A0 Expressions & Patterns 1 min read Fácil

Asking 'How Are You?': Polite Inquiries

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Practícalo

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Learn to ask 'How are you?' using the most common Armenian phrase: 'Voncs es?'

  • Use 'Voncs es?' for informal friends and family.
  • Use 'Inchpes eq?' for formal or professional settings.
  • Always match the verb ending to the person you are addressing.
How (Voncs/Inchpes) + Are (es/eq) + You?

Verb 'To Be' (Present Tense)

Person Informal Formal
1st (I)
em
em
2nd (You)
es
eq
3rd (He/She)
e
e

Meanings

These phrases are used to inquire about someone's well-being or state of mind.

1

Informal Inquiry

Casual check-in with peers.

“Ո՞նց ես։”

“Ի՞նչ կա-չկա։”

Reference Table

Reference table for Asking 'How Are You?': Polite Inquiries
Form Structure Example
Informal Question
Voncs + es?
Voncs es?
Formal Question
Inchpes + eq?
Inchpes eq?
Informal Answer
Lav em
Lav em
Formal Answer
Lav em, shnorhakalutyun
Lav em, shnorhakalutyun
Negative Answer
Lav chem
Lav chem
Question about things
Voncs en gortserd?
Voncs en gortserd?
Formal inquiry about things
Inchpes en gortserd?
Inchpes en gortserd?

Espectro de formalidad

Formal
Ինչպե՞ս եք։

Ինչպե՞ս եք։ (General)

Neutral
Ո՞նց եք։

Ո՞նց եք։ (General)

Informal
Ո՞նց ես։

Ո՞նց ես։ (General)

Jerga
Ո՞նց ա։

Ո՞նց ա։ (General)

Greeting Map

How are you?

Informal

  • Voncs es? How are you?

Formal

  • Inchpes eq? How are you?
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Ejemplos por nivel

1

Ո՞նց ես։

How are you?

2

Ինչպե՞ս եք։

How are you?

3

Բարև, ո՞նց ես։

Hi, how are you?

4

Բարև ձեզ, ինչպե՞ս եք։

Hello, how are you?

1

Ո՞նց են գործերը։

How are things?

2

Ինչպե՞ս է ձեր օրը։

How is your day?

3

Ո՞նց ես, ընկեր։

How are you, friend?

4

Ինչպե՞ս եք, պարոն։

How are you, sir?

1

Ո՞նց ես, ամեն ինչ լա՞վ է։

How are you, is everything okay?

2

Ինչպե՞ս եք զգում ձեզ։

How are you feeling?

3

Ո՞նց է անցնում օրդ։

How is your day going?

4

Ինչպե՞ս են ընթանում գործերը։

How are things proceeding?

1

Ո՞նց ես, նորություններ կա՞ն։

How are you, any news?

2

Ինչպե՞ս եք, հուսամ ամեն ինչ լավ է։

How are you, I hope all is well.

3

Ո՞նց ես, ինչո՞վ ես զբաղված։

How are you, what are you busy with?

4

Ինչպե՞ս եք, ինչպե՞ս է ընտանիքը։

How are you, how is the family?

1

Ո՞նց ես, ի՞նչ նորություն կա քեզ մոտ։

How are you, what's new with you?

2

Ինչպե՞ս եք, հուսով եմ՝ առողջ եք։

How are you, I hope you are healthy.

3

Ո՞նց ես, վաղուց չենք տեսնվել։

How are you, long time no see.

4

Ինչպե՞ս եք, ուրախ եմ ձեզ տեսնելու համար։

How are you, I am happy to see you.

1

Ո՞նց ես, կյանքդ ո՞նց է։

How are you, how is life?

2

Ինչպե՞ս եք, հուսամ՝ գործերդ հաջող են։

How are you, I hope your affairs are successful.

3

Ո՞նց ես, ինչո՞վ կարող եմ օգնել։

How are you, how can I help?

4

Ինչպե՞ս եք, ի՞նչ նորություններ ունեք։

How are you, what news do you have?

Fácil de confundir

Asking 'How Are You?': Polite Inquiries vs Voncs vs Inchpes

Learners mix informal and formal.

Asking 'How Are You?': Polite Inquiries vs es vs eq

Learners mix singular and plural.

Asking 'How Are You?': Polite Inquiries vs Gortserd vs Gortser

Possessive suffix usage.

Errores comunes

✗

Voncs eq?

✓

Voncs es?

Mixing informal adverb with formal verb.
✗

Inchpes es?

✓

Inchpes eq?

Mixing formal adverb with informal verb.
✗

Voncs?

✓

Voncs es?

Incomplete sentence.
✗

Inchpes?

✓

Inchpes eq?

Incomplete sentence.
✗

Voncs eq gortserd?

✓

Voncs en gortserd?

Incorrect verb conjugation.
✗

Inchpes es gortserd?

✓

Inchpes en gortserd?

Incorrect verb conjugation.
✗

Lav em, voncs es?

✓

Lav em, du voncs es?

Missing pronoun for clarity.
✗

Inchpes es, barekam?

✓

Voncs es, barekam?

Formal adverb with informal friend.
✗

Voncs eq, paron?

✓

Inchpes eq, paron?

Informal adverb with formal title.
✗

Inchpes es?

✓

Inchpes eq?

Register mismatch.
✗

Voncs eq, naxagah?

✓

Inchpes eq, naxagah?

Register mismatch.
✗

Inchpes es, sireli?

✓

Voncs es, sireli?

Register mismatch.
✗

Voncs en dzer gortser?

✓

Inchpes en dzer gortser?

Register mismatch.

Patrones de oraciones

___ ես։

___ եք։

Ո՞նց են ___։

Ինչպե՞ս է ___։

Real World Usage

Texting constant

Voncs es?

Job Interview common

Inchpes eq?

Social Media common

Voncs es?

Meeting Elders constant

Inchpes eq?

Classroom common

Inchpes eq?

Food Delivery occasional

Barev, voncs eq?

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💡

Listen first

Listen to how others greet each other.
⚠️

Don't mix

Never mix informal/formal.
🎯

Use names

Add names for friendliness.
💬

Be patient

Armenians love to talk.

Smart Tips

Always use 'Inchpes eq'.

Voncs es? → Inchpes eq?

Use 'Voncs es'.

Inchpes eq? → Voncs es?

Use 'gortserd'.

Voncs en gortser? → Voncs en gortserd?

Always add 'shnorhakalutyun'.

Lav em. → Lav em, shnorhakalutyun.

Pronunciación

es (ESS), eq (EK)

Stress

Stress the last syllable of the verb.

Rising

Voncs es? ↑

Question

Memorízalo

Mnemotecnia

V-O-N-C-S (Very Open, Nice, Casual, Simple) for friends.

Asociación visual

Imagine a casual 'V' shape for friends and a formal 'I' shape for important people.

Rhyme

Voncs es for a friend, Inchpes eq until the end.

Story

Aram meets his friend and says 'Voncs es?'. Then he meets his boss and says 'Inchpes eq?'. He never mixes them up.

Word Web

VoncsInchpeseseqLavChemGortser

Desafío

Say 'Voncs es' to a friend and 'Inchpes eq' to a teacher today.

Notas culturales

Asking 'How are you?' is a genuine social ritual.

Derived from Old Armenian roots for 'how' and 'to be'.

Inicios de conversación

“

Ո՞նց ես։

“

Ինչպե՞ս եք։

“

Ո՞նց են գործերը։

“

Ինչպե՞ս է անցնում օրդ։

Temas para diario

Write about your day using 'Voncs es'.
Write a formal email to a boss.
Describe a conversation with a friend.
Discuss the importance of greetings.

Errores comunes

Incorrect

Correcto

Incorrect

Correcto

Incorrect

Correcto

Incorrect

Correcto

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Test Yourself

Choose the correct informal greeting. Opción múltiple

___ es?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Voncs is informal.
Choose the correct formal greeting. Opción múltiple

___ eq?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
Inchpes is formal.
Fill in the correct verb.

Voncs ___?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
es is for singular informal.
Fill in the correct verb.

Inchpes ___?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
eq is for formal.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Voncs eq (to friend)?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Use es for friends.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Correct word order.
Match the greeting to the register. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Voncs es is informal.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Voncs es? B: ___

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Lav em is the standard answer.

Score: /8

Ejercicios de practica

8 exercises
Choose the correct informal greeting. Opción múltiple

___ es?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Voncs is informal.
Choose the correct formal greeting. Opción múltiple

___ eq?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
Inchpes is formal.
Fill in the correct verb.

Voncs ___?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
es is for singular informal.
Fill in the correct verb.

Inchpes ___?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
eq is for formal.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Voncs eq (to friend)?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Use es for friends.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

es / Voncs / ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Correct word order.
Match the greeting to the register. Match Pairs

Voncs es - Formal/Informal

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Voncs es is informal.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Voncs es? B: ___

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Lav em is the standard answer.

Score: /8

Preguntas frecuentes (8)

No, it sounds too formal.

It means 'good' or 'well'.

Yes, it is the standard formal form.

Say 'Lav em' (I am well).

No, use 'Inchpes'.

It is the formal verb ending.

Yes, like 'Barev'.

Yes, always ask back.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

Regístrate gratis para practicar

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Como estas?

Spanish has tu/usted, Armenian has es/eq.

French high

Comment allez-vous?

French uses inversion.

German moderate

Wie geht es dir?

German is more complex.

Japanese low

O-genki desu ka?

Japanese is context-heavy.

Arabic moderate

Kayfa haluk?

Arabic is gendered.

Chinese low

Ni hao ma?

Chinese has no conjugation.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Introducing Yourself: My Name Is...
Next
Please and Thank You: Essential Manners

Related Grammar Rules

A2

Imperative for Advice and Suggestions
A0

Hello and Goodbye: Basic Greetings
A0

Introducing Yourself: My Name Is...
A0

Please and Thank You: Essential Manners
A0

Yes, No, and Maybe: Simple Responses
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