կը

See also: կ-

Armenian

Alternative forms

• կ՚- (k’-) — before a vowel
• կու (ku)

Etymology

Inherited from Middle Armenian կու (ku), which first appears in the 12th century and is of uncertain origin. According to Aytənean, from կայ (kay, “stands, is”) +‎ ու (u, “and”).

Pronunciation

• (Eastern Armenian) IPA^(key): /kə/, [kə]
• (Western Armenian) IPA^(key): /ɡə/, [ɡə]

Particle

կը • (kə)

1. (Western Armenian) particle put in front of the verb to form the indicative mood

   կը խօսիմ ― kə xōsim ― I am talking

   կը կարդար ― kə kardar ― he was reading

2. (Eastern Armenian) Traditional orthography spelling of կ- (k-)

Usage notes

In Western Armenian, the form կու (ku) is used with the verbs գալ (gal), տալ (tal), and լալ (lal).

Further reading

• Ačaṙyan, Hračʻya (1959) Liakatar kʻerakanutʻyun hayocʻ lezvi hamematutʻyamb 562 lezuneri [Complete Grammar of the Armenian Language Compared to 562 Languages] (in Armenian), volume 4a, Yerevan: Academy Press, pages 389–395
• Aytənean, Arsēn (1866) Kʻnnakan kʻerakanutʻiwn ašxarhabar kam ardi hayerēn lezui. Kʻerakanutʻiwn [Critical Grammar of the Vernacular or Modern Armenian Language: Grammar], Vienna: Mekhitarist Press, page 77
• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1972) Hay barbaṙagitutʻyan neracutʻyun [Introduction into Armenian Dialectology]‎^[1] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Academy Press, pages 104–105