Yes, Georgian pronunciation is difficult for foreigners, but certainly nowhere near as impossible as its reputation would suggest. Try not to get bogged down by the exotic consonants and tongue-twisting consonant clusters; truly almost nothing will please Georgians more than your efforts to speak their language and they will be very patient with your attempts!
Also on the positive side, there are no capital letters in Georgian; no need to memorize two characters per letter! Moreover, Georgian is phonetically regular—letters are always pronounced exactly as written. Lastly, it is an unstressed language—each syllable receives equal weight. If you are not used to speaking an unstressed language, approximate the sound by placing stress on the first syllable of the word. But don't "stress" out about this—you will be understood!
If you are familiar with Spanish, Georgian vowel sounds are very similar.
; ? ah : like c'''a'''r ; ? eh : like p'''e'''t ; ? ee : like kn'''ee''' ; ? oh : like d'''o'''h! ; ? oo : like b'''oo'''t
; ? b : like '''b'''at ; ? g : like '''g'''o ; ? d : like '''d'''og ; ? v/w : in between '''v''' as in '''v'''ery and '''w''' as in '''w'''eary ; ? z : like '''z'''oo ; ? t : like '''t'''ip ; ? k' : see Tricky consonants ; ? l : like '''l'''ove ; ? m : like '''m'''int ; ? n : like '''n'''ose ; ? p' : see Tricky consonants ; ? zh : like plea'''s'''ure ; ? r : rolled as in spanish '''r'''oja ; ? s : like '''s'''ad ; ? t' : see Tricky consonants ; ? p : like '''p'''oof ; ? k : like '''k'''ick ; ? gh : pronounced similar to a french '''r''' as in bonjou'''r'''; alternatively, like a voiced '''kh''' ; ? q' : see Tricky consonants ; ? sh : like '''sh'''oot ; ? ch : like '''ch'''imp ; ? ts : like ho'''t s'''auce ; ? dz : foo'''ds''' ; ? ts' : see Tricky consonants ; ? ch' : see Tricky consonants ; ? kh : pronounced like Scottish lo'''ch''' or German Ba'''ch''' ; ? j : like '''j'''ump ; ? h : like '''h'''ot
Georgian distinguishes between aspirated and non-aspirated (ejective) consonants. An aspirated consonant is accompanied by a puff of air when you say it. In Georgian, there is even more of a "puff" of air for aspirated consonants than you would hear in English.
A non-aspirated consonant in Georgian, however, actually contains ''no'' puff of air whatsoever. Georgians close the back of their throat, similar to what you do before you cough or the closed throat moment between '''uh''' and '''oh''' in "'''uh-oh'''." They then pronounce the non-aspirated consonants without any exhalation at all. Don't worry if you have trouble producing this type of sound, though, in context you ''will'' be understood! Non-aspirated consonants are marked above with an apostrophe.
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Finally, the Georgian letter '''?''' is difficult for most Westerners to pronounce. It is similar to the Arabic "qaf" ('''?'''). To pronounce this letter, try to pronounce the English letter '''k''', only way down at the bottom of your throat. The Georgian '''?''' is non-aspirated.
Diphthongs do not exist in Georgian—every vowel is given equal weight and every syllable has only one vowel.
; After/past : ?????? (''shehm-dehg''), ???? ("me-re") ; Behind : ???? (''oo-k'ahn'') ; Before/in front of : ??? (''t'sin'') ; Between : ??? or ????? (''shoo-ah'' or ''shoh-rees'') ; Near : ????? (''ahkh-lohs'') ; Straight ahead : ???????? (''p'eer-dah-p'eer'')
; Left : ???????? (''mahrts-khneev'') ; Right : ???????? (''mahrj-vneev'') ; Where? : ??? (''sahd'') ; Is it far? : ???? ????? (''shohrs ah-rees?'')
; Help! : ????????! (''meesh-veh-leht!'') ; Go away! : ????! (''ts'ah-dee!'')
; 1 : ???? (''ehr-tee'') ; 2 : ??? (''oh-ree'') ; 3 : ???? (''sah-mee'') ; 4 : ???? (''oht-khee'') ; 5 : ???? (''khoo-tee'') ; 6 : ????? (''ehk-vsee'') ; 7 : ????? (''shvee-dee'') ; 8 : ??? (''rvah'') ; 9 : ???? (''tskhrah'') ; 10 : ??? (''ah-tee'') ; 11 : ???????? (''tehrt-meh-t'ee'') ; 12 : ??????? (''tohr-meh-t'ee'') ; 13 : ?????? (''tsah-meh-t'ee'') ; 14 : ???????? (''toht-khmeh-t'ee'') ; 15 : ???????? (''tkhoot-meh-t'ee'') ; 16 : ????????? (''tehk-vsmeh-t'ee'') ; 17 : ???????? (''chveed-meh-t'ee'') ; 18 : ???????? (''trvah-meh-t'ee'') ; 19 : ???????? (''tskhrah-meh-t'ee'') ; 20 : ??? (''oh-tsee'') ; 21 : ???????? (''ohts-dah-ehr-tee'') ; 22 : ??????? (''ohts-dah-oh-ree'') ; 23 : ???????? (''ohts-dah-sah-mee'') ; 30 : ??????? (''ohts-dah-ah-tee'') ; 31 : ???????????? (''ohts-dah-tehrt-meh-t'ee'') ; 40 : ?????? (''ohr-moh-tsee'') ; 50 : ?????????? (''ohr-mohts-dah-ah-tee'') ; 60 : ?????? (''sah-moh-tsee'') ; 70 : ?????????? (''sah-mohts-dah-ah-tee'') ; 80 : ??????? (''oht-khmoh-tsee'') ; 90 : ??????????? (''oht-khmohts-dah-ah-tee'') ; 100 : ??? (''ah-see'') ; 1000 : ????? (''ah-tah-see'') ; 2000 : ; 5000 : ; 10,000 : ??? ????? (''ah-tee ah-tah-see'') ; 1,000,000 : ??????? (''mee-lee-oh-nee'') ; 1,000,000,000 : ; Approximately : ?????????? (''dah-ah-khloh-eh-beet'') ; Plus : ????? (''p'loo-see'') ; Minus : ?????? (''mee-noo-see'') ; First : ??????? (''p'eer-veh-lee'') ; Second : ????? (''meh-oh-reh'') ; Third : ?????? (''meh-sah-meh'')
; now : ???? (''ahkh-lah'') ; after : ?????? (''shehm-dehg'') ; before : ??? ("tseen") ; later : ???? ("??-??") ; earlier : ('' '') ; in the morning : ????? (''dee-leet'') ; in the afternoon : ??????? (''Shua-dgheet'') ; in the evening: ???????? (''sah-ghah-moh-tee'') ; at night: ????? (''ghah-meet'')
; _____ minute : _____ ???? (''ts'oo-tee'') ; _____ hour(s) : _____ ????? (''sah-ah-tee'') ; _____ day(s) : _____ ??? (''dgheh'') ; _____ week(s) : _____ ????? (''k'vee-rah'') ; _____ month(s) : _____ ??? (''tveh'') ; _____ year(s) : _____ ???? (''ts'eh-lee'')
; Saturday : ?????? (''shah-bah-tee'') ; Sunday : ????? (''k'vee-rah'') ; Monday : ???????? (''ohr-shah-bah-tee'') ; Tuesday : ????????? (''sam-shah-bah-tee'') ; Wednesday : ????????? (''ohtkh-shah-bah-tee'') ; Thursday : ????????? (''khoot-shah-bah-tee'') ; Friday : ????????? (''p'ah-rahs-keh-vee'')
; January : ??????? (''ee-ahn-vah-ree'') ; February : ????????? (''teh-behr-vah-lee'') ; March : ????? (''mahr-t'ee'') ; April : ?????? (''ah-p'ree-lee'') ; May : ????? (''mah-ee-see'') ; June : ?????? (''eev-nee-see'') ; July : ?????? (''eev-lee-see'') ; August : ??????? (''ahg-vee-st'oh'') ; September : ?????????? (''seq-t'ehm-beh-ree'') ; October : ????????? (''oq-t'ohm-beh-ree'') ; November : ???????? (''noh-ehm-beh-ree'') ; December : ????????? (''deh-kehm-beh-ree'')
; black : ???? (''shah-vee'') ; white : ????? (''teh-tree'') ; gray : ?????????? (''nahts-rees-peh-ree'') ; red : ?????? (''ts'ee-teh-lee'') ; blue : ???-?? (''loor-jee'') ; yellow : ??????? (''q'vee-teh-lee'') ; green : ?????? (''mts'vah-neh'') ; orange : ????????? (''pohr-toh-khah-lee'') ; purple : ???????? (''meh-ts'ah-moo-lee'') ; brown : ??-???-??-?? (''q'ah-vees-peh-ree'')
; Stop (to let me off) : ???????? (''gah-ah-cheh-reht'')
; How much is a ticket to ____? : ; One ticket to ____, please. : ; Where does this train/bus go? : ; Where is the train/bus to ____? : ; Does this train/bus stop in ____? : ; When does the train/bus for ____ leave? : ; When will this train/bus arrive in ____? :
; How do I get to ____ : ; ...the train station? : ; ...the bus station? : ; ...the airport? : ; ...downtown? : ; ...a youth hostel? : ; ...the ____ hotel? : ; Where are there a lot of... : ??? ???? ???????... ; ...hotels? : ; ...restaurants? : ...?????????? ; ...bars? : ; ...sites to see? : ; Can you please show me on the map? ; street : ???? ; Turn left. : ; Turn right. : ; left : ; right : ; straight ahead : ; towards the ____ : ; past the ____ : ; before the ____ : ; Watch for the ____ : ; intersection : ; north : ; south : ; east : ; west : ; uphill : ; downhill :
; Taxi! : ?????! ; Take me to ____, please. : ; How much does it cost to get to ____? : ; Take me there, please. :
A very useful and simple construction for asking for anything is simply:
; _____ please. : _____ ?? ???????? (''____ too sheh-eedz-leh-bah'')
; Without salt : ??????? (''oo-mah-ree-loh'') ; Without meat : ?????? (''oo-khohr-tsoh'') ; I'm a vegetarian. : ??????????? ??? (''veh-geh-t'ah-ree-ah-nee vahr'') ; I want ____ : ?? ____ ????? (''meh ____ meen-dah'') ; chicken : ?????? ????? (''kaht-mees khor-tsee'') ; beef : ???-??? ???-?? (''dzroh-khees khor-tsee'') ; fish : ????? (''tehv-zee'') ; pork : ????? ????? (''ghoh-rees khor-tsee'') ; cheese : ????? (''q'veh-lee'') ; eggs : ??????? (''k'vehr-tskhee'') ; salad : ?????? (''sah-lah-tah'') ; vegetables : ????????? (''bohst'-neh-oo-lee'') ; fruit : ???? (''khee-lee'') ; bread : ???? (''p'oo-ree'') ; beans : ????? (''loh-bee-oh'') ; coffee : ???? (''q'ah-vah'') ; Turkish coffee : ??????? ???? (''toork-oo-lee q'ah-vah'') ; tea (''drink'') : ??? (''chah-ee'') ; juice : ????? (''ts'veh-nee'') ; water : ????? (''ts'q'ah-lee'') ; beer : ??-?? (''loo-dee'') ; red/white wine : ??????/????? ????? (''ts'ee-teh-lee/teh-tree ghvee-noh'') ; Excuse me, waiter? (''getting attention of server''): ?????????, ????????? (''oo-k'ahts-rah-vahd, oh-pee-tsee-ahn-t'ee'') ; It was delicious. : ?????? ???????? ???. (''dzah-lee-ahn gehm-ree-eh-lee ee-q'oh'') ; The check, please. : ????????, ?? ???????? (''ahn-gah-ree-shee, too sheh-eedz-leh-bah'')