զ-

• ս- (s-) (before voiceless consonants and only for the first sense)

From Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰō- (“behind; after; for”). Cognates include Russian за (za), Lithuanian ažù (“behind, after, for, beyond”) and Latvian àiz (“behind, beyond”).

զ- • (z-)

1. Intensifying particle, appended to the word to amplify its meaning. Used extensively in Old Armenian, dead in modern Armenian.

   ականեմ ― akanem ― I look

   զականեմ ― zakanem ― I look intently

2. marking the definite accusative case

   սիրել զԱստուած ― sirel zAstuac ― to love God

   տեսանել զարեգակն ― tesanel zaregakn ― to see the sun

   ուտել զհաց ― utel zhacʿ ― to eat bread

   փրկեա՛ զմեզ ի չարէն ― pʿrkeá zmez i čʿarēn ― save us from evil!

3. (with dative) to (only with հարկանեմ (harkanem) and զարկեմ (zarkem))

   զահի հարկանել ― zahi harkanel ― to be afraid

   զամօթի հարկանել ― zamōtʿi harkanel ― to be shy

   ծափ զծափի հարկանել ― capʿ zcapʿi harkanel ― to clap

4. (with ablative) about, of (this usage was called “narrative case” by older grammarians)

   խօսել զնմանէ ― xōsel znmanē ― to speak of him

   որ չարախօսեսցէ զհօրէ կամ զմօրէ, մահու վախճանեսցի ― or čʿaraxōsescʿē zhōrē kam zmōrē, mahu vaxčanescʿi ― he who speaks ill of his father or mother shall die

   զկիտացն ասեմ եւ զդելփինաց ― zkitacʿn asem ew zdelpʿinacʿ ― I am talking about whales and dolphins

   զի՞նչ դոքա զքէն վկայեն ― zi^?nčʿ dokʿa zkʿēn vkayen ― what do these tell about you?

   ուսուցանէ զբարւոյ և զարդարոյ և զչարէ ― usucʿanē zbarwoy ew zardaroy ew zčʿarē ― teaches about the good and the just and the bad

   ինձ ոչ է փոյթ զայնմանէ ― inj očʿ ē pʿoytʿ zaynmanē ― I don't care about that thing

   տրտնջել զեղբարացն ― trtnǰel zełbaracʿn ― to complain about the brothers

5. (with ablative) from

   առեալ զձեռանէ նորա ― aṙeal zjeṙanē nora ― holding from his hand

   կախեալ զբարձր զաշտարակէն ― kaxeal zbarjr zaštarakēn ― hanging from a high tower

6. (with ablative) after, in order to obtain

   երթալ զոսկւոյ ― ertʿal zoskwoy ― to go and fetch gold, or in order to bring gold

   առաքել զջրոյ ― aṙakʿel zǰroy ― to send in order to bring water

   ...տաճիկ ուղտուք արձակէ ի Հայս արս զհողոյ և զջրոյ ― ...tačik ułtukʿ arjakē i Hays ars zhołoy ew zǰroy ― he sends men with swift camels into Armenia to get the earth and the water

7. (with instrumental) round, around, about (this usage was called “circumlative case” by older grammarians)

   շուրջ զքաղաքաւն էին ― šurǰ zkʿałakʿawn ēin ― they were around the town

   արկանել զնովաւ ― arkanel znovaw ― to put on him

   զայնու ժամանակաւ ― zaynu žamanakaw ― around that time

   զհասարակ գիշերաւ, զմէջ գիշերաւ ― zhasarak gišeraw, zmēǰ gišeraw ― around midnight

   զինն ժամու ― zinn žamu ― around 9 o'clock

   անկաւ զպարանոցաւ նորա ― ankaw zparanocʿaw nora ― fell around his neck

8. (with instrumental) marks the indirect object with some verbs

   եւ ոչ անցանեն զչափով ― ew očʿ ancʿanen zčʿapʿov ― and they don't cross the boundaries

   զտաճարաւն այպն առնէին ― ztačarawn aypn aṙnēin ― they were mocking the temple

   ածել զբոցով ― acel zbocʿov ― to pass above the flame, to singe

   անցուցանել զամենեքումբք ― ancʿucʿanel zamenekʿumbkʿ ― to surpass, to surmount, to excel more than all

9. (with instrumental) found in numerous idioms

   զմտաւ ածել ― zmtaw acel ― to think

   զսրով երթալ ― zsrov ertʿal ― to die by sword

   զսիրով գալ ― zsirov gal ― to fall in love

   զանձամբ գալ ― zanjamb gal ― to take care about oneself

   զձեռօք ածել ― zjeṙōkʿ acel ― to obtain

• Petrosean, H. Matatʿeay V. (1879), “զա”, in Nor Baṙagirkʿ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Abrahamyan, Ašot (1976) Grabari jeṙnark [A Handbook of Old Armenian] (in Armenian), 4th edition, Yerevan: Luys
• Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1971–1979), “զ-”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Dictionary of Armenian Root Words] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, Yerevan: University Press
• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (2010), “զ-”, in Vahan Sargsyan, editor, Hayeren stugabanakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Asoghik