-ը

• -ն (-n)

From Old Armenian -ն (-n).

-ը • (-ə)

1. a definite article that assigns definite reference to the noun and is suffixed to the noun’s stem, or to the plural suffix or to the case ending

   գիրքը ― girkʿə ― the book

   ծառերը ― caṙerə ― the trees

The allomorph -ն (-n) is used when the lexeme to which it is attached ends in a vowel, e.g. ծառա-ն (caṙa-n, “the servant”), մարդու-ն (mardu-n, “the man (dative)”), and when the following word starts with a vowel, e.g. գիրք-ն եմ ուզում (girkʿ-n em uzum, “I want the book”). In all other cases -ը (-ə) is used.