Ways to say it
| Armenian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| որդի | ordi | /voɾˈtʰi/ (Eastern Armenian) /voɾˈti/ (Western Armenian) |
| տղա | tġa | /təˈʁɑ/ (Eastern Armenian) /dəˈʁɑ/ (Western Armenian) |
| զավակ | zavak | /zɑˈvɑk/ (Eastern Armenian) /zɑˈvɑɡ/ (Western Armenian) |
| ուստր | ustr | /ˈustəɾ/ (Eastern Armenian) /ˈusdəɾ/ (Western Armenian) |
In Armenian, several words can be used to refer to a male person in relation to his parents, depending on the intended tone and whether you are referring specifically to a male or to offspring in general.
Which one should you use?
The forms in Armenian differ by their level of formality and specificity. որդի is the formal or literary term for 'son', often used in official contexts or literature. տղա is the most common way to say 'son' in everyday spoken Armenian, though it also literally means 'boy'. զավակ refers to 'offspring' or 'child' in a more general sense and can be used for both sons and daughters. ուստր is another form for son.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of որդի is /voɾˈtʰi/. The sound /v/ is like the [v] in 'van', the sound /tʰ/ is like the [t] in 'top' and the sound /i/ is like the [ea] in 'seat', which is short in duration.
Did you know?
- The distinction between the formal որդի and the common տղա is so sharp that using the former in a casual setting might make you sound like you are reciting a poem or a legal document.
- The word զավակ is sometimes used by parents in a slightly humorous or even derogatory way to refer to their children's 'troublemaking' nature.
- In some traditional Armenian contexts, the term տղա can be used as a friendly or diminutive way to address a younger man, regardless of familial relation.
Examples in context
- Նա քո տղան է:He's your son.This sentence shows how to use տղա to identify someone's son.Tatoeba #13371825 by Proxima5, translation #1114155 by Scott
- Դա Թոմի որդին է:That's Tom's son.This sentence demonstrates the use of որդի to show possession.Tatoeba #12441092 by Proxima5, translation #9271329 by CK
- Քո տղան հանճար է:Your son is a genius.This sentence uses տղա to describe a son's qualities.Tatoeba #13466556 by Proxima5, translation #1527289 by quickfitter
- 47 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a family gathering, Mariam and Tigran are talking about family.
- Մարիամ MariamՔո որդին շատ մեծ է արդեն:Ko vordin shat mets e arden:Your son is very big already.
- Տիգրան TigranԱյո, նա արդեն երիտասարդ է:Ayo, na arden yeritasard e:Yes, he is already a young man.
- Մարիամ MariamՆա շատ նման է քեզ:Na shat nman e kez:He looks a lot like you.
- Տիգրան TigranՇնորհակալություն, դա հաճելի է:Shnorhakalutyun, da hacheli e:Thank you, that is pleasant.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “son” translations and entries որդի, տղա, զավակ, ուստր, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
