If there’s one thing you need to know about Armenian culture, it’s that we take our hospitality seriously.

There’s an old Armenian saying:

“A guest is a gift from God.”

When you visit Armenia, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll be invited into someone’s home. Whether it’s a neighbor, a new friend, or a distant relative, you’ll be treated like royalty. They’ll feed you until you can’t move, pour you endless cups of coffee, and make you feel like part of the family.

To help you navigate these wonderful experiences, I’ve put together this list of the most essential phrases you need to know when experiencing local Armenian hospitality.

Welcome and arriving

When you first arrive at an Armenian home, your host will greet you with a lot of warmth and excitement.

In Eastern Armenian (spoken in the Republic of Armenia), the standard way to say “welcome” is bari galust. If you are speaking with someone from the diaspora who speaks Western Armenian, they will likely say pari yegar.

Another essential word you will hear immediately is hametseq. This is a magical word in Armenian. It translates loosely to “please come in,” “help yourself,” or “be my guest.” You will hear it when they open the door, and again when they point you to the dinner table.

Here is a quick vocabulary summary for arriving at a home:

Offering and accepting food

Once you sit down, the real Armenian hospitality begins. The table will likely be covered in fresh lavash, cheese, herbs, dolma, khorovats (barbecue), and fruit.

Your host will tell you to eat. They will likely insist multiple times. In Armenian culture, offering food is a primary way of showing love.

When the meal begins, someone will wish you a “good appetite.”

Your host will continually encourage you to eat more. If you are truly full and cannot eat another bite, you can politely decline by saying kusht em (I am full). However, be prepared to say it a few times, as Armenian hosts are very persistent!

Making a toast (kenats)

You cannot have a proper Armenian dinner without a kenats (toast).

Toasting is a deeply rooted tradition in Armenia. Usually, the head of the table (the tamada) will raise a glass and make a speech. They will toast to the guests, to health, to family, and to peace.

If you want to keep it simple when clinking glasses, you can just say kenats. If you want to wish someone good health, you can say dzer kenatse (to your health).

Complimenting the host

Armenian hosts spend hours (sometimes days) preparing food for their guests. Complimenting the food is the best way to show your appreciation.

The easiest way to say the food is delicious is shat hamov e.

But if you want to sound like a true local, you should use a special Armenian idiom: Dzerqert chtsaven. This literally translates to “may your hands not hurt.” It is a beautiful way of blessing the hands of the person who worked hard to cook the meal. In Western Armenian, you might hear dzerkeret talar (may your hands be green/fresh).

Saying thank you and leaving

When it is finally time to leave (which is usually much later than you planned!), it is important to express your gratitude for the hospitality.

You can use the casual word for thank you, which is mersi (borrowed from French but extremely common in Armenia). For a more formal and proper thank you, use shnorhakalutyun.

To specifically thank them for hosting you, you can say shnorhakal em hyurasirutyan hamar (thank you for the hospitality).

A quick tip before you go:

When visiting an Armenian home for the first time, it is customary to bring a small gift. A box of chocolates, some nice pastries, or a bottle of wine or cognac will make your hosts very happy and start your visit off on the right foot.

Learning just a few of these phrases will go a long way. Armenians are incredibly proud of their language, and seeing a guest make the effort to speak it will bring them so much joy.

Enjoy the food, enjoy the company, and have a wonderful time experiencing Armenian hospitality!