Convenience Store

17 phrases · Armenian with romanization, English and audio

  1. Մեկ հաց տվեք, խնդրում եմ։

    Mek hats tvek, khndrum em.

    One loaf of bread, please.

    Usage

    In an Armenian խանութ — the small corner grocery — bread usually sits in a large basket behind the counter rather than on a shelf, so you ask for it. Town shops take deliveries from a nearby bakery morning and afternoon

    Grammar Note

    "Տվեք" is the imperative addressed to դուք, the polite form always used with shop staff; the familiar դու form is "տուր". Note that "հաց" also stands for a meal in general — "հաց ուտել" means to eat a meal

  2. Հացը թարմ է, հենց նոր են բերել։

    Hatsy tarm e, hents nor en berel.

    The bread is fresh — it has only just been delivered.

    Usage

    Said by staff. Shops do not bake, so how recently the delivery came is what determines freshness. Ask "Թա՞րմ է" and this is the reply you get. Day-old bread is sometimes marked down by nearly half

    Grammar Note

    The ending "-ը" works as a definite article: հաց (bread) becomes հացը (the bread); before a vowel it appears as "-ն". A third-person plural with no stated subject is the impersonal "someone has …"

  3. Կես կիլո պանիր կշռեք, խնդրում եմ։

    Kes kilo panir kshrek, khndrum em.

    Please weigh out half a kilo of cheese.

    Usage

    In a small Armenian shop, cheese, butter, olives and dried fruit sit in a glass case and are sold loose by weight. Salty չանախ and the stringy չեչիլ are the everyday choices — point at what you want and state the amount

    Grammar Note

    A quantity expression stands directly before the noun with no linking particle (կես կիլո պանիր = half a kilo of cheese), and the noun stays singular after a numeral

  4. Քանի՞ գրամ։

    Kani gram?

    How many grams?

    Usage

    Said by staff. Any loose-weight order brings this question. Answer with a figure, or gesture and say "Այսքան" (about this much). Staff often cut slightly over and check with "Կարելի՞ է" (is that all right?)

    Grammar Note

    Armenian places its question mark "՞" not at the end of the sentence but over the stressed vowel of the questioned word — here the "ի" of քանի — while the sentence closes with the colon-shaped full stop

  5. Հինգ լիտրանոց ջուր ունե՞ք։

    Hing litranots jur unek?

    Do you have a five-litre bottle of water?

    Usage

    Yerevan's tap water comes from mountain springs and tastes good — you can fill up free at the city's pulpulak drinking fountains — but bottled water is easier if you need a supply at your accommodation. Five- and ten-litre jugs are stocked in every խանութ

    Grammar Note

    The suffix "-անոց" derives adjectives of capacity, value or purpose: լիտրանոց (of one litre), հազարանոց (a thousand-dram note). "Noun + ունե՞ք" is the basic way to ask whether something is in stock

  6. Տոպրակ տա՞մ։

    Toprak tam?

    Shall I give you a bag?

    Usage

    Said by staff. Thin single-use bags are restricted in Armenia, so shops hand out thicker ones for a charge of a few tens of dram, itemised on the receipt. Decline with "Չէ, շնորհակալություն"

    Grammar Note

    "Տամ" is the first-person singular subjunctive of տալ (to give) and expresses an offer, "shall I …?" — compare "Օգնե՞մ" (shall I help?). Politeness here comes from the situation rather than the form, so the brevity is not rude

  7. Տոպրակ պետք չէ, պայուսակ ունեմ։

    Toprak petk che, payusak unem.

    No bag needed, I have a bag with me.

    Usage

    How to decline the chargeable bag. Locals routinely carry a cloth bag, so refusing is entirely ordinary. If you do want one, say "Տոպրակ տվեք, խնդրում եմ"

    Grammar Note

    "Պետք է" means "it is necessary / one must", and its negative is "պետք չէ". "Չէ" is the negated copula and can stand alone as "no"

  8. Մանր չունեմ, փոխարենը մաստակ տա՞մ։

    Manr chunem, pokhareny mastak tam?

    I have no change — shall I give you chewing gum instead?

    Usage

    Said by staff. Small shops run short of 10- and 20-dram coins, so the odd change is sometimes handed back as gum or sweets. To decline, say "Չէ, սպասեմ" (no, I will wait)

    Grammar Note

    The verb ունեմ (to have) negates irregularly by prefixing չ- (չունեմ) instead of the usual "չեմ + participle" pattern. "Մանր" is the adjective "fine, small" used on its own as the noun for coins

  9. Մանր չունեմ, միայն հինգ հազարանոց ունեմ։

    Manr chunem, miayn hing hazaranots unem.

    I have no small money, only a five-thousand-dram note.

    Usage

    Say this up front when all you have is a large note. Early in the day a խանութ has almost nothing in the till, and a 5,000- or 10,000-dram note may send the owner next door to change it. ATMs favour large notes, so break them at a supermarket or the metro when you can

    Grammar Note

    Banknotes are named with "numeral + -անոց": հինգ հազարանոց (5,000-dram note), հարյուրանոց (hundred). The currency name դրամ originally just means "money", and in everyday speech the amount is often given without naming it

  10. Կանխի՞կ, թե՞ քարտով։

    Kankhik, te kartov?

    Cash or card?

    Usage

    Said by staff. Card terminals are now widespread in Yerevan, but small shops in residential streets and in the regions are often cash-only, and terminals can go down with the power or the network. Always keep some cash on you

    Grammar Note

    The ending "-ով" is the instrumental case, "by/with" (քարտ → քարտով). The exclusive "or" between alternatives is "թե", and the question mark is written on both options

  11. Քարտով վճարելու համար նվազագույն գումար կա՞։

    Kartov vcharelu hamar nvazaguyn gumar ka?

    Is there a minimum amount for paying by card?

    Usage

    Small shops dislike card fees and sometimes set their own floor, such as cards only above 1,000 dram. It has no legal basis, so if refused you either pay cash or add something to the basket. Paying by card for a single bottle of water is best avoided

    Grammar Note

    Purpose is expressed with the dative infinitive plus համար: վճարել → վճարելու համար (in order to pay). "Կա" is the existential verb "there is", negated as "չկա"

  12. Հեռախոսի համարը կարո՞ղ եմ այստեղ լիցքավորել։

    Herakhosi hamary karogh em aystegh litskavorel?

    Can I top up my phone number here?

    Usage

    Prepaid SIMs are the norm in Armenia and can be topped up at corner shops or at self-service payment terminals such as Telcell and Easy Pay. Just give the number and the amount — the quickest fix when a tourist SIM runs out of data

    Grammar Note

    "Կարող եմ + infinitive" expresses ability. "Լիցքավորել" derives from լիցք (a charge or load) and covers both charging a battery and topping up a balance

  13. Հիմա չունեք, հետո կբերեք։

    Hima chunek, heto kberek.

    If you have not got it now, bring it later.

    Usage

    Said by staff. Selling on tab — պարտքով, "on debt" — to neighbourhood regulars is still a living custom, and a traveller who has become a familiar face may hear it too. It runs on trust alone, so always settle up next time

    Grammar Note

    The prefix "կ-" marks the future, so "կբերեք" is "you will bring". Framing it as an expectation rather than a command makes the concession sound easy and unforced

  14. Այս կաթի պիտանելիության ժամկետը ե՞րբ է լրանում։

    Ays kati pitaneliutyan zhamkety yerb e lranum?

    When does this milk expire?

    Usage

    Stock turns over slowly in small shops, so dairy can be near its date. Labels read "պիտանելիության ժամկետ" or "պիտանի է մինչև"; even without reading Armenian you can check the date, which is in Arabic numerals. As everywhere, fresher stock sits at the back of the fridge

    Grammar Note

    Possession is shown by putting the first noun in the genitive: կաթ → կաթի, պիտանելիություն → պիտանելիության. The verb լրանալ means "to become full, to expire" and is the standard word for a deadline running out

  15. Ժամը քանիսի՞ն եք փակում։

    Zhamy kanisin ek pakum?

    What time do you close?

    Usage

    Round-the-clock shops are limited to main roads and squares; a խանութ in a residential street usually shuts around eleven at night. Most open on Sundays too, but hours vary from shop to shop, so it is worth asking

    Grammar Note

    The Armenian present tense is formed from the -ում participle plus the auxiliary (փակում եք). In questions the order commonly inverts so that the auxiliary comes first: եք փակում

  16. Աշխատում ենք մինչև գիշերվա տասնմեկը։

    Ashkhatum enk minchev gisherva tasnmeky.

    We are open until eleven at night.

    Usage

    Said by staff. If the shop never closes you will hear "Շուրջօրյա ենք աշխատում" (we are open around the clock). Yerevan has plenty of all-night shops, usually signed simply "24/7"

    Grammar Note

    Times are qualified with the genitive of the part of day: առավոտվա (in the morning), երեկոյան (in the evening), գիշերվա (at night). Like its neighbours, Armenian uses աշխատել (to work) for a shop being open

  17. Թարմ լավաշ ունե՞ք։

    Tarm lavash unek?

    Do you have fresh lavash?

    Usage

    Lavash, the paper-thin Armenian flatbread inscribed on UNESCO's intangible heritage list, is stacked in every խանութ. The classic way to eat it is rolled around cheese and herbs; if it has dried out, a light sprinkle of water brings it back

    Grammar Note

    Armenian adjectives precede the noun and do not decline (թարմ լավաշ = fresh lavash). Asking for "հաց" will normally get you a loaf, so name լավաշ specifically if you want the flatbread

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