General History

Georgian is part of the Kartvelian language family. It shares this family with languages like Mingrelian and Laz. The thing is these languages are minority languages in Georgia or in Türkiye with less than 33,000 speakers and no literary tradition. This effectively makes Georgian an isolated language like Korean or Japanese.  

Currently, Georgian is the official language of Georgia with no other countries recognizing it as a minority language. The language is also spoken by the diaspora in other countries including the United States. Georgian has great historical importance. Georgian is one of the oldest living languages with hundreds of years of history of culture and life behind it. The history of the Georgian language is usually separated into two parts, Old Georgian and Modern Georgian. There is very little known about Old Georgian. The only thing concretely known is the alphabet was derived from the Greek script. Modern Georgian has a cursive feeling to it coming from a more angular version which was a descendant of the Old Georgian alphabet. The Georgian language has been written in three scripts throughout its life. The old Asomtavruli script which evolved into the Khutsuri script, neither are used today. Today the Mkhedruli script is used. 

The Phonology (Sounds) of Georgian

Terms

Georgian has 28 consonant sounds, 18 of which are shared with English. Every sound has three criteria: voiceless or voiced, placement, and manner. Voiceless refers to when one makes a sound without the use of the vocal cords. For example, “s,” as in snake. Voiced refers to when one makes a sound with the use of the vocal cords. For example, “z,” as in zoo. Placement is where in the mouth and throat the sound is being made. This can range from the lips to the larynx. In Georgian, there are six placements. Finally, manner is how a sound is made. For example, the sound /p/ is called a voiceless bilabial plosive. In layman’s terms, it is a sound made without vocal cords, using only the lips, and a burst of air. Georgian also has an added level of complexity, the language has ejective consonants. An ejective consonant is when one contracts two muscles in the throat at the same time as one pronounces a sound. They can sometimes be seen when British people speak. If you listen to a British person when they pronounce a word that ends with a “k” sound or “p” sound you may hear an “extra” sound. This is the sound /k’/ or /p’/.    

Plosives

Plosives are sounds made when one stops airflow and then releases it in a burst of air. In Georgian there are six plosives. First are the voiceless and voiced bilabial plosives /p/ and /b/ which are just like they look. /p/ as in pack or ფიქრი (pikri), and /b/ as in aback or ბავშვი (bavshvi). Next are the voiceless and voiced alveolar plosives /t/ and /d/ which again sound just like they look. /t/ as in tin or თქვენ (tkven), and /d/ as in dash or კუდი (k’udi). Lastly, there are the voiceless and voiced velar plosives /k/ and /g/ which sound how they look. /k/ as in kiss or ქვა (kva), and /g/ as in good or გული (guli).

Fricatives

Fricatives are defined by closing the mouth to the point where only a small airstream can be pushed out, creating friction and therefore a sound. The sound is the voiced labiodental fricative /v/. This is pronounced just like in English. /v/ can be seen in words like vote or ვიწრო (vits’ro). The next sounds are the voiceless and voiced alveolar fricatives /s/ and /z/. /s/ can be seen in words like sit or სამი (sami), and /z/ can be heard in zoo or ზარი (zari). Then are the voiceless and voiced postalveolar fricatives /ʃ/ and /ʒ/. These both make the English “sh” sound. For example, /ʃ/ as in sheep or შარი (shari) and /ʒ/ as in vision or ჟურნალი (zhurnali). Lastly, is the voiceless glottal fricative /h/. /h/ can be seen in words like hot or ჰავა (hava). 

Affricates 

The next sounds are affricates, meaning one must make a plosive sound immediately followed by a fricative. Georgian has six affricates; however only four will be covered in this section. The first two are the voiceless and voiced alveolar affricates /ts/ and /dz/. Respectively they are a combination of /t/, /s/, /d/, and /z/. /ts/ can be seen in words like pits or კაცი (k’atsi), and /dz/ as in day (in some English accents) or ძვალი (dzvali). The next duo is the voiceless and voiced postalveolar affricate /tʃ/, and /dʒ/. /tʃ/ makes the “ch” and /dʒ/ makes “j” sound. /tʃ/ as in beach or ჩიხი (chikhi), and /dʒ/ as jeans or ჯიბე (jibe).      

Nasals

Next are the nasal sounds, which are defined as air stream passing through the nose in order to make the sound. The nasal sounds are the voiced bilabial nasal sound /m/ and the voiced alveolar nasal sound /n/. Both sound like how they look in English. /m/ can be seen in words like him or სამი (sami). /n/ can be found in words like nice or კანი (k’ani). 

Approximants 

The next group is the approximants. This is more of a catch-all term for anything that does not nicely fit into the other categories. The only sound is the velarized alveolar lateral approximant /ɫ/. /ɫ/ is in words like feel or ჟოლო (zholo). 

Georgian Sounds

There are four last sounds that do not exist in English and could be hard for English speakers to pronounce. The first are the voiceless and voiced velar fricative /x/ and /ɣ/. /x/ is the sound of the French “r” in très, the German word dach, the European Spanish word ojo, and the Georgian word ჯოხი (jokhi). /ɣ/ is the sound of the European Portuguese “g” in agora, the Irish word dhorn, the European Spanish word amigo, and the Georgian word ღარიბი (gharibi). Lastly is the voiced alveolar trill. This is just the tap sound but repeated at least two times. It sounds like the Spanish “r” in the word perro, the Portuguese word rato, the German word schmarrn, and the Georgian word როგორ (rogor).  

Ejectives

In Georgian, there are six ejective consonants. An ejective consonant is when one contracts two muscles in the throat at the same time as one pronounces a sound. They can sometimes be seen when British people speak. If you listen to a British person when they pronounce a word that ends with a “k” sound or “p” sound you may hear an “extra” sound. This is the sound /k’/ or /p’/.  Ejective consonants These do not exist in American English and are regarded as the hard sounds to pronounce in the language. The alveolar ejective affricate, /tsʼ/ is generally regarded as the easiest of the six to pronounce. It sounds like the z’s in pizza if they were a little bit sharp. It can be seen in words like წელი (ts’eli). Next is the palato-alveolar ejective affricate /tʃʼ/. This makes the “ch” sound but cut off. It appears in words like ჭა (Ch’a). Then is the alveolar ejective stop /t’/. This is in words like ტიტა (t’it’a) The velar ejective stop, /k’/, is in words like კაბა (k’aba). Next is the bilabial ejective stop, /p’/. This is in words like პეპელა (p’ep’ela). Lastly, the uvular ejective stop, /q’/. This is considered the hard sound in Georgian to pronounce. It is in words like ყვავილი (q’vavili).      

Interactive Pulmonic Consonant IPA Chart

Vowels 

Vowels in Georgian are very simple. The language works on a five vowel system using a, e, i, o, and u. All of which are in English. The first sound is the open-back unrounded vowel /α/. It sounds like the English “o” in hot or გუდა (guda). The next sound is the open-mid front unrounded vowel /ε/. It is found in words like bed and გედი (gedi). Then there is the close front unrounded vowel /i/. It sounds like the English “e” in free or წელი (ts’eli). Furthermore, there is the open-mid back rounded vowel /ɔ/. This makes the English “ough” sound like in thought or სწორი (sts’ori). Lastly, the close back rounded vowel /u/. This makes the English “oo” sound like in boot or გუდა (guda).

Interactive Vowel IPA Chart

The Orthography (Writing) of Georgian

Alphabet – ანბანი

Georgian, just like English, is written from left to right. The Georgian script consists of 33 letters. You may be asking yourself, what about the vowels that we just covered? Georgian, unlike Hebrew, uses an alphabet. This means that there are letters for the vowels and consonants. Now let’s get into the ანბანი (anbani)

The first letter of the alphabet is ani. Ani/ანი it looks like this ა. It makes the “a” sound. The next letter is Bani/ბანი it looks like this ბ and it makes the “b” sound. The next letter is Gani/განი and it looks like this გ, it makes the “g” sound. Then is Doni/დონი which looks like this დ and makes the “d” sound. Furthermore, Enie/ენიე which looks like this ე and makes the “e” sound. Next is Vini/ვინი which looks like this ვ and makes the “v” sound. Zeni/ზენი looks like this ზ and makes the “z” sound. Then is Tani/თანი which looks like this თ and makes the “t” sound. Additionally, Ini/ინი looks like this ი and makes the “i” sound. Then is K’ani/კანი which looks like this კ and makes the “k’” sound. Next Lasi/ლასი which looks like this ლ. Lasi makes the “l” sound. Next is Mani/მანი which looks like this მ and makes the “m” sound. Then is Nari/ნარი which looks like this ნ and makes the “n” sound. After is Oni/ონი which looks like this ო and makes the “o” sound. Then is P’ari/პარი which looks like this პ and makes the “p’” sound. Zhani/ჟანი looks like this ჟ, it makes the “zh” sound. Next is Rae/რაე which looks like this რ and makes the “r” sound. This letter is Sani/სანი it looks like this ს. T’ari/ტარი looks like this ტ and makes the “t’” sound. Then is Uni/უნი which looks like this უ and makes the “u” sound. Next is Pari/ფარი which looks like this ფ and makes the “p” sound. The letter is Kani/ქანი. It looks like this ქ and makes the “k” sound. Then is the letter Ghani/ღანი which looks like this ღ and makes the “gh” sound. Then the letter Q’ari/ყარი which looks like this ყ and it makes the “q’” sound. Next is the letter Shini/შინი which looks like this შ and makes the “sh” sound. Furthermore, there is the letter Chini/ჩინი which looks like this ჩ and makes the “ch” sound. Next is Tsani/ცანი and it looks like this ც and it makes the “ts” sound. Then is Dzili/ძილი which makes the “dz” sound and look likes this ძ. Next is Ts’ili/წილი which looks likes this წ and makes the “ts’” sound. Additionally, is the letter Ch’ari/ჭარი which looks like this ჭ and makes the “ch’” sound. Then is Khani/ხანი and it looks likes this ხ and it makes the “kh” sound. Jani/ჯანი is the next letter and it makes the “j” sound. Jani looks like this ჯ. Lastly, is the letter Hae/ჰაე. Hae makes the “h” sound and looks like this ჰ.  

Positives

Georgian is a very hard language to learn. From its confusing syntax to its difficult pronunciation. Georgian also has a thriving culture and has centuries of history behind the language. Georgian has only one case and uses English punctuation marks. Georgian is also spelled phonetically meaning it is spoken how it is written.     

“ბედნიერი ვარსკვლავის ქვეშ დაიბადა”

“ორ ცეცხლს შორის ყოფნა”

“ყოჯხში ბევრი შვილის ყოლაც ცეცხლია როგორც ვერცხლი”

Romanization

Romanization refers to when a language is transliterated into the Roman alphabet. Below is a list on how Georgian can be Romanized.

Useful Phrases

1. What’s up? –  როგორ ხარ? 

2. Hello/Good-bye –  გამარჯობა/ნახვამდის 
3. I’m Sorry –   ბოდიში
4. My name is _____ –   მე მქვია ______
5. How much is this? –   რა ღირს?
6. I don’t speak Georgian –   მე არ ვლაპარაკობ ქართულიდ
7. Do you speak English? –  ინგლისურად ლაპარაკობ?
8. What time is it? –  რომელი საათია?
9. Yes –   კი
10. No –  არა
11. Good morning–   დილა მშვიდობისა
12. Good evening –   საღამომშვიდობის
13. One –  ერთი
14. Two –  ორი
15. Three –  სამი
16. Four –  ოთხი
17. Five –  ხუთი
18. Six –  ექვსი
19. Seven –  შვიდი
20. Eight –  რვა
21. Nine –  ცხრა
22. Ten –  ათი

To Conclude

In all, Georgian is one of the oldest languages. In practice, the language is isolated. Georgian has a thriving language with it being used in many pop songs and showing up on the international stage. The Georgian language contains 28 consonants sounds and five vowels, combining for 33 sounds: /p, b, p’, t, d, t’, k, g, q’, v, s, z, ʃ, ʒ, x, ɣ, h, ts, dz, ts’, tʃ, dʒ, tʃ’, α, ε, i, ɔ, u/. The Georgian language uses its own script with 33 characters: ა ბ გ დ ე ვ ზ თ ი კ ლ მ ნ ო პ ჟ რ ს ტ უ ფ ქ ღ ყ შ ჩ ც ძ წ ჭ ხ ჯ ჰ. Georgian has zero digraphs. Georgian is a very interesting language as it brings up many unique challenges; however, the language has so much history and culture behind it. You cannot lose if you choose to learn it.