-վ-

See also: վ, Վ, and -վ

Armenian

Alternative forms

-ու- (-u-), -ւ- (-w-) — traditional orthography

Pronunciation

(Eastern Armenian) IPA^(key): /v/, [v]
(Western Armenian) IPA^(key): /v/, [v]

(after some consonant clusters:)

(Eastern Armenian) IPA^(key): /əv/, [əv]
(Western Armenian) IPA^(key): /əv/, [əv]

Suffix

-վ- • (-v-)

Infixed in the verb between the stem and ending to create its mediopassive voice.
‎սիրել (sirel, “to like”) + ‎-վ- (-v-) → ‎սիրվել (sirvel, “to be liked”)

‎սկսել (sksel, “(transitive) to begin, to start, to set in motion”) + ‎-վ- (-v-) → ‎սկսվել (sksvel, “(intransitive) to begin, to commence”)

Usage notes

In Old Armenian the mediopassive voice was expressed by changing the ending of the verb to -իմ (-im): սիրեմ (sirem, “I like”), սիրիմ (sirim, “I am liked”).