4 Reasons why Armenian is easier than you think to learn
We might be biased, but if you ask us whether it’s difficult to learn Armenian, the answer is no! At Tun Online Armenian School, we teach Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian to beginners all over the world (in 28 countries to be exact), and we’ve perfected our methodologies to make the learning process simple, long-lasting and fun, so that you can learn to speak Armenian easily, even if it is not your native language.
If you’re new to Armenian, or if you haven’t tried to speak an other language before, here are some reasons why the Armenian language is an easy language to learn, particularly for English speakers:
- Armenian has a unique alphabet, and each letter is always pronounced the same. In the English alphabet, the letter ‘A’ is pronounced differently in the word ‘apple’, ‘car’ and ‘haven’. But in the Armenian language, there is only one pronunciation for the letter ‘A’: ‘ah’. This is the same for all letters in the Armenian alphabet – context doesn’t change pronunciation in Armenian speech, so this is a great place to start if you want to learn the Armenian language.
- Many words are used regularly in both Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian spoken language, and this is the same in other languages too. This means that when you start learning Armenian, you’ll be able to converse with Armenian speakers almost right away. Basic words like ‘hello’ (parev/barev) are a great starting point if you want to learn Armenian, and you can pick up new vocabulary and start speaking Armenian relatively quickly, even without an Armenian dictionary!
- Word order in Armenian is fairly flexible, and you can usually get by using fewer words than you would in the English language. One fun fact is that in the Armenian language, it’s gramatically correct to say ‘am shopping’, or ‘am running’, instead of ‘I am shopping’ or ‘I am running’. This is true in both Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian, and is something students often enjoy learning when they join our online Armenian classes.
- You can always find people to practice with! When you join Tun Online Armenian School, you also have free access to the Armenian Social Network, which means you can practice speaking Armenian with both Eastern and Western Armenian speakers all around the world. This is a great supplement to Armenian classes, because it means you can learn Armenian by practicing with English speakers and others of Armenian descent, make friends, learn about different cultures, and practice the Armenian language while discussing topics in everyday life.
Understanding the Armenian Language
The Armenian language is a unique and ancient language that belongs to the Indo-European language family. It has its own distinct alphabet, grammar, and vocabulary, which can make things interesting for learners – and we’d recommend joining online Armenian classes to help you learn Armenian, at least in the beginning. If you want to learn the language, Tun Online Armenian School allows students to try one month of Armenian classes for free, and you’ll learn the Armenian alphabet, Armenian script, new words, grammar rules, some classical Armenian, and you can choose between the two dialects: the Eastern (or Yerevan dialect) spoken by Armenians living in Armenia, and the Western dialect, which have slightly different rules.
Approximately 6-8 million people speak Armenian around the world, with the majority residing outside of Armenia. The diaspora speak Western Armenian and Eastern Armenian, as well as other minor dialects.
4 Myths about learning the Armenian Language
Armenian is not a hard language to learn. And though the Armenian language does have its own alphabet, it is actually relatively easy for beginners to pick up if you join an Armenian online language class or two. Here is a post from Tun Online Armenian School’s Instagram account, explaining why Armenian is NOT one of the hardest languages to learn:
The Armenian Alphabet
The Armenian alphabet consists of 39 letters and is considered one of the most unique alphabets in the world. Each letter in the Armenian alphabet has a distinct sound and pronunciation, and mostly aligns with pronunciation in English language, with a few exceptions. The Armenian alphabet is common to both the Eastern and Western dialects, though pronunciation of some letters does differ between them. And though some of the letters may look foreign at first, there are a few which have the same look and pronunciation as we’re used to in English:
Now you know the Armenian alphabet doesn’t have hard pronunciation!
Dialects of Armenian
Eastern Armenian is spoken by the majority of the population in Armenia, and when you visit you’ll often hear many Russian words and influences from the Soviet Union, too. Both Eastern and Western Armenian is spoken by Armenian communities in the diaspora, particularly in the United States, Europe, Australia and the Middle East.
The two Armenian dialects are part of the same language family, but have distinct differences in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar, but are mutually intelligible to a certain extent. Both language dialects evolved from classical or literary Armenian, and Western Armenian is considered an endangered language, with efforts being made to preserve and promote its use.
Typically, learners choose to focus on one dialect when learning the Armenian language – either Eastern or Western Armenian, and this makes language learning easier, especially when you’re becoming familiar with a new alphabet for the first time!
Grammatical Structure
Armenian grammar has several unique features, including a system of cases and verb conjugations. The Armenian language has no grammatical gender, but has a system of verb tenses and moods that is similar to other languages in the Indo European family.
The language also has a rich tradition of idiomatic expressions and proverbs, which can be humorous to for non-native speakers when they are learning the Armenian language.
Tun Online Armenian School offers a variety of Masterclasses on Grammar in the Armenian language, including:
- Online Masterclass: Sentence Structure and Word Order in the Armenian language
- Online Masterclass: Suffixes in the Armenian language
- Online Masterclass: Verb Conjugations (Past, Present, Future Tense) in the Armenian language
- Online Masterclass: Reading and Writing in Eastern and Western Armenian
Tips for Learning Armenian
- Start by learning the Armenian alphabet and practicing pronunciation
- Immerse yourself in the language by listening to Armenian music, watching Armenian movies, and speaking with native speakers via a platform like the Armenian Social Network. If you’re confident, communicate using English letters, and the Armenian alphabet, too
- Take Armenian classes to improve your grammar and vocabulary, learn new Armenian words, and understand the differences between the two dialects
- Use language learning apps and resources, such as Armenian language courses and Armenian classes offered by Tun Online Armenian School, to supplement your language learning
Cultural Context and History
Armenian culture is rich and diverse. The language is closely tied to Armenian identity and is an important part of the country’s cultural heritage.
Understanding the cultural context and history of the language can help learners appreciate its nuances and complexities. Armenian literature, music, and art are all closely tied to the language and offer a wealth of cultural insights and inspiration, as well as practice when learning the language.
Final Thoughts
Learning new languages can be a challenging but rewarding experience, and learning Armenian offers a unique window into the culture and history of Armenia, for Armenians and non-Armenians alike.
Whether you’re interested in Armenian language and culture for personal or professional reasons, there’s never been a better time to start learning the Armenian language, and with the right resources and support, anyone can learn to speak and understand Armenian.
So don’t hold back! Armenian is not a language that is hard to learn. Once you start, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you progress. If you want to learn Armenian speaking, reading, writing or alphabet, we’d recommend joining an Armenian language class like Tun Online Armenian School. You can try one month free, and you’ll have access to video lessons, quizzes, downloadable worksheets, entertaining games and audio. You’ll learn the Armenian alphabet, pronunciation, vocabulary, and other nuances of the languages, so you can become an Armenian languages expert in no time.
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