Wikijunior:Languages/Armenian

What writing system(s) does this language use?
Armenian uses its own Armenian script, which was created during 404-405 AD by a monk named Mesrop Mashtots. It originally had 36 letters, and 3 more were added later on. The alphabet consists of 8 vowels and 31 unique consonants. Each letter of the original alphabet also represented a numerical value, and so the Armenian was also used to show numbers up to 9999. 10000 and more was called byur.

Here is the Armenian alphabet:

Western Armenian:

Eastern Armenian:

How many people speak this language?
Approximately 7 million people, about 3 million of whom live in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

Where is this language spoken?
Armenian is the official language of Armenia and the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. It is also spoken by many people around the world, from Iran, Lebanon, and Syria to France, Georgia, Russia, Bulgaria to Canada, the United States, and Australia.

What are some basic words in this language that I can learn?
Western Armenian:

Բարեւ = Pàrév = Hello/Greetings.

Բարի լոյս, պարոն = Pàree looys, bàron = Good morning, Sir.

Բարի լոյս, տիկին = Pàree looys, deegeen = Good morning, Madam.

Գիշեր բարի = Keesher pàree = Good night.

(Դուք) ինչպէս էք = (Took) eenchbés ek = How are you (polite/plural).

Մերսի/Շնորհակալ եմ, լաւ եմ = Mérsee/Shnorhàgàl yem, làv yem = Thank you, I am well.

Մնաք բարով/Երթաք բարով = Mnàk pàrov/Yertàk pàrov= Good - bye.

Ցտեսութիւն = Tsdesootün= Au revoir!

Աս ինչ է՞ = às eench é = What, this?

Կատու = Gàdoo = Cat.

Շուն = Shoon = Dog.

Ես — կուզեմ = Yés ... goozém = I want/would like ...

Մամա/Մայր = Màmà/Màyr = Mum/Mother.

Պապա/Հայր = Bàbà/Hayr = Dad/Father.

Eastern Armenian:

Բարեւ = Bàrév = Hello/Greetings.

Բարի լոյս, պարոն =Bàree looys, pàron = Good morning, Sir.

Բարի լոյս, տիկին = Bàree looys, teegeen = Good morning, Madam.

Գիշեր բարի = Keeshér pàree = Good night.

(Դուք) ինչպէս էք = (Dook) eenchpés ek = How are you (polite/plural).

Մերսի/Շնորհակալ եմ, լաւ եմ = Mérsee/Shnorhàkàl yem, làv yem = Thank you, I am well.

Մնաք բարով/Երթաք բարով = Mnàk pàrov/Ertàk pàrov = Good - bye.

Ցտեսութիւն = Tstesootün = Au revoir!

Աս ինչ է՞ = às eench é = What, this?

Կատու = Kàdoo = Cat.

Շուն = Shoon = Dog.

Ես — կուզեմ = Yés ... koozém = I want/would like ...

Մամա/Մայր = Màmà/Màyr = Mum/Mother.

Պապա/Հայր = Pàpà/Hayr = Dad/Father.

What is a simple song/poem/story that I can learn in this language?
Here is a poem written by Ghazaros Aghayan, one of children's most favorite authors. It is called Aregak (Արեգակ), which means "the sun".

The poem was later converted to a song. You can listen to it here.