The Georgian language is spoken by more than four million people. Therefore, the Georgian Alphabet is unique and has no similarity to any other alphabet in the world. There are three Georgian alphabets:

  • Asomtavruli (from III BC โ€“till IX AC)
  • Nuskhuri (from IXAC – till XVIII AC)
  • Mkhedruli (from X AC till today)

The first two alphabets you can meet in religious inscriptions. Unfortunately, many Georgians cannot read them. All three Alphabets are written from left to right. Initially, there were 38 letters in all three Georgian alphabets, but at the beginning of the XIX century, 5 letters have been removed from the modern Mkhedruli, which is no longer used in modern Georgian.

The first known Georgian texts are inscriptions from the 5thย century. The Georgian national epic, the knight in the Pantherโ€™s Skin, by Shota Rustaveli, dates from the 12thย century. Modern Georgian is considered to have emerged in the 17thย century.

 

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Modern Georgian alphabet

N Letters Name of Letter

ย Transliteration

1

 แƒ an a

2

 แƒ‘ ban

b

3

 แƒ’ gan g
4 แƒ“ don

d

5

 แƒ” en e
6 แƒ• vin

v

7

 แƒ– zen z

8

 แƒ— tan t

9

 แƒ˜ in

i
10 แƒ™ k’an

k’
11 แƒš las

l

12

 แƒ› man m

13

 แƒœ nar n
14 แƒ on

o
15 แƒž p’ar

pโ€™

16

 แƒŸ zhan zh

17

 แƒ  rae r
18 แƒก san

s
19 แƒข t’ar

t’

20

 แƒฃ un u

21

 แƒค par p

22

 แƒฅ kan

k
23 แƒฆ ghan

gh

24

 แƒง q’ar

q’

25

 แƒจ shin sh

26

 แƒฉ chin

ch

27

 แƒช stan

ts
28 แƒซ dzil

dz
29 แƒฌ ts’il

ts’

30

 แƒญ ch’ar ch’
31 แƒฎ xan

x

32

 แƒฏ jan

j
33 แƒฐ hae

h
  • The Georgian alphabet consists of 33 letters-5 vowels (numbers 1, 5, 9, 14, and 20 in the list below) and 28 consonants.
  • Each letter denotes a single sound; the letter combinations in the list above (numbers 16, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30) are used to approximate the corresponding English sounds. These combinations are used in transliterating Georgian words into English.
  • Each letter of a word is pronounced; there are no mute letters similar to the English final -e.
  • There are no capital letters.
  • The stress (very light!) is always on the first syllable.
  • Like English, Georgian is read and written from left to right.

There is no doubt that phonetically Georgian is very challenging, but donโ€™t get discouraged if you canโ€™t produce every sound. Itโ€™s very important to recognize and hear the difference between each sound. Unlike English, all syllables in Georgian are pronounced almost equally distinctly. In the beginning, your pronunciation might not be perfect, but with practice and time, you will sound like a native speaker.

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Vowels

Letโ€™s start with Vowels. There are 5 Vowels: แƒ, แƒ”, แƒ˜, แƒ, แƒฃ (a, e, i, o, u)

Vowel Sound Transliteration Examples in English Georgian words
แƒ ah a Arkansas, Argentina แƒ›แƒแƒ›แƒ [mama] father
แƒ” eh e Ecuador, Eritrea แƒ—แƒ˜แƒ—แƒ˜ [titi] finger
แƒ˜ ee i Italy, India, Greece แƒ”แƒœแƒ [ena] tongue
แƒ oh o Oregon, Norway แƒแƒ แƒ›แƒ [ormo] ditch
แƒฃ oo u Uzbekistan, Cameroon แƒฃแƒ—แƒ [uto] iron

Do you know that?

Pharnavaz I was the first king of an ancient Georgian kingdom known as Iberia. He ruled in the 3rd century BC: 302โ€“237 BC. He defeatedย Macedonians and united the east and west kingdoms and made a strong centralized state. His name is connected to the creation of the first alphabet of Georgia. Pharnavaz is also said to have patterned his administration upon an โ€œIranianโ€ model. He reigned for 65 years and was the longest ruler in Georgian history. He was the founder of the first Georgian royal dynasty named Pharnavazian.

 

Easy consonants

These 20 consonants (b, g, d, v, z, t, l, m, n, zh, r, s, p, k, sh, ch, ts, dz, j, h) have English equivalent and thus they arenโ€™t too difficult to pronounce.

Vowel Sound Transliteration Examples in English Georgian words
แƒ‘ buh b Bob, bed, boy แƒ‘แƒ”แƒ‘แƒ˜แƒ [bebia] grandma
แƒ’ guh g go, goal, gun แƒ’แƒ”แƒ’แƒ›แƒ [gegma] plan
แƒ“ duh d day, dog, dig แƒ“แƒ”แƒ“แƒ [deda] mother
แƒ• vuh v visa, Vendee, very แƒ•แƒแƒ“แƒ [vada] deadline
แƒ– zuh z zebra, zoo, zigzag แƒ–แƒ˜แƒ’แƒ–แƒแƒ’แƒ˜ [zigzag] zigzag
แƒ— tuh (aspirated) t Tom, ten, but แƒ—แƒแƒ—แƒ˜ [tati] paw
แƒš luh l love, luck, look แƒšแƒแƒ›แƒ˜ [lomi] lion
แƒ› muh m mom, milk, man แƒ›แƒแƒ›แƒ [mama] father
แƒœ nuh n no, never, none แƒœแƒแƒ•แƒ˜ [navi] boat
แƒŸ zhuh zh pleasure, treasure แƒŸแƒแƒšแƒ [zholo] raspberry
แƒ  ruh (rolled r) r brilliant, rat, red แƒ แƒ [ra] what
แƒก suh (aspirated) s Stan, salad, stain แƒกแƒ˜แƒ [sio] breeze
แƒค puh (aspirated) f pencil, soap, soup แƒคแƒแƒคแƒ [papa] porridge
แƒฅ kuh (aspirated) k Cat, book, cook แƒฅแƒแƒšแƒ˜ [kali] woman
แƒจ shuh sh Shore แƒจแƒฃแƒจแƒ [shusha] glass
แƒฉ chuh ch church แƒฉแƒแƒ˜ [chai] tea
แƒช tsuh ts Cincinnati, pizza แƒชแƒ [tsa] sky
แƒซ dzuh dz roads, kudzu แƒซแƒ˜แƒซแƒ [dzidza] babysitter
แƒฏ juh j June, July, January แƒฏแƒฃแƒฏแƒ [juja] dwarf
แƒฐ huh h home, hair, hot แƒฐแƒแƒ•แƒ [hava] climate

Voiced consonants

Some Georgian sounds might sound similar, but they arenโ€™t. Confusing each other sometimes changes the meaning of a word. Some of these sounds are voiceless, or aspirated (when you breathe out at the same time), the others are voiced, or unaspirated (when you donโ€™t breathe at the same time)

Consonants Sound Transliteration Examples in English Georgian words
แƒ™ kuh (unaspirated) kโ€™ bake, take แƒ™แƒแƒšแƒแƒ›แƒ˜ [kalami] pen
แƒž puh (unaspirated) pโ€™ pepper, port แƒกแƒแƒžแƒแƒœแƒ˜ [saponi] soap
แƒข tuh (unaspirated) tโ€™ Stan, stop แƒแƒขแƒแƒ›แƒ˜ [atโ€™ami] peach
แƒฌ tzuh (unaspirated) tsโ€™ no English equivalent แƒฌแƒฃแƒ—แƒ˜ [tsโ€™uti] minute
แƒญ tchuh (unaspirated) chโ€™ no English equivalent แƒ‘แƒ˜แƒญแƒ˜ [bichโ€™i] boy

6 pairs of consonants sound almost identical. The first sound of each pair is voiceless, the second sound is voiced (unaspirated)

1. แƒ—-แƒข 3. แƒค-แƒž 5. แƒฉ-แƒญ
2. แƒฅ-แƒ™ 4. แƒช-แƒฌ 6. แƒก-แƒ–

Examples: Georgian Alphabet

N Pairs Transliteration Georgian words Word pronunciation Translation
1. แƒ— t (unaspirated) แƒ—แƒแƒ แƒ˜ [tari] musical instrument
แƒข t’ (aspirated) แƒขแƒแƒ แƒ˜ [t’ari] handle
2. แƒฅ k (aspirated) แƒฅแƒแƒ แƒ˜ [kari] wind
แƒ™ k’ (unaspirated) แƒ™แƒแƒ แƒ˜ [k’ari] door
3. แƒค p (aspirated) แƒคแƒฃแƒšแƒ˜ [puli] money
แƒž p’ (unaspirated) แƒžแƒฃแƒ แƒ˜ [p’uri] bread
4. แƒช ts (aspirated) แƒชแƒ”แƒšแƒ˜ [tseli] grass cutter
แƒฌ ts’ (unaspirated) แƒฌแƒ”แƒšแƒ˜ [ts’eli] year
5. แƒฉ ch (aspirated) แƒฉแƒ˜แƒ แƒ˜ [chiri] dried fruit
แƒญ ch’ (unaspirated) แƒญแƒ˜แƒ แƒ˜ [ch’iri] plague
6. แƒก s (aspirated) แƒกแƒฃแƒกแƒขแƒ˜ [sust’i] weak
แƒ– z (unaspirated) แƒ–แƒฃแƒกแƒขแƒ˜ [zust’i] precise

Do you know that?

Ilia Chavchavadzeย (8 November 1837 โ€“ 12 September 1907) was a Georgian figure, journalist, publisher, writer, and poet who spearheaded the revival of the Georgian national movement in the second half of the 19th century and played a major role in the creation of Georgian civil society during the Russian of Georgia. He was a devoted protector of the Georgian culture from Russification. The Society for the Spreading of Literacy among Georgians, founded by Prince Ilia Chavchavadze in 1879, discarded five letters from the Georgian alphabet that had become redundant. He is Georgia’s “most universally revered hero.

Hard to pronounce consonants

Consonants Sound Transliteration Examples in English-Georgian Georgian words
แƒฆ rrr in a throat french gh French r no English equivalent แƒฆแƒแƒ›แƒ˜ [ghomi] grits
แƒฎ guttural sound in a throat kh Bach, Loch-Ness แƒฎแƒแƒฎแƒ [khakha] throat
แƒง guttural sound deep in a throat qโ€™ no English equivalent แƒ‘แƒแƒงแƒแƒงแƒ˜ [baqโ€™aqโ€™i] frog

Do you know that?

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has added the Georgian alphabet to the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The nomination was submitted to UNESCO for consideration in 2015. The main goal is to underline the harmonic co-existence of three alphabets. The UNESCO official webpage reads that the evolution of Georgiaโ€™s written language has produced three alphabets โ€“ Mrgvlovani, Nuskhuri, and Mkhedruli โ€“ which all remain in use today. Mrgvlovani and Nuskhuri are practiced and taught informally predominately by the community of the Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church while Georgiaโ€™s educational system, however, is based on the Mkhedruli alphabet.

Writing

Georgian letters are written in a four-lined net as in English, but the letters have no slope. Some of the Georgian letters exceed the line upwards or downwards.

Georgian Alphabet

The Georgian Alphabet has some similar-looking characters and also mirrored image letters. You need to practice identifying them.[dt_divider style=”thick” /]

Similar looking characters: Georgian Alphabet

1. แƒš-แƒฆ-แƒ“ 3. แƒž–แƒฐ 5. แƒ‘-แƒ’
2. แƒ™-แƒฅ-แƒ• 4. แƒ—-แƒค ย  ย 

Examples: Georgian Alphabet

N Pairs Transliteration Georgian words Word pronunciation Translation
1. แƒš แƒฆ แƒ“ l gh d แƒšแƒแƒ›แƒ˜ แƒฆแƒแƒ›แƒ” แƒ“แƒ˜แƒ“แƒ˜ [lomi] [ghame] [didi] lion handle handle
2. แƒ™ แƒฅ แƒ• kโ€™ k v แƒšแƒ”แƒ™แƒ•แƒ˜ แƒฅแƒ›แƒแƒ แƒ˜ แƒ•แƒ˜แƒ แƒ˜ [lekโ€™vi] [kmari] [viri] poppy husband donkey
3. แƒž แƒฐ pโ€™ h แƒžแƒ˜แƒ แƒ•แƒ”แƒšแƒ˜ แƒฐแƒแƒ”แƒ แƒ˜ [pโ€™irveli] [haeri] first air
4. แƒ— แƒค t p แƒ—แƒฃแƒ—แƒ แƒคแƒฃแƒœแƒฏแƒ˜ [tuta] [punji] mulberry brush
5. แƒ‘ แƒ’ b g แƒแƒšแƒฃแƒ‘แƒแƒšแƒ˜ แƒ’แƒฃแƒ’แƒฃแƒšแƒ˜ [alubali] [guguli] cherry cuckoo

Mirrored image letters:ย 

1. แƒ›-แƒœ 2. แƒซ-แƒฎ 3. แƒจ-แƒฌ 4. แƒ“-แƒค

Examples:ย 

N Pairs Transliteration Georgian words Word pronunciation Translation
1. แƒ› แƒœ m n แƒ›แƒ”แƒšแƒแƒœแƒ˜ แƒœแƒ˜แƒกแƒšแƒ˜ [melani] [nisli] ink fog
2. แƒซ แƒฎ dzโ€™ kh แƒซแƒแƒฆแƒšแƒ˜ แƒฎแƒ›แƒแƒšแƒ˜ [dzโ€™aghli] [khmali] dog sword
3. แƒจ แƒฌ sh tsโ€™ แƒจแƒฃแƒ แƒฌแƒ”แƒ แƒ [shua] [tsโ€™era] middle writing
4. แƒ“ แƒค d p แƒ›แƒแƒ“แƒ แƒคแƒแƒœแƒฏแƒแƒ แƒ [mada] [panjara] appetite window

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Do you know that?

The first-ever printed book in the Georgian language was the Italian-Georgian Dictionary, printed in Rome in 1629 by Niceforo Irbachi (Nicholas Irubakidze-Cholokashvili), a Georgian Orthodox priest, politician, and diplomat. Therefore,the first printing house in Tbilisi was established in 1712 and the first books printed there was The Bible, The Knight in the Panther’s Skin by Shota Rustaveli, and The Georgian Dictionary. After the annexation of Georgia by Russia in 1801 and the abolition of the Georgian Kingdom, Georgia remained a Russian province until 1918 when an independent republic was announced. During this time, Georgian did not function as a state language (until 1805, teaching Georgian at schools was also prohibited) and books were distributed only in handwritten form until 1805. The first Georgian newspaper appeared in 1819.