Overview of Adverbial Clauses

Adverbial clauses are a powerful tool in Armenian grammar, providing additional information or clarifying context within a sentence. Composed of a subject and a predicate, these clauses reveal details about the main clause by modifying verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, or even entire sentences.

Types of Adverbial Clauses

In Armenian grammar, adverbial clauses are classified into several categories according to their function. These are:

1. Temporal clauses: Indicate the time at which the action occurs in relation to the main clause.
2. Causal clauses: Explain the cause or reason behind the action expressed in the main clause.
3. Conditional clauses: Describe a condition that must be fulfilled for the main clause’s action to take place.
4. Consecutive clauses: Present the result or consequence of the action in the main clause.
5. Comparative clauses: Establish a comparison between the actions or states represented in both clauses.
6. Purpose clauses: Express the intention or goal for which the action in the main clause is performed.

Formation of Adverbial Clauses

The creation of adverbial clauses in Armenian grammar requires the use of specific conjunctions or other grammatical structures, depending on the type of clause being formed.

Constructing Temporal Clauses

Temporal clauses often employ the conjunctions երբ (yerb) or մինչ (minch) to denote the time of action. For example:

– Սովորեցինք երբ երթուղության ժամանակ (We learned when it’s time to travel).
– Տերեւանք մինչ ամառն է հասել (We will finish before the summer arrives).

Constructing Causal Clauses

Causal clauses use conjunctions such as քանի որ (k’ani vor) or որովհետև (orovhetev) to indicate the cause or reason behind the main clause. For example:

– Քանի որ շատ աշխատեցինք, հասատանք նպատակը (As we worked hard, we achieved our goal).
– Որովհետև ձեռքով երևի, ձայնը չի լսվում (Since it is far away, the sound is not heard).

Constructing Conditional Clauses

Conditional clauses employ the conjunction եթե (ete) to indicate a condition. For example:

– Եթե անցենք այս ճանապարհով, կհասնենք ավելի արագ (If we go this way, we will reach faster).

Constructing Consecutive Clauses

Consecutive clauses, indicating a result or consequence, use the conjunction որպեսզի (orp’eszi) or մատուցելու համար (matuts’elu hamar). For example:

– Նա ավելի բարձր դերը մատուցեց, որպեսզի նրա նախագիծը կատարվի (He took a higher position so that his plans would be executed).

Constructing Comparative and Purpose Clauses

Comparative and purpose clauses utilize grammatical structures or phrases to convey their message. For example:

– Նա այնքան հաճախ բարև է ասում, թե արդեօւ լինում է ընկեր (He says hello so often that he really seems friendly).
– Մենք գործելու ենք այնպես, որ մարդկային կարգավորությունը վերականգնվի (We will act in such a way as to restore human order).

In conclusion, adverbial clauses in Armenian grammar enrich the language by providing context, clarification, and additional information to sentences. By understanding their types, functions, and formation rules, mastering adverbial clauses can elevate your language proficiency to new heights.