Language/Georgian/Grammar/Consonants-and-Vowels

Georgian Grammar → Alphabet and Sounds → Consonants and Vowels

As a Georgian language teacher with more than 20 years of experience, I am excited to be teaching you the basics of Georgia's unique and beautiful language. In this lesson, you will learn about the consonant and vowel sounds in Georgian.

Consonants

One of the most notable features of Georgian language is its set of consonants, some of which are rare in other languages.

Here is a table of the basic consonant sounds in Georgian:

Georgian	Pronunciation	English
ბ	b	book
გ	g	go
დ	d	day
ვ	v	van
ზ	z	zebra
თ	tʰ	star
კ	kʼ	skip
ლ	l	love
მ	m	man
ნ	n	nimble
ო	ɔ	dog
პ	pʰ	span
ჟ	ʒ	treasure
რ	r	right
ს	s	sing
ტ	tʼ	stop
უ	u	fool
ფ	p	pin
ქ	k	kite
ღ	ɣ	guest
ყ	qʼ	cue
შ	ʃ	show
ჩ	tʃ	chance
ც	ts	sits
ძ	dz	adze
წ	tsʼ	bats
ჭ	tʃʼ	church
ხ	x	Scottish loch
ჯ	dʒ	jam
ჰ	h	hat

Note that some of these, like ღ [ɣ] and ყ [qʼ], are uncommon in other languages. As you continue your Georgian studies, you'll learn to master these unique consonant sounds.

Vowels

Georgian has five vowel sounds, all of which can be either short or long. The difference between the short and long versions of each vowel can change the meaning of a word.

Here is a table of the basic vowel sounds in Georgian:

Georgian	Pronunciation	English
ა	a	father
ე	ɛ	bed
ი	i	jeep
ო	ɔ	dog
უ	u	fool

In Georgian language, "ე" sound also has a nasalized variation “ე̃” , and "ო" sound can also be nasalized to "ო̃".

It is important to pay close attention to the length and nasalization of vowels as you learn them. This will help you avoid mistakes while speaking Georgian.

Diphthongs

Georgian has two diphthongs, which are combinations of two vowel sounds pronounced as one syllable:

- აი [ɑj] as in "kaipai" (how) - ეუ [ɛu] as in "meore" (second)

It is important to note that these diphthongs are not common in everyday Georgian language conversation.

In conclusion, mastering Georgian consonant and vowel sounds is an essential step to obtaining proficiency in the language. As you continue your studies, remember to pay close attention to the nuances of pronunciation and practice frequently. Happy learning!

Table of Contents - Georgian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Alphabet and Sounds

• Consonants and Vowels
• Pronunciation Rules
• Word Order

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Greetings and Responses
• Introducing Yourself
• Polite Phrases

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Nouns and Cases

• Noun Gender
• Nominative Case
• Genitive Case
• Dative Case
• Accusative Case
• Locative Case

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships and Titles

  ---

Food and Drink

• Traditional Dishes
• Wine and Spirits
• Table Manners

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense
• Future Tense
• Conditional and Imperative

  ---

Transportation and Directions

• Public Transportation
• Asking for and Giving Directions

  ---

Holidays and Celebrations

• New Year's and Christmas
• Easter
• Independence Day

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Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Agreement
• Comparison

  ---

Shopping and Services

• Money and Currency
• Shopping Vocabulary
• Services and Emergencies

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Arts and Entertainment

• Music and Dance
• Theater and Film
• Literature and Poetry

  ---

Prepositions

• Simple Prepositions
• Compound Prepositions

  ---

Work and Employment

• Job Titles and Professions
• Applying for a Job

  ---

Georgian History and Geography

• Ancient Kingdoms
• Recent History
• Geographic Regions

Related Lessons

• Future Tense
• “to be” ყოფნა Present Tense
• Adverbs produced from Adjectives
• Conditional Mood
• Plurals
• Noun Gender
• The emphatic “ა”
• The postposition “ თან”
• Nouns
• Participles of medial verbs

Sources

• Georgian language - Wikipedia
• Georgian | A Comprehensive Grammar | Tinatin Bolkvadze, Dodona ...
• Georgian grammar - Wikipedia