A1 Basic Verbs 1 min read Easy

Introducing Verbs: Action Words

Mark as Learned
Practice it

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Armenian verbs change their ending based on who is doing the action; focus on the -um ending for present tense.

  • Use -um for present tense: Yes (I eat) -> Utum em.
  • Add 'em' for 'I': Yes (I eat) -> Utum em.
  • Add 'es' for 'you': Yes (You eat) -> Utum es.
Verb Root + um + (em/es/e/enk/ek/en)

Meanings

The present indicative describes actions happening right now or habitual actions.

1

Ongoing action

Actions happening at the moment of speaking.

“Ես կարդում եմ։”

“Նա քայլում է։”

2

Habitual action

Things you do regularly.

“Ես ամեն օր աշխատում եմ։”

“Նա ամեն առավոտ վազում է։”

Present Tense Conjugation

Person Affirmative Negative Question
I (Yes) Grum em Chem grum Grum em?
You (Du) Grum es Ches grum Grum es?
He/She (Na) Grum e Chi grum Grum e?
We (Menk) Grum enk Chenk grum Grum enk?
You pl. (Duk) Grum ek Chek grum Grum ek?
They (Nrank) Grum en Chen grum Grum en?

Reference Table

Reference table for Introducing Verbs: Action Words
Form Structure Example
Affirmative Root + um + em/es/e... Yes grum em
Negative Chem/Ches/Chi... + Root + um Yes chem grum
Question Root + um + em/es/e...? Yes grum em?
Short Answer (Yes) Ayo, grum em Ayo, grum em
Short Answer (No) Vo, chem grum Vo, chem grum

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Ես ուտում եմ։

Ես ուտում եմ։ (Daily life)

Neutral
Ես ուտում եմ։

Ես ուտում եմ։ (Daily life)

Informal
Ուտում եմ։

Ուտում եմ։ (Daily life)

Slang
Ուտում եմ։

Ուտում եմ։ (Daily life)

Verb Structure

Verb Root

Suffix

  • -um Present marker

Auxiliary

  • em I am
Sign up free to read full explanation

Examples by Level

1

Ես ուտում եմ։

I am eating.

2

Դու գրում ես։

You are writing.

3

Նա քայլում է։

He/she is walking.

4

Մենք խոսում ենք։

We are talking.

1

Ես չեմ ուտում։

I am not eating.

2

Դու գրում ե՞ս։

Are you writing?

3

Նա չի քայլում։

He/she is not walking.

4

Մենք չենք խոսում։

We are not talking.

1

Ես միշտ աշխատում եմ այստեղ։

I always work here.

2

Նա հիմա գիրք է կարդում։

He is reading a book now.

3

Մենք ամեն օր վազում ենք։

We run every day.

4

Դուք հաճախ եք գալիս։

You come often.

1

Ես ուզում եմ հասկանալ քեզ։

I want to understand you.

2

Նա գիտի, թե ինչ է անում։

He knows what he is doing.

3

Մենք կարծում ենք, որ սա ճիշտ է։

We think this is correct.

4

Դուք պետք է իմանաք ճշմարտությունը։

You must know the truth.

1

Այս պահին նա գրում է իր նոր վեպը։

At this moment, he is writing his new novel.

2

Նա հաճախ է հիշում իր մանկությունը։

He often remembers his childhood.

3

Մենք ապրում ենք մի ժամանակաշրջանում, որտեղ ամեն ինչ փոխվում է։

We live in a time where everything changes.

4

Նա ոչինչ չի ասում, բայց ամեն ինչ հասկանում է։

He says nothing, but understands everything.

1

Այս բառը գործածվում է միայն հին գրականության մեջ։

This word is used only in old literature.

2

Նա ինձ նայում է այնպիսի հայացքով, կարծես ամեն ինչ գիտի։

He looks at me with a gaze as if he knows everything.

3

Մենք հաճախ ենք մտորում այն մասին, թե ինչպես է կյանքը հոսում։

We often ponder how life flows.

4

Նա երբեք չի դադարում զարմացնել մեզ իր գիտելիքներով։

He never stops surprising us with his knowledge.

Easily Confused

Introducing Verbs: Action Words vs Past vs Present

Learners mix up the suffixes.

Introducing Verbs: Action Words vs Stative Verbs

Using -um with verbs like 'to know'.

Introducing Verbs: Action Words vs Negative placement

Putting 'chem' after the verb.

Common Mistakes

✗

Yes grum

✓

Yes grum em

Missing auxiliary verb.
✗

Grum chem

✓

Chem grum

Negative particle must come first.
✗

Yes grum es

✓

Yes grum em

Wrong person agreement.
✗

Yes grum-um

✓

Yes grum

Double suffixing.
✗

Yes uzum em գնալ

✓

Yes uzum em gnal

Mixing scripts.
✗

Na grum enk

✓

Na grum e

Subject-verb disagreement.
✗

Chem grum em

✓

Chem grum

Redundant auxiliary.
✗

Yes gitem em

✓

Yes gitem

Stative verbs don't use -um.
✗

Na uzum e gnal

✓

Na uzum e gnal

Correct, but watch for infinitive usage.
✗

Menk xosum en

✓

Menk xosum enk

Ending mismatch.
✗

Na grum e լինում

✓

Na grum e

Over-complicating simple present.
✗

Yes ասում եմ, որ նա գա

✓

Yes ասում եմ, որ նա գա

Subjunctive mood confusion.
✗

Նա ոչինչ չի անում

✓

Նա ոչինչ չի անում

Correct, but watch for double negatives.

Sentence Patterns

Ես ___ եմ։

Դու ___ ես։

Նա ___ է։

Մենք ___ ենք։

Real World Usage

Texting constant

Grum em.

Job Interview very common

Yes ashxatum em...

Ordering Food very common

Uzum em...

Travel common

Gnum em...

Social Media common

Kardum em...

Classroom common

Yes grum em.

Sign up free to see all examples
💡

Drop the pronoun

You don't need to say 'Yes' every time. The verb ending tells you who it is.
⚠️

Don't forget the auxiliary

Always include 'em', 'es', etc. It's not optional.
🎯

Negative first

Remember that 'chem' comes before the verb, not after.
💬

Politeness

Use 'Duk' (plural/formal you) with strangers.

Smart Tips

Only the first verb usually takes the -um form.

Yes uzum em grum em. → Yes uzum em grel.

The negative particle 'ch' attaches to the auxiliary.

Yes grum chem. → Yes chem grum.

The question mark goes on the auxiliary.

Grum es? → Grum e՞s?

Add a time marker like 'amen or' (every day).

Yes vazum em. → Yes amen or vazum em.

Pronunciation

grum-EM

Stress

Stress usually falls on the last syllable of the verb root.

Question

Grum e՞s

Rising intonation at the end.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember: 'Um' is the 'hum' of the action happening now.

Visual Association

Imagine a person standing in the rain. The rain is 'um' falling on them, and they are saying 'em' (I am).

Rhyme

Add -um to the root, then add 'em' to boot!

Story

Armen is sitting at his desk. He is writing (Grum em). He is not sleeping (Chem knum). Is he working? (Grum es?). Yes, he is working.

Word Web

Grum emUzum emKardum emVazum emXosum emQnum em

Challenge

Write 5 sentences about what you are doing right now in 5 minutes.

Cultural Notes

Armenians often drop the pronoun 'Yes' (I) because the verb ending already tells you who is speaking.

The present indicative evolved from a participle construction in Classical Armenian.

Conversation Starters

“

Ի՞նչ ես անում։ (What are you doing?)

“

Դու աշխատո՞ւմ ես։ (Are you working?)

“

Ի՞նչ ես ուզում ուտել։ (What do you want to eat?)

“

Մենք գնո՞ւմ ենք։ (Are we going?)

Journal Prompts

Write 5 things you are doing today.
Describe your daily routine.
What are your friends doing right now?
How does your work change every day?
Sign up free to see all tips

Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

Ես ___ եմ։ (write)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: գրում
Correct present tense form.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

Դու ___ ես։

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ուտում
Correct present tense form.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Ես գրում.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ես գրում եմ
Need auxiliary verb.
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: Ես ուտում եմ
Correct word order.
Translate to Armenian. Translation

I am talking.

Answer starts with: Ես ...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ես խոսում եմ
Correct translation.
Match the person to the auxiliary. Match Pairs

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

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: em
Correct auxiliary.
Conjugate 'to go' (gnal) for 'He'. Conjugation Drill

He ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: գնում է
Correct conjugation.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Ի՞նչ ես անում։ B: Ես ___։

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: աշխատում եմ
First person response.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

Ես ___ եմ։ (write)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: գրում
Correct present tense form.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

Դու ___ ես։

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ուտում
Correct present tense form.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Ես գրում.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ես գրում եմ
Need auxiliary verb.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

եմ / ուտում / Ես

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ես ուտում եմ
Correct word order.
Translate to Armenian. Translation

I am talking.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ես խոսում եմ
Correct translation.
Match the person to the auxiliary. Match Pairs

I -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: em
Correct auxiliary.
Conjugate 'to go' (gnal) for 'He'. Conjugation Drill

He ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: գնում է
Correct conjugation.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Ի՞նչ ես անում։ B: Ես ___։

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: աշխատում եմ
First person response.

Score: /8

FAQ (8)

No, it is often dropped.

Use 'chem', 'ches', etc. before the verb.

No, both use the same form.

The rule is the same.

No, use the future tense.

It is the verb 'to be'.

Yes, but the present tense is mostly regular.

Add a question mark or 'ardyoq'.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

Sign up free to practice

In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

Present indicative

Armenian uses an auxiliary verb + participle.

French moderate

Présent

Armenian is more agglutinative.

German moderate

Präsens

Armenian structure is closer to English 'I am doing'.

Japanese high

Te-iru form

The order of elements is similar.

Arabic low

Present tense

Armenian uses suffixes and auxiliaries.

Chinese moderate

Zai + verb

Armenian conjugates the auxiliary.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Next
Conjugating Regular Verbs: The -ել/-ալ Endings

Related Grammar Rules

A0

The Verb 'To Be' (եմ, ես, է): Present Tense Basics
A0

Simple Commands: Come, Go, Look
A1

Common Irregular Verbs: To Go, To Come
A1

Dative with Verbs: To help, to give
A1

Ablative with Verbs: To receive from
Was this helpful?

Comments (0)

Login to Comment
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!