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)

(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
(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).

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