Armenian: Թե / կամ / որ

[clamor]

Hi
Թե te (Western Armenian: թէ) is a word that disturbs me a lot. I would like to know if there is any difference between թե and կամ kam (W.A.: gam).
For instance, is it possible to say either:
Ո՞նց ես: Լավ թե վա՞տ: Vonc es? Lav te vat? ''How are you? Fine or bad?''
or:
...Լավ կամ վա՞տ: ...Lav kam vat?
Or is the second sentence unacceptable? And if both are possible, is there any difference in their meaning?

The second part of my question is about թե meaning ''that''. Can I say:
Ասում է՝ որ ահավոր է: Asum e vor ahavor e. ''He says (that) it is horrible''.
Կարծում եմ, որ Ծովինարը հիվանդ է: Karcum em vor Covinary hivand e. ''I think (that) Tsovinar is ill''.
...or is թե the only acceptable connector here?

Thank you

 

[Ruzanna]

The second part of my question is about թե meaning ''that''. Can I say:
Ասում է՝ որ ահավոր է: Asum e vor ahavor e. ''He says (that) it is horrible''.
Կարծում եմ, որ Ծովինարը հիվանդ է: Karcum em vor Covinary hivand e. ''I think (that) Tsovinar is ill''.
...or is թե the only acceptable connector here?

Thank you

Hi
I can't explain the difference between "te" and "kam" (which got me interested too now that I read your post) , but the second part sounds perfect to me with "vor". Actually, I wouldn't even use " te" here.

 

[clamor]

Hi
I can't explain the difference between "te" and "kam" (which got me interested too now that I read your post) , but the second part sounds perfect to me with "vor". Actually, I wouldn't even use " te" here.

Right, thank you
Do you have at least an idea if Ո՞նց ես: Լավ թե վա՞տ: is correct? Thank you very much

 

[Ruzanna]

Yes, it sounds right to me

Any more questions?

 

[clamor]

No thanks
Thank you for your answers Ruzanna

 

[konb]

Not a native speaker here, but I used to think թե is an "exclusive or". You would use it when making a question with an alternative choice:

Տանը ունես շու՞ն թե կատու։
Is it a dog that you have at home, or a cat?

Կամ, on the other hand, is a "simple or":

Տանը ունե՞ս շուն կամ կատու։
Do you have a dog or a cat at home (any of the two)?

Note the intonation changes correspondingly.

 

[clamor]

Interesting reply, thank you

 

[VernantWeber]

Hi
Թե te (Western Armenian: թէ) is a word that disturbs me a lot. I would like to know if there is any difference between թե and կամ kam (W.A.: gam).
For instance, is it possible to say either:
Ո՞նց ես: Լավ թե վա՞տ: Vonc es? Lav te vat? ''How are you? Fine or bad?''
or:
...Լավ կամ վա՞տ: ...Lav kam vat?
Or is the second sentence unacceptable? And if both are possible, is there any difference in their meaning?

The second part of my question is about թե meaning ''that''. Can I say:
Ասում է՝ որ ահավոր է: Asum e vor ahavor e. ''He says (that) it is horrible''.
Կարծում եմ, որ Ծովինարը հիվանդ է: Karcum em vor Covinary hivand e. ''I think (that) Tsovinar is ill''.
...or is թե the only acceptable connector here?

Thank you

I think both examples are correct. Թե has a bit more restrictive meaning, but it can be used interchangeably with կամ․ Using թե instead of որ makes your speech sound a bit more formal, but grammatically it is correct. The meaning changes if the words are used in repetitive forms.

թե դու թե ես - both you and me
կամ դու կամ ես - either you or me