Eastern Armenian
Armenian has two living literary standards — Eastern and Western. Eastern Armenian is the official language of the Republic of Armenia today, and it's what Haylingua teaches.
Eastern vs. Western Armenian, at a glance
- Official language of Armenia
- Spoken by the majority of Armenian speakers
- Used in Armenia, and by many diaspora communities with roots in the Russian Empire/Iran
- What Haylingua teaches
- Historically spoken in the Ottoman Empire
- Common in diaspora communities (U.S., France, Middle East)
- Different pronunciation of several consonant pairs
- Not yet covered by Haylingua's course
The two share the same 39-letter alphabet and a large amount of vocabulary and grammar — the biggest practical difference for a beginner is pronunciation, especially of the plain vs. puffed-out consonant pairs (see the pronunciation guide).
Questions about Eastern Armenian
It depends on who you'll speak with. Eastern Armenian is the official language of the Republic of Armenia and is spoken by the majority of Armenian speakers worldwide. Western Armenian is more common among diaspora communities with roots in the Ottoman Empire — parts of the U.S., France, and the Middle East.
Largely yes, with practice — the two are close enough that speakers can often follow each other, similar to the relationship between some closely related Romance languages. Vocabulary, some grammar, and especially pronunciation differ enough to cause real confusion at first.
Not yet — Haylingua's course teaches Standard Eastern Armenian. It's a natural foundation even if your family speaks Western Armenian, since the alphabet and a large share of vocabulary and grammar overlap.
Start learning Eastern Armenian today
Free, bite-sized lessons from your first letter to real conversation.