The Armenian language
Learn about the Armenian alphabet and the Eastern and Western Armenian varieties.
A distinct branch
Armenian forms its own branch of the Indo-European language family. Classical Armenian, also called Grabar, is the language of many early written works and continues to be used in the liturgy of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
The Armenian alphabet
Mesrop Mashtots developed the Armenian script in the early fifth century. The original alphabet had 36 letters. It enabled the translation of the Bible into Armenian and helped establish an Armenian literary tradition.
Eastern and Western Armenian
Eastern Armenian is the standard used in the Republic of Armenia and is also spoken in communities such as those in Iran. Western Armenian developed among Armenians in the Ottoman Empire and is still used in many diaspora communities. The two standards share a script and differ in pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary.