Armenian Phrases

Last updated: 12 November 2026· Facts checked November 2026

These Armenian phrases will get a traveller through greetings, shops, cafés and taxis. In Armenian, “hello” is barev (Բարև), or barev dzez (Բարև ձեզ) to be polite. “Thank you” is shnorhakalutyun (Շնորհակալություն), though in everyday speech many people simply say merci (Մերսի).

The 25 phrases below are in Eastern Armenian, the standard spoken in Armenia. Also, each comes with the Armenian script, a simple English pronunciation guide and a note on when to use it. Learn five or six, and people will notice the effort.

In this guide · 6 sections

• 25 Armenian Phrases for Travellers
• Food and Drink Words
• Numbers 1 to 10
• How to Pronounce Armenian Phrases
• Russian and English in Armenia
• Western Armenian: What Changes

25 Armenian Phrases for Travellers

Stressed syllables are in capitals. In fact, in Armenian, the stress almost always falls on the last syllable of a word, so when in doubt, lean on the end.

#	English	Armenian	Say it	Notes
1	Hello (informal)	Բարև	ba-REV	To a friend or someone your age
2	Hello (polite)	Բարև ձեզ	ba-REV dzez	Safe with everyone
3	Good morning	Բարի լույս	ba-REE looys	Literally “good light”
4	Good evening	Բարի երեկո	ba-REE ye-re-KO
5	Goodbye	Ցտեսություն	tsuh-te-soo-TYOON	The standard goodbye
6	Bye (good luck)	Հաջողություն	ha-jo-ghoo-TYOON	Literally “success”; a very common goodbye
7	Thank you	Շնորհակալություն	shnor-ha-ka-loo-TYOON	The standard, polite word
8	Thanks	Մերսի	mer-SEE	From French; informal
9	Please / You’re welcome	Խնդրեմ	khuhn-TREM	One word does both jobs
10	Please (fuller form)	Խնդրում եմ	khuhn-TROOM em	Common at the end of a request
11	Yes	Այո	a-YO	Casual: Հա (ha)
12	No	Ոչ	voch	Casual: Չէ (cheh)
13	Excuse me (to get attention)	Կներեք	kuh-ne-REK	Polite form
14	Sorry	Ներողություն	ne-ro-ghoo-TYOON	“gh” is a throaty sound, like a French “r”
15	How are you?	Ինչպե՞ս եք	inch-PES ek	Polite form
16	I’m fine	Լավ եմ	LAV em
17	My name is …	Իմ անունը … է	im a-NOO-nuh … eh	Put your name in the gap
18	I don’t understand	Չեմ հասկանում	chem has-ka-NOOM
19	Do you speak English?	Դուք անգլերեն խոսո՞ւմ եք	dook an-gle-REN kho-SOOM ek	Polite form
20	How much is it?	Ի՞նչ արժե	inch ar-ZHEH	“zh” as in “measure”
21	Where is …?	Որտե՞ղ է …	vor-TEGH eh
22	Where is the toilet?	Որտե՞ղ է զուգարանը	vor-TEGH eh zoo-ga-RA-nuh
23	The bill, please	Հաշիվը, խնդրում եմ	ha-SHEE-vuh, khuhn-TROOM em
24	Very tasty	Շատ համեղ է	shat ha-MEGH eh	A compliment to the cook
25	Help!	Օգնություն	ok-noo-TYOON	For emergencies

Thank You: Shnorhakalutyun or Merci?

Both are correct. Shnorhakalutyun is the standard, polite word and the right choice in writing and formal settings. Merci came into Armenian from French and is informal, but you will hear it all the time. “Thank you very much” is shat shnorhakalutyun (Շատ շնորհակալություն), where shat means “very”.

Please and You’re Welcome: Khndrem

Khndrem is the handiest word on the list. Say it when you ask for something, and say it back when someone thanks you. The fuller khndrum em also means “please”, and you will often hear it at the end of a request, as in row 23.

Toasts: Kenats

The Armenian word for a toast is kenats (կենաց). It comes from the classical Armenian for “of life”, so every toast is, in a sense, to life. To raise a glass to one person you know well, say kenatsd (կենա՛ցդ). In company, the polite dzer kenatsuh (Ձեր կենացը, literally “your toast”) is safe with everyone.

One word, khndrem, means both “please” and “you’re welcome”, so it is the first one to learn.

Food and Drink Words

These words cover most menus. For what to order, see our guide to Armenian cuisine.

English	Armenian	Say it
Water	ջուր	joor
Bread	հաց	hats
Coffee	սուրճ	soorch
Tea	թեյ	tey
Wine	գինի	gee-NEE
Beer	գարեջուր	ga-re-JOOR
Cheese	պանիր	pa-NEER
Barbecue	խորոված	kho-ro-VATS
Menu	մենյու	men-YOO

Khorovats is the word for grilled meat on skewers; read more in our khorovats guide. If you are invited to a home, expect to be fed generously. A heartfelt “shat hamegh e” will be well received.

Numbers 1 to 10

Numbers help with prices, bus numbers and market shopping.

Number	Armenian	Say it
1	մեկ	mek
2	երկու	yer-KOO
3	երեք	ye-REK
4	չորս	chors
5	հինգ	hing
6	վեց	vets
7	յոթ	yot
8	ութ	oot
9	ինը	EE-nuh
10	տաս (written տասը)	tas

How to Pronounce Armenian Phrases

• Stress the last syllable – ba-REV, mer-SEE, ye-re-KO.
• “kh” – the rough sound in Scottish “loch”; “gh” is a softer, gargled sound, like a French “r”.
• “uh” – a short neutral vowel, as in the “a” of “about”. It is often not written between consonants but is still said, which is why խնդրեմ sounds like “khuhn-trem”.
• The ending -ություն – sounds like “-oo-tyoon”, with a soft “t” followed by “yoon”, as in shnorhakalutyun.
• Three kinds of p, t, k and ch – Armenian has plain, aspirated (with a puff of air) and voiced versions. Visitors are understood without mastering this.
• “e” at the start of a word – usually said “ye”, as in yerek (three) and Yerevan.

Reading signs is easier once you know a few letters. Start with our introduction to the Armenian alphabet, and our guide to the Armenian language explains where these words come from.

Russian and English in Armenia

Armenian is the only official language, but Russian is widely understood. However, in the 2011 census, about 53% of Armenia’s population said they spoke Russian as a second language. So if your Armenian runs out, Russian will often work.

English is much less widespread, so don’t count on it everywhere, especially outside Yerevan. In any case, a few Armenian words always make a good impression.

Armenian has a polite “you” and a familiar “you”. With strangers and older people, use the polite forms in this list.

The polite forms here are barev dzez, inchpes ek, dook … khosum ek and knerek. Today, nobody will be offended by too much politeness.

Western Armenian: What Changes

Many diaspora Armenians speak Western Armenian, the standard of the communities whose families came from Western Armenia, in today’s Turkey. As a result, the two standards are largely mutually understandable. However, some consonants swap places.

For example, Eastern barev sounds like parev in Western Armenian, and shnorhakalutyun becomes shnorhagalutyun. Western speakers also use hajis (հաճիս) for “please”. Western Armenian keeps the older, classical spelling too, so “thank you” is written շնորհակալութիւն.

So, before your trip, try saying barev dzez, merci and khndrem out loud a few times. For example, then use them in Armenia at the first café you visit, and watch the smiles.

Questions Visitors Ask

Sources

• Armenian phrasebook, Wikivoyage (read 9 November 2026)
• Wiktionary entries with Eastern and Western pronunciation for every word in the tables, and its English phrasebook entries (hello, thank you, please, how are you, do you speak English, where is the toilet, cheers) (read 9 November 2026)
• Hello in Armenian and other useful phrases, Armenian Explorer (read 9 November 2026)
• Armenian travel phrases, Preply (read 9 November 2026)
• Armenian alphabet, Encyclopaedia Britannica (search excerpt, read 9 November 2026)
• Russian in Armenia, UNESCO World Atlas of Languages (2011 census figures; read 9 November 2026)
• Languages of Armenia and Western Armenian, Wikipedia (second source only; read 9 November 2026)

In addition, you only need a handful of phrases on the first day. For example, hello, thank you and how much will cover a market stop. As a result, people usually smile and help. Meanwhile, Russian still works if the Armenian runs out. Therefore, do not worry about a perfect accent. Moreover, the spelling follows the sound once you know the letters. However, a few letters take practice. In fact, reading a shop sign is a good first test. Today, even a short greeting makes the conversation easier. Also, try the words at the first café. Besides, a smile covers a small mistake. Likewise, shopkeepers usually repeat the price slowly.

Discover more of Armenia’s language, food and traditions on iArmenia.