Georgian phrasebook

Georgian (ქართული, Kartuli) is the official language of Georgia and the country's most widely spoken language, used on all street signs and in all aspects of everyday life. It was Stalin's native language, and today there are about 4.1 million people who speak Georgian on a daily basis: ~3.9 million living in Georgia and the rest living abroad, notably in Russia. Georgian uses one of the world's 12 unique alphabets, Mkhedruli&mdash;"that of the warrior." Georgian is related to three other languages, all spoken within Georgia and Northeastern Turkey: Megreli, Svan, and Laz.

Pronunciation guide
Indeed, Georgian pronunciation is difficult for those coming across the language for the first time, but certainly nowhere near as impossible as its reputation would suggest! Try not to get bogged down by the exotic consonants and tongue-twisting consonant clusters; truly almost nothing will please Georgians more than your efforts to speak their language and they will be very patient with your attempts!

Also on the positive side, there are no capital letters in Georgian; no need to memorize two characters per letter! Moreover, Georgian is phonetically regular&mdash; letters are always pronounced exactly as written. Lastly, it is an unstressed language&mdash; each syllable receives equal weight. If you are not used to speaking an unstressed language, approximate the sound by placing stress on the first syllable of the word. But don't "stress" out about this&mdash; you will be understood!

Vowels
If you are familiar with Spanish, Georgian vowel sounds are very similar.


 * ა ah : like car
 * ე eh : like pet
 * ი ee : like knee
 * ო oh : like doh!
 * უ oo : like boot

Consonants

 * ბ b : like bat
 * გ g : like go
 * დ d : like dog
 * ვ v/w : in between v as in very and w as in weary
 * ზ z : like zoo
 * თ t : like tip
 * კ k' : see Tricky consonants
 * ლ l : like love
 * მ m : like mint
 * ნ n : like nose
 * პ p' : see Tricky consonants
 * ჟ zh : like pleasure
 * რ r : rolled as in Spanish roja
 * ს s : like sad
 * ტ t' : see Tricky consonants
 * ფ p : like poof
 * ქ k : like kick
 * ღ gh : pronounced similar to a French r as in bonjour; alternatively, like a voiced kh
 * ყ q' : see Tricky consonants
 * შ sh : like shoot
 * ჩ ch : like chimp
 * ც ts : like hot sauce
 * ძ dz : foods
 * წ ts' : see Tricky consonants
 * ჭ ch' : see Tricky consonants
 * ხ kh : pronounced like Scottish loch or German Bach
 * ჯ j : like jump
 * ჰ h : like hot

Tricky consonants
Georgian distinguishes between aspirated and non-aspirated (ejective) consonants. An aspirated consonant is accompanied by a puff of air when you say it. In Georgian, there is even more of a "puff" of air for aspirated consonants than you would hear in English.

A non-aspirated consonant in Georgian, however, actually contains no puff of air whatsoever. Georgians close the back of their throat, similar to what you do before you cough or the closed throat moment between uh and oh in "uh-oh." They then pronounce the non-aspirated consonants without any exhalation at all. Don't worry if you have trouble producing this type of sound, though, in context you will be understood! Non-aspirated consonants are marked above with an apostrophe.

Finally, the Georgian letter ყ is difficult for most Westerners to pronounce. It is similar to the Arabic "qaf" (ﻕ). To pronounce this letter, try to pronounce the English letter k, only way down at the bottom of your throat. The Georgian ყ is non-aspirated.

Common diphthongs
Diphthongs do not exist in Georgian&mdash;every vowel is given equal weight and every syllable has only one vowel.

Grammar
Unless you intend to seriously study the language, learning Georgian grammar on your trip is not realistic. But it does help to know about the following.

Cases
Georgian has seven grammatical cases.


 * {| class="wikitable"

! style="background: #cedff2; color: #000000" height="17" | Case ! style="background: #cedff2; color:#000000;" | Nominative ! style="background: #cedff2; color:#000000;" | Ergative ! style="background: #cedff2; color:#000000;" | Genitive ! style="background: #cedff2; color:#000000;" | Dative ! style="background: #cedff2; color:#000000;" | Instrumental ! style="background: #cedff2; color:#000000;" | Adverbial ! style="background: #cedff2; color:#000000;" | Vocative ! style="background: #cedff2; color:#000000;" | Use ! style="background: #cedff2; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Example ! style="background: #cedff2; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Translation
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" | Marks the subject
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" | Marks the subject (certain verbs)
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" | Possessive (of)
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" | Indirect object (to/for)
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" | Instrumental (by/with)
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" | Derive adverbs from adjectives
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" | Addressee
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" | მე ქართველი ვარ
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" | პროფესორმა ლექცია დაიწყო
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" | სკოლის დირექტორი
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" |
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" |
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" |
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" | ოჰ, კაცო!
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" | I am Georgian
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" | The professor started his lecture.
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" | The director of the school.
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" |
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" |
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" |
 * style="background: #faf5ff; color: black;" | Oh man!
 * }

Note: The Vocative is generally used in informal, casual settings.

Verbs
Verbs are the most difficult portion of Georgian grammar. Georgian verbs have no infinitive and have 10 tenses.

Basics

 * Hello. (informal) : გამარჯობა. (gah-mahr-joh-bah)
 * How are you? : როგორა ხართ? (roh-goh-rah khahrt?)
 * How are you? (polite) : როგორ ბრძანდებით? (ro-gor br-dzan-deb-it?)
 * Fine, thank you. : კარგად, გმადლობთ. (k'ahr-gahd, gmahd-lohbt)
 * What is your name? : რა გქვიათ? (rah gkvee-ahd?)
 * Nice to meet you. : ძალიან სასიამოვნოა. (dzah-lee-ahn sah-see-ah-mohv-noh-ah)
 * Please. : თუ შეიძლება. (too sheh-eedz-leh-bah)
 * Thank you. : გმადლობთ. (gmahd-lohbt)
 * Thank you. (informal) : გმადლობ. (gmahd-lohb)
 * Thank you. (more informal) : მადლობა (mahd-loh-bah)
 * Thank you for your help. : გმადლობთ დახმარებისთვის (gmahd-lohbt dah-khmah-reh-bees-tvees)
 * You're welcome. : არაფრის. (ah-rah-prees)
 * Yes (formal). : დიახ. (dee-akh)
 * Yes (neutral). : კი (k'ee)
 * Yes (informal). : ჰო (hoh), ხო (khoh)
 * Ok : კარგი (k'ahr-gee)
 * Ok, no problem. : ყველაფერი რიგზეა (q'vehl-ah-peh-ree reeg-zeh-ah)
 * No. : არა (ah-rah)
 * Maybe : ალბათ (ahl-baht)
 * Right (correct): სწორია (s-ts'ohr-ee-ah)
 * Wrong : არასწორია (ahr-ahs-ts'ohr-ee-ah)
 * Excuse me. (getting attention) : უკაცრავად. (oo-k'ahts-rah-vahd)
 * Excuse me. (begging pardon) : ბოდიში. (boh-dee-shee), მაპატიე (mah-p'aht-ee-yeh)
 * I'm sorry. : ბოდიში. (boh-dee-shee), ვწუხვარ (v-ts'ukh-var)
 * Goodbye : ნახვამდის. (nakh-vahm-dees)
 * I can't speak "Georgian" [well]. : "ქართული ენა" [კარგად] არ   ვიცი. ( kahr-too-lee eh-nah [k'ahr-gahd] ahr vee-tsee)
 * We are Americans. : ჩვენ ამერიკელები ვართ (chvehn ah-mehr-ee-k'eh-leh-bee vahrt)
 * Help! : დამეხმარეთ! (dah-meh-khmah-reht!)
 * Look out! : ფრთხილად! (prtkhilad!)
 * Good morning. : დილა მშვიდობისა. (dee-lah mshvee-doh-bee-sah)
 * Good evening. : საღამო მშვიდობისა. (sah-ghah-moh mshvee-doh-bee-sah)
 * Good night. : ღამე მშვიდობისა. (ghah-meh mshvee-doh-bee-sah)
 * Good night. (to sleep) : ძილი ნებისა. (dzee-lee neh-bee-sah)
 * Now : ახლა (ahkh-lah)
 * Later : მერე (meh-reh)
 * I don't understand. : ვერ გავიგე. (vehr gah-vee-geh)
 * Where is the toilet? : სად არის ტუალეტი? (sahd ah-rees t'oo-ah-leh-t'ee?)
 * I want... : მე მინდა... (meh meen-dah)
 * Repeat it. : გაიმეორე (gah-ee-meh-oh-reh)
 * Speak slowly. : ნელა მელაპარაკეთ (neh-lah meh-lah-pah-rah-keht)

Questions

 * My name is ______ . :  ჩემი სახელია ______ . (cheh-mee sah-kheh-lee-ah _____ .)
 * Do you speak English? : ინგლისური იცით? (eeng-lee-soo-ree ee-tseet?)
 * Do you speak Russian? : რუსული იცით? (roo-soo-lee ee-tseet?)
 * Is there someone here who speaks English? : აქ ვინმე ლაპარაკობს ინგლისურად? ( ahk veen-mee lah-p'ah-rah-kohbs eeng-lee-soo-rahd?)
 * Who? : ვინ (veen)
 * What? : რა (rah)
 * When? : როდის (roh-dees)
 * Where? : სად (sahd)
 * Where is ___ ? : სად არის ___ ? (sahd ah-rees)
 * Why? : რატომ (rah-t'ohm)
 * How? : როგორ (roh-gohr)
 * How much/many? : რამდენი (rahm-deh-nee)
 * Do you have? : inanimate - გაქვთ (gahqvt) animate - გყავთ (gk'ahvt)
 * Do you understand? : გაიგე (gah-ee-geh)

Directions

 * North : ჩრდილოეთი (chrdeel-oh-eh-tee)
 * South : სამხრეთი (sahm-khreh-tee)
 * East : აღმოსავლეთი (ahgh-moh-sahv-leh-tee)
 * West: დასავლეთი (dah-sahv-leh-tee)


 * After/past : შემდეგ (shehm-dehg), მერე (meh-reh)
 * Behind : უკან (oo-k'ahn)
 * Before/in front of : წინ (t'seen)
 * Between : შუა (shoo-ah), შორის (shoh-rees)
 * Near : ახლოს (ahkh-lohs)
 * Straight ahead : პირდაპირ (p'eer-dah-p'eer)
 * Left : მარცხნივ (mahrts-khneev)
 * Right : მარჯვნივ (mahrj-vneev)
 * Is it far? : შორს არის? (shohrs ah-rees?)

Places

 * Beach : ნაპირი (nah-peer-ee), ფლაჟი (plah-zhee)
 * Border : საზღვარი (sahz-ghvah-ree)
 * Bridge : ხიდი (khee-dee)
 * Forest : ტყე (t'q'eh)
 * Hill : ბორცვი (bohrts-vee), გორა (goh-rah)
 * House : სახლი (sahkh-lee)
 * Lake : ტბა (t'bah)
 * Mountain : მთა (mtah)
 * River : მდინარე (mdee-nah-reh)
 * Road : გზა (gzah)
 * Square : მოედანი (moh-eh-dah-nee)
 * Valley : ხეობა (kheh-oh-bah)
 * Village : სოფელი (soh-peh-lee)

Problems

 * Help! : მიშველეთ! (meesh-veh-leht!)
 * Go away! : წადი! (ts'ah-dee!)

Numbers

 * 1 : ერთი (ehr-tee)
 * 2 : ორი (oh-ree)
 * 3 : სამი (sah-mee)
 * 4 : ოთხი (oht-khee)
 * 5 : ხუთი (khoo-tee)
 * 6 : ექვსი (ehk-vsee)
 * 7 : შვიდი (shvee-dee)
 * 8 : რვა (rvah)
 * 9 : ცხრა (tskhrah)
 * 10 : ათი (ah-tee)
 * 11 : თერთმეტი (tehrt-meh-t'ee)
 * 12 : თორმეტი (tohr-meh-t'ee)
 * 13 : ცამეტი (tsah-meh-t'ee)
 * 14 : თოთხმეტი (toht-khmeh-t'ee)
 * 15 : თხუთმეტი (tkhoot-meh-t'ee)
 * 16 : თექვსმეტი (tehk-vsmeh-t'ee)
 * 17 : ჩვიდმეტი (chveed-meh-t'ee)
 * 18 : თრვამეტი (trvah-meh-t'ee)
 * 19 : ცხრამეტი (tskhrah-meh-t'ee)
 * 20 : ოცი (oh-tsee)
 * 21 : ოცდაერთი (ohts-dah-ehr-tee) (lit. one score and one)
 * 22 : ოცდაორი (ohts-dah-oh-ree) (lit. one score and two)
 * 23 : ოცდასამი (ohts-dah-sah-mee) (lit. one score and three)
 * 30 : ოცდაათი (ohts-dah-ah-tee) (lit. one score and ten)
 * 31 : ოცდათერთმეტი (ohts-dah-tehrt-meh-t'ee) (lit. one score and eleven)
 * 40 : ორმოცი (ohr-moh-tsee) (lit. two score)
 * 50 : ორმოცდაათი (ohr-mohts-dah-ah-tee) (lit. two score and ten)
 * 60 : სამოცი (sah-moh-tsee) (lit. three score)
 * 70 : სამოცდაათი (sah-mohts-dah-ah-tee) (lit. three score and ten)
 * 80 : ოთხმოცი (oht-khmoh-tsee) (lit. four score)
 * 90 : ოთხმოცდაათი (oht-khmohts-dah-ah-tee) (lit. four score and ten)
 * 100 : ასი (ah-see)
 * 1000 : ათასი (ah-tah-see)
 * 2000 : ორიათასი (ohree-ah-tah-see)
 * 5000 : ხუთიათასი (khootee-ah-tah-see)
 * 10,000 : ათი ათასი (ah-tee ah-tah-see)
 * 1,000,000 : მილიონი (mee-lee-oh-nee)
 * 1,000,000,000 :
 * Approximately : დაახლოებით (dah-ah-khloh-eh-beet)
 * Plus : პლუსი (p'loo-see)
 * Minus : მინუსი (mee-noo-see)

Time

 * now : ახლა (ahkh-lah)
 * after : შემდეგ (shehm-dehg)
 * before : წინ (tseen)
 * later : მერე (meh-reh)
 * in the morning : დილით (dee-leet)
 * in the afternoon : შუადღით (shoo-ah-dgheet)
 * in the evening: საღამოთი (sah-ghah-moh-tee)
 * at night: ღამით (ghah-meet)

Duration

 * _____ minute : _____ წუთი (ts'oo-tee)
 * _____ hour(s) : _____ საათი (sah-ah-tee)
 * _____ day(s) : _____ დღე (dgheh)
 * _____ week(s) : _____ კვირა (k'vee-rah)
 * _____ month(s) : _____ თვე (tveh)
 * _____ year(s) : _____ წელი (ts'eh-lee)

Days

 * Saturday : შაბათი (shah-bah-tee)
 * Sunday : კვირა (k'vee-rah)
 * Monday : ორშაბათი (ohr-shah-bah-tee)
 * Tuesday : სამშაბათი (sahm-shah-bah-tee)
 * Wednesday : ოთხშაბათი (ohtkh-shah-bah-tee)
 * Thursday : ხუთშაბათი (khoot-shah-bah-tee)
 * Friday : პარასკევი (p'ah-rahs-keh-vee)

Months

 * January : იანვარი (ee-ahn-vah-ree)
 * February : თებერვალი (teh-behr-vah-lee)
 * March : მარტი (mahr-t'ee)
 * April : აპრილი (ah-p'ree-lee)
 * May : მაისი (mah-ee-see)
 * June : ივნისი (eev-nee-see)
 * July : ივლისი (eev-lee-see)
 * August : აგვისტო (ahg-vee-st'oh)
 * September : სექტემბერი (sehq-t'ehm-beh-ree)
 * October : ოქტომბერი (ohq-t'ohm-beh-ree)
 * November : ნოემბერი (noh-ehm-beh-ree)
 * December : დეკემბერი (deh-kehm-beh-ree)

Writing time and date

 * Yesterday : გუშინ (goo-sheen)
 * Today : დღეს (dghehs)
 * Tomorrow : ხვალ (khvahl)
 * Morning : დილა (dee-lah)
 * Noon : შუადღე (shoo-ah-dgheh)
 * Evening : საღამო (sah-ghah-moh)
 * Night : ღამე (ghah-meh)
 * The Day Before Yesterday : გუშინ წინ (goo-sheen ts-een)
 * In ___ days : ___ დღეში (___ dgheh-shee)

Colors

 * black : შავი (shah-vee)
 * white : თეთრი (teh-tree)
 * gray : ნაცრისფერი (nahts-rees-peh-ree)
 * red : წითელი (ts'ee-teh-lee)
 * blue : ლურ­ჯი (loor-jee)
 * yellow : ყვითელი (q'vee-teh-lee)
 * green : მწვანე (mts'vah-neh)
 * orange : ფორთოხალი (pohr-toh-khah-lee)
 * purple : მეწამული (meh-ts'ah-moo-lee)
 * brown : ყა­ვის­ფე­რი (q'ah-vees-peh-ree)

Marshrutka

 * Stop (to let me off) : გააჩერეთ (gah-ah-cheh-reht)

Bus and train

 * How much is a ticket to ____? :
 * One ticket to ____, please. :
 * Where does this train/bus go? :
 * Where is the train/bus to ____? :
 * Does this train/bus stop in ____? :
 * When does the train/bus for ____ leave? :
 * When will this train/bus arrive in ____? :

Directions

 * How do I get to ____ :
 * ...the train station? :
 * ...the bus station? :
 * ...the airport? :
 * ...downtown? :
 * ...a youth hostel? :
 * ...the ____ hotel? :
 * Where is ___ : სად არის___(sahd aris...)
 * ...the airport? : ... აეროპორტი? ( aerop'ort'i?)
 * Where are there a lot of... : სადაც ბევრი... (sahd-ahts behv-ree...)
 * ...hotels? : ...სასტუმროები (sahs-t'oom-roh-eh-bee)
 * ...restaurants? : ...რესტორანები? (rehs-t'oh-rah-neh-bee)
 * ...bars? : ...ბარები (bah-reh-bee)
 * ...sites to see? :
 * Can you please show me on the map?
 * street : ქუჩა (koo-chah)
 * Turn left. : შეუხვიე მარცხნივ (sheh-ookh-vee-eh mahrts-khneev)
 * Turn right. : შეუხვიე მარჯვნივ (sheh-ookh-vee-eh mahrj-vneev)
 * left : მარცხნივ (mahrts-khneev)
 * right : მარჯვნივ (mahrj-vneev)
 * straight ahead :
 * towards the ____ :
 * past the ____ :
 * before the ____ :
 * Watch for the ____ :
 * intersection :
 * north :
 * south :
 * east :
 * west :
 * uphill :
 * downhill :

Taxi

 * Taxi! : ტაქსი! (t'ah-ksee)
 * Take me to ____, please. :
 * How much does it cost to get to ____? :
 * Take me there, please. :

Lodging

 * Do you have any rooms available?: გაქვთ თავისუფალი ოთახები
 * How much does it cost per night?: რა ღირს ერთი ღამე

Eating
A very useful and simple sentence structure for asking for anything is simply:


 * _____ please. : _____ თუ შეიძლება (____ too sheh-eedz-leh-bah)


 * Without salt : უმარილო (oo-mah-ree-loh)
 * Without meat : უხორცო (oo-khohr-tsoh)
 * I'm a vegetarian. : ვეგეტარიანელი ვარ (veh-geh-t'ah-ree-ah-neh-lee vahr)
 * I want ____ : მე ____ მინდა (meh ____ meen-dah)
 * chicken : ქათმის ხორცი (kaht-mees khohr-tsee)
 * beef : ძრო­ხის ხორ­ცი (dzroh-khees khohr-tsee)
 * fish : თევზი (tehv-zee)
 * pork : ღორის ხორცი (ghoh-rees khohr-tsee)
 * cheese : ყველი (q'veh-lee)
 * eggs : კვერცხი (k'vehr-tskhee)
 * salad : სალათა (sah-lah-tah)
 * vegetables : ბოსტნეული (bohst'-neh-oo-lee)
 * fruit : ხილი (khee-lee)
 * bread : პური (p'oo-ree)
 * beans : ლობიო (loh-bee-oh)
 * coffee : ყავა (q'ah-vah)
 * Turkish coffee : თურქული ყავა (toork-oo-lee q'ah-vah)
 * tea (drink) : ჩაი (chah-ee)
 * juice : წვენი (ts'veh-nee)
 * water : წყალი (ts'q'ah-lee)
 * beer : ლუ­დი (loo-dee)
 * red/white wine : წითელი/თეთრი ღვინო (ts'ee-teh-lee/teh-tree ghvee-noh)
 * Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server): უკაცრავად (oo-k'ahts-rah-vahd), ოფიციანტი (oh-pee-tsee-ahn-t'ee)
 * It was delicious. : ძალიან გემრიელი იყო. (dzah-lee-ahn gehm-ree-eh-lee ee-q'oh)
 * The check, please. : ანგარიში, თუ შეიძლება (ahn-gah-ree-shee, too sheh-eedz-leh-bah)

Shopping

 * How much is this? : რა გირს?

Authority

 * What is your name? : რა გქვიათ? (rah gkvee-aht?)
 * What is your date of birth? : დაბადების თარიღი? (dah-bah-deh-bees tah-ree-ghee?)
 * Where are you from? : საიდან ხართ? (sah-ee-dahn khahrt?)
 * What is your nationality? : რა ეროვნების ხართ? (rah eh-rohv-neh-bees khahrt?)
 * Passport : პასპორტი (p'ah-sah-p'ohr-t'ee)
 * Stop! : სდექ! (sdehk)
 * Come with me : წამომყევი (ts'ah-mohm-q'eh-vee)