If you are heading to Georgia, the first thing to realise is that the language will kick your ass if you underestimate it. Georgian is nothing like Russian, English or Turkish.

It has its own alphabet, its own pronunciation, its own rules, and it refuses to compromise. This is survival language for anyone wandering Tbilisi, Kazbegi, Batumi or any of the rural backwaters.

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Origins of the Georgian Language

Georgian belongs to the Kartvelian language family. Its closest relatives are Mingrelian, Laz, and Svan. These are all spoken in pockets of Georgia, but Georgian proper is the national language. Written Georgian has been around since at least the fifth century.

Over the centuries, it survived Persian, Ottoman, Mongol, and Russian rule, keeping its structure largely intact. Loanwords crept in from Arabic, Persian, Turkish, and Russian, but Georgian grammar remained stubbornly Georgian. Learning to speak it is not optional if you want to understand street signs, menus, or even ask for directions in remote villages.

The Georgian Script

The Georgian alphabet is called Mkhedruli. Unlike most alphabets, it has no capital letters. Each letter looks the same whether it’s on a road sign, a restaurant menu, or an official government document. The alphabet is completely phonetic: what you see is what you pronounce. If you get it wrong, people will understand you, but it will mark you as a tourist immediately. There are 33 letters. Some consonants are hard, some are aspirated, some are glottal stops. It’s complex, but once you learn it, you can read almost anything in Georgia.

The Georgian Alphabet

ა a
ბ b
გ g
დ d
ე e
ვ v
ზ z
თ t
ი i
კ k
ლ l
მ m
ნ n
ო o
პ p
ჟ zh
რ r
ს s
ტ t hard
უ u
ფ p aspirated
ქ k aspirated
ღ gh
ყ q glottal
შ sh
ჩ ch
ც ts
ძ dz
წ ts hard
ჭ ch hard
ხ kh
ჯ j
ჰ h

This alphabet may look intimidating, but it is actually far easier than memorising 26 letters with capitals and lowercase forms. Each letter is consistent. Once you know them, you can read street signs, menus, and government forms with minimal confusion.

Basic Phrases for Travellers

Hello
გამარჯობა
Gamarjoba

Goodbye
ნახვამდის
Nakhvamdis

Please
გთხოვ
Gtkhov

Thank you
მადლობა
Madloba

Yes
კი
Ki

No
არა
Ara

Excuse me
უკაცრავად
Ukatsravad

Sorry
ბოდიში
Bodishi

How are you
როგორ ხარ
Rogor khar

I am fine
კარგად ვარ
Kargad var

What is your name
რა გქვია
Ra gkvia

My name is
მე მქვია
Me mkvia

Do you speak English
ინგლისურად ლაპარაკობ
Inglisurad laparakob

A little
ცოტა
Tsota

Food and Drink Phrases

Beer
ლუდი
Ludi

Wine
ღვინო
Ghvino

Water
წყალი
Tskali

Meat
ხორცი
Khorts’i

Bread
პური
Puri

Cheese
ყველი
Qveli

Delicious
გემრიელია
Gemrielia

The bill please
ანგარიში თუ შეიძლება
Angarishi tu sheidzleba

Too expensive
ძალიან ძვირია
Dzalian dzviria

Directions and Transport

Where is
სად არის
Sad aris

Left
მარცხნივ
Martsxniv

Right
მარჯვნივ
Marjvniv

Straight ahead
პირდაპირ
Pirdapir

Bus
ავტობუსი
Avtobusi

Train
მატარებელი
Matarebeli

Taxi
ტაქსი
Taksi

Numbers

One
ერთი
Erti

Two
ორი
Ori

Three
სამი
Sami

Four
ოთხი
Otkhi

Five
ხუთი
Khuti

Six
ექვსი
Ekvsi

Seven
შვიდი
Shvidi

Eight
რვა
Rva

Nine
ცხრა
Tsxra

Ten
ათი
Ati

Georgian Grammar

Verbs change depending on tense, subject, and object. Word order is flexible, but typically Subject-Object-Verb. Consonant clusters are common. There are no silent letters. Cases exist: nominative, ergative, dative, genitive, instrumental. For practical travel, focus on basic tenses: present, past, future. Reading phonetically will get you through most situations.

History and Cultural Notes

Georgian has a long history. The earliest texts were religious: the Bible, hymns, and inscriptions in monasteries. Mkhedruli script gradually replaced older scripts called Asomtavruli and Nuskhuri. Today, Mkhedruli is everywhere: government, literature, advertisements, and graffiti. Despite centuries of occupation, Georgian remained the glue that held the country together. Knowing a few words will get you smiles in every village, especially outside Tbilisi.

Special Notes on Pronunciation

The most difficult sounds for outsiders are:

• ყ (q) – glottalised
• ჭ (ch hard) – very strong aspirated
• ღ (gh) – voiced, like the French r
• ხ (kh) – like Scottish loch

Vowels are easy: a, e, i, o, u. Each is pronounced clearly. Georgian is fast-paced, so prepare to have your ears rattled in Tbilisi markets or Kutaisi streets.

Useful Survival Phrases

Help
დახმარება
Dakhmareba

Police
პოლიცია
Politsia

Hospital
ავადმყოფი
Avdmakhobi

Where is the bathroom
სად არის ტუალეტი
Sad aris tualeti

I need a doctor
მჭირდება ექიმი
Mits’rdinebi eqimi

How much is this
რამდენია ეს
Ramdenia es

Travel Tips

Signs in English exist in Tbilisi, Batumi, and some airports. In rural Georgia, knowing phrases is essential. Markets, guesthouses, taxis, and restaurants often have staff with no English. Ask slowly. Repeat slowly. If you master Gamarjoba, Madloba, and Rogor khar, you’ll be fine.

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Summary on Georgian Language

Georgian is a unique language, difficult to pronounce at first, with a completely separate alphabet. Once you learn the 33 letters of Mkhedruli, the pronunciation of consonants and vowels, and basic phrases for greetings, food, numbers, and directions, you are equipped to survive anywhere in Georgia.

History, scripts, and phonetics all combine to make Georgian a language worth learning, if only for practical reasons while touring the country.

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