Armenian is an old and unique language. With 39 letters in the alphabet it is a very rich language. Originally invented by Mesrop Mashtots back in the 5th century (known as the Golden Century for this same purpose), it was not only intended as an alphabet for language use, but cleverly also a numerical system as well as a prayer!

Ok, so the language is not the easiest but to help our guests travel around Armenia with a bit more confidence we have a very short selection of phrases to help. 

Note that in Yerevan you will find most people can speak English (and sometimes other languages). Outside of Yerevan apart from Armenian, Russian is also acceptable. If you know Russian, even if its only a few words – use it! Even some of the common everyday words, the Russian is more commonly used rather than the pure Armenian word. Even some French and even Farsi words are used in conversation as well. So be brave and throw them into conversation it might help.

Basic Conversation

Numbers

Days of the Week

Plan your trip around the holidays and national events to make your experience even richer.

The table below summarises all significant dates for Armenia.

A short point form run down on some of the key events in Armenian history.

• Noah’s Ark landed on Mt Ararat, then part of Armenia. See Genesis 8:4.
• Hayk, one of the great- great grandsons of Noah defeated the Babylonian King’ Bell and established his nation around the Ararat valley around 2429 BC
• 782 B.C. Yerevan city was established (making Yerevan one of the oldest Capital cities in the world today).
• In 301 A.D. Armenia became the first Christian Nation.
• In 405 A.D. Mesrop Mashtots created the unique Armenian Alphabet (also a numerical system, poem and prayer) hence the fifth century is also known as the Golden Century (‘Voske Dar’).
• Series of kingdoms followed for centuries as well as wars with neighbouring non Christian countries invading the only Christian country in the region.
• First major exit of Armenians from Armenia occurred in the 1600’s during the reign of Shah Abass to Iran.
• Armenia was divided between Turkey (Western Armenia) and Persia (Eastern Armenia) in 1639.
• Eastern Armenia joins Russia in 1828.
• The Armenian Genocide took place in 1915 by the Ottoman Turk empire where over 1.5 million Armenians were killed. Many Armenians fled the country and set up new lives in many different countries including, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Iran etc. One of the reasons you will bump into an Armenian today in all four corners of the world!
• Armenia declared independence in 1918 where the government lasted for 2 years before joining the Soviet Regime.
• In the 1940’s the first major influx of Armenians occurred from the diaspora.
• A major earthquake hit Armenia in 1988 devastating the cities of Spitak, Gyumri, and other surrounding cities.
• In 1991 Armenia declared independence after the Soviet collapse.
• 2005 Envoy was established (Well its significant history for us 🙂 )