The same principle applies to Armenian.

That’s why learners should focus on recognising the essential shape and strokes of a letter, rather than expecting every handwritten character to look identical.

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Armenian Cursive Letters

As Armenian handwriting becomes faster and more fluid, writers may use forms commonly described as Armenian cursive letters.

Cursive doesn’t necessarily mean that every Armenian letter must be joined to the next. Instead, everyday handwriting may use smoother movements, simplified forms and connections that make it possible to write more quickly.

When looking at Armenian letters in cursive, you may notice:

• more rounded and flowing shapes
• simplified strokes
• fewer pen lifts
• occasional connections between neighbouring characters
• individual variations between writers

For learners, this can initially make Armenian cursive harder to read than printed Armenian.

The solution is exposure.

Once you regularly compare the printed and handwritten versions of the same words, the differences become increasingly familiar.

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Armenian Alphabet: Handwritten vs Cursive

It’s useful to distinguish handwritten Armenian from highly stylised cursive or calligraphy.

Everyday Armenian handwriting

This is the Armenian someone might use when writing a note, completing a form or working in a notebook. Letters are generally written quickly and for practical communication.

Armenian cursive

Cursive writing tends to be more fluid, with letters potentially becoming more connected or simplified.

Armenian calligraphy

Armenian alphabet calligraphy is concerned with the artistic presentation of Armenian lettering. Letters may be deliberately embellished, elongated or constructed using decorative strokes.

Calligraphy can be beautiful, but it isn’t necessarily the best model for a beginner learning everyday Armenian handwriting.

If your goal is to communicate naturally, learn clear everyday handwriting first. You can explore calligraphy once you’re comfortable forming the letters.

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How to Learn Armenian Alphabet Handwriting

Learning the Armenian alphabet handwritten is much easier when you practise systematically rather than repeatedly copying the entire alphabet.

1. Learn a few letters at a time

Start with a small group of Armenian letters.

Look at the printed uppercase and lowercase versions alongside authentic handwritten examples.

Practise each one slowly before attempting to write it naturally.

2. Pay attention to stroke direction

Don’t just look at the finished character.

Watch how the Armenian letter is formed: where the pen begins, which direction it moves and when it leaves the page.

Animated stroke-order examples can be particularly useful here.

3. Practise lowercase letters first

Uppercase Armenian is important, but most of the Armenian written language you’ll encounter consists predominantly of lowercase letters.

Spend more of your practice time learning to write lowercase Armenian comfortably.

4. Move from letters to words

Once you know a few characters, don’t continue practising them only in isolation.

Start writing real Armenian words.

Seeing letters beside one another helps you develop natural spacing and prepares you to recognise the same characters in other people’s handwriting.

5. Progress to complete sentences

Eventually, practise writing complete Armenian sentences.

At this point, your objective should gradually shift from producing a perfectly drawn character to developing clear, comfortable and consistent Armenian handwriting.

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How to Practise Handwritten Armenian

A simple practice routine might look like this:

Step 1 — Look

Study the printed and handwritten version of a letter.

Step 2 — Trace

Trace the handwritten letter several times to understand its movement.

Step 3 — Copy

Write the character yourself while looking at the example.

Step 4 — Recall

Cover the example and try writing it from memory.

Step 5 — Use

Write several Armenian words containing the letter.

Step 6 — Read

Find examples of the same character in authentic handwritten Armenian and practise identifying it.

This moves you from recognising a character to actually being able to use it.

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Eastern and Western Armenian Handwriting

Eastern and Western Armenian use the same fundamental Armenian language script, so you don’t need to learn an entirely different handwriting system for each.

The larger differences between Eastern and Western Armenian involve pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar and orthographic conventions rather than two completely separate sets of handwritten characters.

However, the Armenian that individuals write may reflect the orthographic conventions they use.

This is particularly relevant for diaspora learners studying Western Armenian and learners studying the Eastern Armenian used in the Republic of Armenia.

If you’re learning Armenian through family or community connections, it can be particularly valuable to practise reading the handwriting of relatives. You’ll encounter both authentic Armenian and the personal variations that naturally occur in handwriting.

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Is Armenian Handwriting Difficult to Learn?

It can look difficult initially because most English-speaking learners aren’t accustomed to the shapes of Armenian script.

But you don’t need to master all 39 letters at once.

As you begin recognising recurring shapes, handwritten Armenian becomes much less intimidating. Eventually, you stop seeing unfamiliar symbols and begin automatically recognising letters, words and phrases.

The objective also isn’t to make your handwriting look exactly like somebody else’s.

Good Armenian handwriting should primarily be legible, consistent and comfortable to produce.

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Armenian Alphabet Calligraphy

Armenian has a rich tradition of decorative lettering, particularly in manuscripts, religious works, inscriptions and artistic design.

Today, Armenian alphabet calligraphy continues to provide artists and designers with opportunities to explore the distinctive shapes of Armenian characters.

If you’re interested in Armenian calligraphy, learning standard letter construction first will give you a useful foundation.

From there, you can experiment with different:

• pen widths
• stroke weights
• letter proportions
• spacing
• decorative forms
• traditional and contemporary styles

Remember that artistic Armenian lettering may intentionally depart from ordinary handwriting. A beautiful calligraphic character isn’t necessarily how you should form the same letter when writing an everyday sentence.

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Can I Type Armenian Instead of Handwriting It?

Yes. If you want to write Armenian digitally, you can use an Armenian online keyboard instead of handwriting the characters.

This is also useful while you’re learning the alphabet.

For example, you can practice a letter by hand and then locate the same character on an Armenian keyboard. You can build words digitally, hear their pronunciation and compare what you’ve written with the standard Armenian character.

Practice with our free Armenian Keyboard →

No Armenian keyboard needs to be installed.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Armenian Handwriting

Does Armenian have cursive writing?

Yes. Armenian can be handwritten in fluid or cursive styles. Armenian cursive letters may look different from their standard printed forms and can vary between individual writers.

Is the Armenian handwritten alphabet different from the printed alphabet?

It’s the same alphabet, but Armenian letters handwritten can take on more fluid or simplified forms. Learners should therefore become familiar with both printed and handwritten characters.

How many handwritten Armenian letters are there?

Modern Armenian has 39 letters. Each can be handwritten, with uppercase and lowercase forms.

Is Armenian handwriting written from right to left?

No. Armenian script is written from left to right, including when it is handwritten.

Is Armenian handwriting different in Eastern and Western Armenian?

Eastern and Western Armenian use the same fundamental Armenian alphabet. However, differences in orthography and individual handwriting traditions can affect the Armenian you encounter in practice.

How can I practise Armenian handwriting?

Start by learning a few characters at a time. Trace them, copy them without tracing, write them from memory and then use the letters in complete Armenian words. Handwriting worksheets with stroke guidance are particularly useful for beginners.

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Learn to Read, Write and Type Armenian

Learning the Armenian handwritten alphabet gives you another way to connect with the language.

Start by recognising printed Armenian letters. Learn how those letters change in everyday handwriting. Practise forming them yourself. Then begin writing words and complete sentences.

And when you want to practise digitally, use our free Armenian keyboard to type Armenian directly in your browser.

Open the Armenian Keyboard →

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