One of the best things about the contest for Eurovision fans is getting to visit new countries, explore new host cities and experience new cultures. This of course is no different for Junior Eurovision and the Eurovision Ireland team are having a fantastic time exploring Armenia and its stunning capital Yerevan. Travel also means being exposed to new languages, and they’ve been trying their best to get to grips with Armenian.

Are you coming to Junior Eurovision this year? Want to learn a little Armenian to make your time in Yerevan run more smoothly but not sure where to start? You’re in luck! Eurovision Ireland’s resident linguist and travel buff James has just what you need for a crash course in Armenian!

An Indo-European language distantly related to the likes of English, French and Greek, the most immediate thing foreigners notice about Armenian is the script – indeed, Armenian uses its very own alphabet and has done so since around the 5th century. While the Latin alphabet (the script we use to write English!) shares some similarities with Greek and Cyrillic, at a first glance the shapes of Armenian look completely alien – which is both part of its charm but also makes it daunting and difficult to make headway with. But before you panic, James has included a transliteration (posh was of saying “he’s swapped the Armenian letters for Latin ones with the same sounds”) for each phrase to help you pronounce them.

Here are some phrases in Armenian to help you navigate Yerevan and get the most out of your time at the Junior Eurovision 2022. Though James isn’t a native speaker of Armenian, he’s done his best to ensure these phrases are accurate and (mostly) helpful – if you’re interested in learning more words and phrases in Armenian, take a look at Europe in a Day’s website for everything from Happy Birthday to Bigfoot in 50 languages!

If you are Armenian or Armenian-speaking and spot any mistakes, please do get in touch to let us know!

So let’s go! Գնացինք! (gnats-ink!)

USEFUL ARMENIAN PHRASES/ Օգտակար հայերեն արտահայտություններ

Hello = ԲարևՁեզ (ba-rev-dyez)

Goodbye = Ց’տեսություն (tste-su-tyun)

Yes = Այո՛ (ayo)

No = Ոչ (voch)

Thank You = շնորհակալություն (shnor-ha-ka-lu-tyun)*

How much is it? = Ի՞նչ արժե: (inch ar-zhey)

Do you speak English? = Անգլերեն խոսո՞ւմ եք: (ang-le-ren kho-sum yek)

I understand = Ես հասկանում եմ:  (yes has-kan-num yem)

I don’t understand = Չեմ հասկանում: (chem has-kan-num)

Bon appetite! = Բարի’ ախորժակ՜(ba-ree ah-khor-zhak)

Where is…? = Որտեղ է…։ (vor-tegh eh)

Do you have a flag? = Դրոշ ունե՞ք։ (drosh oo-nek)

Who is going to win? = Ով կհաղթի: (ov kha-ghtee)

Good luck! = Հաջողություն՜ (ha-cho-ghu-tyun)

• շնորհակալություն for thank you is, we think you’ll agree, quite a mouthful! Thankfully, Armenians also use the much more manageable մերսի (mer-si) (like French!) to express their gratitude.

USELESS ARMENIAN PHRASES / Անպետք հայերեն արտահայտություններ

My hovercraft is full of eels = Իմ օդաթիռը լի է օձաձկերով (im odat-iree li eh od-zaj-keh-rov)

Are you a witch?! = Դուք կախարդ եք:՜ (duk ka-khard yek)

Has anyone seen Staggy? = Ինչ-որ մեկը տեսե՞լ է Staggy-ին: (inch-vor me-kee teh-sel eh sta-gee-in)

The air con is exacerbating my skin condition = Օդորակիչը սրում է իմ մաշկի վիճակը (odo-ra-kich-e srum e im mash-ki vi-cha-kee)

Beef or cow? = Տավարի միս կամ կովի: (ta-va-ree mis kam ko-vee)

I’ll put a blanket over your head and you won’t like it! = ես կդնեմ մի վերմակ գագաթին քո գլուխը և դա քեզ դուր չի գա՜ (yes kud-nem mi ver-mak ga-ga-tin kvo glukh-ee yev kez dur chi ga)

The hen brought water from the sea to her thirsty chick = Ծիտը ծովից ջուր բերեց իր ճուտին ծարավ, (tsi-tee tso-vits jur be-rets ir chu-tin tsa-rav)

Author: James Scanlan

Source: Eurovision Ireland, Omniglot

Image Source: etsy.co.uk/