C1 Idiomatic Expressions 1 min read Difícil

Slang and Colloquialisms

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Pratique

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Mastering Armenian slang requires shifting from formal literary structures to abbreviated, expressive, and often loanword-heavy colloquial speech.

  • Use 'ա' (a) instead of 'է' (e) in certain verb endings for speed.
  • Incorporate common loanwords like 'զավալ' (trouble) or 'դաբրո' (okay).
  • Shorten standard pronouns, e.g., 'ես' becomes 'ս' in rapid speech.
Formal Verb + Slang Particle = Casual Speech

Formal vs. Informal Verb Endings

Formal Informal Meaning
Գնում եմ
Գնում եմ
I am going
Գնում ես
Գնում ես
You are going
Գնում է
Գնում ա
He/She is going
Գնում ենք
Գնում ենք
We are going
Գնում եք
Գնում եք
You are going
Գնում են
Գնում են
They are going

Common Truncations

Full Form Short Form
Ինչպե՞ս
Ո՞նց
Այստեղ
Այստեղ
Այդտեղ
Էնտեղ

Meanings

The use of non-standard, informal vocabulary and grammatical shortcuts typical of daily, unscripted Armenian conversation.

1

Exclamatory Slang

Used to express frustration, surprise, or camaraderie.

“Արա, ի՞նչ ես անում։”

“Վայ, մամա ջան։”

2

Lexical Shortening

Reducing word length for faster articulation.

“Գնացի՞ր (Did you go?) -> Գնացի՞նք (Let's go?)”

“Ինչպե՞ս (How?) -> Ո՞նց (How?)”

Reference Table

Reference table for Slang and Colloquialisms
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Subj + Verb + ա
Լավ ա
Negative
Հեչ + Verb + չի
Հեչ լավ չի
Question
Ո՞նց + Verb
Ո՞նց ես
Response
Հա/Չէ
Հա, դաբրո
Emphasis
Արա + Sentence
Արա, լավ էլի
Dismissal
Հեչ բան
Հեչ բան

Espectro de formalidade

Formal
Ինչպե՞ս եք։

Ինչպե՞ս եք։ (Greeting)

Neutro
Ո՞նց եք։

Ո՞նց եք։ (Greeting)

Informal
Ո՞նց ես։

Ո՞նց ես։ (Greeting)

Gíria
Արա, ի՞նչ կա։

Արա, ի՞նչ կա։ (Greeting)

Slang Usage Map

Armenian Slang

Social

  • Արա Hey/Dude

Action

  • Ջոկել To understand

Exemplos por nível

1

Բարև, ո՞նց ես։

Hello, how are you?

2

Լավ եմ, շնորհակալություն։

I am fine, thank you.

1

Այսօր լավ ա։

Today is good.

2

Ի՞նչ կա։

What's up?

1

Ջոկո՞ւմ ես՝ ինչ եմ ասում։

Do you get what I'm saying?

2

Հեչ բան չկա։

There's nothing going on.

1

Արա, էդ պրոբլեմը լուծվեց։

Hey, that problem got solved.

2

Դաբրո, գնացինք։

Okay, let's go.

1

Մի՛ խառնվիր, ինքը ջոկում ա՝ ինչ ա անում։

Don't interfere, he gets what he's doing.

2

Էդ թեման փակենք, հոգնեցի։

Let's close that topic, I'm tired.

1

Անկեղծ ասած, էդ ամեն ինչը մի քիչ կասկածելի ա։

Honestly, all that is a bit suspicious.

2

Ո՞նց ստացվեց, որ էդպես եղավ։

How did it happen that it turned out that way?

Fácil de confundir

Slang and Colloquialisms vs Formal vs Informal

Mixing registers.

Erros comuns

✗

Արա, բարև

✓

Բարև

Too informal for A1.
✗

Ոնց ես

✓

Ո՞նց ես

Missing the question mark/intonation.
✗

Լավ է

✓

Լավ ա

Too formal.
✗

Ջոկում եմ դու

✓

Ջոկում եմ քեզ

Wrong case usage.
✗

Հեչ լավ է

✓

Հեչ լավ չի

Double negative logic.
✗

Արա, ի՞նչ կա

✓

Ի՞նչ կա

Overusing slang.

Padrões de frases

___ ա

Real World Usage

Texting constant

Ո՞նց ես

💡

Listen first

Listen to how locals speak before using slang.

Smart Tips

Use 'ա' instead of 'է'.

Լավ է → Լավ ա

Pronúncia

Ո՞նց ես↗

Intonation

Slang often has a rising intonation at the end.

Casual Question

Ո՞նց ա↗

Friendly inquiry

Memorize

Mnemônico

Think of 'Արա' as 'Hey' and 'Ջոկել' as 'Joking/Getting it'.

Associação visual

Imagine a street in Yerevan with friends laughing and using these words.

Rhyme

Ո՞նց ես, լավ ես, ջոկո՞ւմ ես։

Story

Aram walked into the cafe. 'Արա, ո՞նց ես?' he asked. His friend replied, 'Ջոկում եմ, ամեն ինչ լավ ա!'

Word Web

ԱրաՋոկելԴաբրոՀեչՈ՞նց

Desafio

Try to use 'Ո՞նց ես' instead of 'Ինչպե՞ս ես' today.

Notas culturais

Yerevan slang is heavily influenced by Russian and is very expressive.

Slang evolved from the need for rapid communication in urban centers.

Iniciadores de conversa

“

Ո՞նց ես, ի՞նչ կա։

Temas para diário

Describe your day using slang.

Erros comuns

Incorrect

Correto

Incorrect

Correto

Incorrect

Correto

Incorrect

Correto

Test Yourself

Select the informal version. Múltipla escolha

How are you?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
Ո՞նց ես is informal.

Score: /1

Exercicios praticos

1 exercises
Select the informal version. Múltipla escolha

How are you?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
Ո՞նց ես is informal.

Score: /1

Perguntas frequentes (1)

Only if used in the wrong context.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Jerga

Armenian slang is more verb-based.

French high

Argot

French uses verlan (inversion).

German moderate

Umgangssprache

German is more structured.

Japanese moderate

Zokugo

Japanese uses honorifics.

Arabic high

Ammiya

Arabic dialects are more distinct.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Translating Idioms: Challenges and Strategies

Related Grammar Rules

B2

Case Usage in Fixed Expressions
C1

Translating Idioms: Challenges and Strategies
C1

Common Armenian Idioms: Figurative Language
B2

Idiomatic Meanings of Compound Verbs
C1

Proverbs and Sayings: Cultural Wisdom
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