Language/Georgian/Grammar/Past-Tense
As a Georgian language teacher for over 20 years, I know that learning how to form and use the past tense in Georgian is crucial for students aiming to reach the A1 level. In this lesson, we will cover everything you need to know about the formation and usage of the past tense in Georgian.
Understanding the Past Tense
The past tense expresses an action or a state of being that happened in the past. Unlike the present tense which has a single form, the past tense has separate forms for each gender.
In Georgian, the past tense is formed by adding the "-a" suffix to the verb stem. The ending of the verb is determined by the gender of the subject of the sentence.
Here is an example of the past tense in Georgian:
| Georgian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ვისწავლიდი | vista'vlidi | I studied (male) |
| ვისწავლიდა | vista'vlida | I studied (female) |
As you can see, the only difference in the verb form is the final vowel, which is "i" for males and "a" for females.
Usage of the Past Tense
The past tense is used to describe completed actions or states of being in the past. This includes:
- Something that happened at a specific time in the past.
- A past habit that is no longer true.
- Narrating a story in the past.
Here are some example sentences:
- ვისწავლიდი ქართულს თვითმფრინავებით. - I studied Georgian with a tutor. (specific time)
- მე ასე ვისწავლიდი. - I used to study like this. (past habit)
- ეს იყო როგორც ის მე ორჯერ თავის მამას მეთქი. - This happened when he told his father about it twice. (narration)
Irregular Verbs in the Past Tense
While the majority of verbs in Georgian follow the general rule of adding the "-a" suffix to the verb stem to form the past tense, there are some irregular verbs that do not follow this pattern.
Here are the most common irregular verbs in the past tense:
| Georgian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| მივიღეთ | mivi'get | We received |
| გავარდნენ | gava'rdnen | They got up |
| გავიყვარებენ | gaviqvarebe'n | They loved |
It is important to memorize these irregular verbs in order to use them correctly in the past tense.
Phrases with the Past Tense
Here are some useful phrases that use the past tense in Georgian:
- რამე დროს შევცვლი. - I changed my mind earlier.
- გამოვიდა მეთქი. - She left me.
- დავინახე მას სახელისთვის. - I looked for him by name.
Practice, Practice, Practice
The past tense is a crucial aspect of the Georgian language, so it's important to practice forming and using it. Read texts, watch movies, and speak with native speakers to improve your understanding of the past tense in context. With time and practice, you'll master the past tense in Georgian and be on your way to reaching the A1 level.
Related Lessons
- Adjective Agreement
- Negative imperatives with “ნუ”
- Conjugation verb “to be” ყოფნა in the past tense
- Future Tense
- Cases of Verbal Persons in Transitive Verbs
- Noun Inflection
- Gender
- Nouns with “many”, “much” and “a few”
- Word Order
- Types of Verbs
Sources
- 15+ Basic Georgian Verbs: Easiest Guide - Ling App
- Georgian grammar - Wikipedia
- Georgian Past Tense | POLYMATH.ORG