# զ-
## Old Armenian
### Alternative forms

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

### Etymology

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

### Preposition

զ- • (z-)
* 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
* marking the definite accusative case
    սիրել զԱստուած ― sirel zAstuac ― to love God
    տեսանել զարեգակն ― tesanel zaregakn ― to see the sun
    ուտել զհաց ― utel zhacʻ ― to eat bread
    փրկեա՛ զմեզ ի չարէն ― pʻrkeá zmez i čʻarēn ― save us from evil!
* (with dative) to (only with հարկանեմ (harkanem) and զարկեմ (zarkem))
    զահի հարկանել ― zahi harkanel ― to be afraid
    զամօթի հարկանել ― zamōtʻi harkanel ― to be shy
    ծափ զծափի հարկանել ― capʻ zcapʻi harkanel ― to clap
* (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 čʻaraxōsescʻē zhōrē kam zmōrē, mahu vaxčanescʻi ― he who speaks ill of his father or mother shall die
    զկիտացն ասեմ եւ զդելփինաց ― zkitacʻn asem ew zdelpʻinacʻ ― I am talking about whales and dolphins
    զի՞նչ դոքա զքէն վկայեն ― zi$^?$nčʻ dokʻa zkʻēn vkayen ― what do these tell about you?
    ուսուցանէ զբարւոյ և զարդարոյ և զչարէ ― usucʻanē zbarwoy ew zardaroy ew zčʻarē ― teaches about the good and the just and the bad
    ինձ ոչ է փոյթ զայնմանէ ― inj očʻ ē pʻoytʻ zaynmanē ― I don't care about that thing
    տրտնջել զեղբարացն ― trtnǰel zełbaracʻn ― to complain about the brothers
* (with ablative) from
    առեալ զձեռանէ նորա ― aṙeal zjeṙanē nora ― holding from his hand
    կախեալ զբարձր զաշտարակէն ― kaxeal zbarjr zaštarakēn ― hanging from a high tower
* (with ablative) after, in order to obtain
    երթալ զոսկւոյ ― ertʻal zoskwoy ― to go and fetch gold, or in order to bring gold
    առաքել զջրոյ ― aṙakʻel zǰroy ― to send in order to bring water
    ...տաճիկ ուղտուք արձակէ ի Հայս արս զհողոյ և զջրոյ ― ...tačik ułtukʻ arjakē i Hays ars zhołoy ew zǰroy ― he sends men with swift camels into Armenia to get the earth and the water
* (with instrumental) round, around, about (this usage was called “circumlative case” by older grammarians)
    շուրջ զքաղաքաւն էին ― šurǰ zkʻałakʻawn 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 zparanocʻaw nora ― fell around his neck
* (with instrumental) marks the indirect object with some verbs
    եւ ոչ անցանեն զչափով ― ew očʻ ancʻanen zčʻapʻov ― and they don't cross the boundaries
    զտաճարաւն այպն առնէին ― ztačarawn aypn aṙnēin ― they were mocking the temple
    ածել զբոցով ― acel zbocʻov ― to pass above the flame, to singe
    անցուցանել զամենեքումբք ― ancʻucʻanel zamenekʻumbkʻ ― to surpass, to surmount, to excel more than all
* (with instrumental) found in numerous idioms
    զմտաւ ածել ― zmtaw acel ― to think
    զսրով երթալ ― zsrov ertʻal ― to die by sword
    զսիրով գալ ― zsirov gal ― to fall in love
    զանձամբ գալ ― zanjamb gal ― to take care about oneself
    զձեռօք ածել ― zjeṙōkʻ acel ― to obtain

#### Derived terms
### References

* Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “զա”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ 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, Hračʻeay (1971–1979) “զ-”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a 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