The Georgian verb system has a reputation for being complicated, which comes from the way one verb can show the subject, object, tense, and even direction all at the same time. If Georgian verbs look confusing to you, you are not imagining it, but you also don’t need to understand every single rule to start using them.
This guide to Georgian verbs is for beginners who want to make sense of what they are learning without memorizing endless conjugation tables. You’ll learn real patterns, see examples, and get a clear idea of how to go about learning without feeling overwhelmed.
How Georgian Verbs Work At A First Glance
Georgian verbs change depending on who is doing the action, who is receiving it, and when it happens, all in a single word. This means that each verb can carry subject, object, and tense, so you can understand the whole action without needing separate words for each part.
You can see this in the following examples with the verb root წერ (c̣er) meaning “to write”:
- I am writing it – ვწერ (v-c̣er)
- He or she is writing it –წერს (c̣er-s)
- I am writing it for him or her – ვუწერ (v-u-c̣er)
- I am writing to you (singular) – გწერ (g-c̣er)
- I am writing to you (plural) –გწერთ (g-c̣er-t)
These examples show how a single Georgian verb carries multiple pieces of information.
The prefix (v-, g-) at the start shows who is acting and who is affected.
The version vowel (-u-, -i-) shows the relationship between the subject and indirect object.
The ending (-s, -t, or none) shows the tense or number.
A Simple Guide To Georgian Verb Forms
Georgian verbs are one of the most challenging and complex parts of Georgian grammar. You need to understand the function and structure first because it is harder to speak Georgian without learning the basics.
A Georgian verb has the same meaning and function as in English – it shows an action or an action word. But in Georgian, verbs must include various particles such as suffixes, prefixes, causative markers, imperfective markers, passive markers, nominal markers, auxiliary verbs, and other types of affixes. These affixes express the meaning of the verb form and a particular tense.
For example, let’s break down the verb for he/she will do -გააკეთებს (gaak’etebs = ga-ak-et-eb-s)
- გა- (ga-) – the preverb shows the general action or direction. This just sets up the action of doing/making.
- ა- (a-) – the pre-radical vowel, connects the subject prefix to the root and helps the verb flow.
- კეთ- (ket-) – the root, meaning “do” or “make.” Georgian roots often have a broad meaning, so the English translation depends on the sentence.
- ებ(-eb-) – the stem ending for present/future tense.
- ს(-s) – shows the person doing the action, in this case, third person singular (he or she).
If you change the preverb in the given sentence above from გა– to შე– the meaning would change to he/she will repair (შეაკეთებს).
Georgian Screeves
In Georgian, verbs are organized into screeves, which are groups of related verb forms that share tense, mood, aspect, and version. Each screeve contains all the forms for different persons and numbers (I, you, he/she, we, you plural, they).
A screeve is a family of verb forms that follow the same rules. In English, “I write,” “you write,” and “he writes” are separate words, but in Georgian, they belong to the same screeve because they share the same tense, mood, and version. Each screeve has its own prefixes, endings, and version vowels.
| English | Georgian | Latin Alphabet |
|---|---|---|
| I write a letter | ვწერ წერილს | v-c̣er tsersils |
| You write a letter | წერ წერილს | c̣er tsersils |
| He/She writes a letter | წერს წერილს | c̣er-s tsersils |
| I was writing a letter | ვწერდი წერილს | v-c̣er-di tsersils |
| You were writing a letter | წერდი წერილს | c̣er-di tsersils |
| He/She was writing a letter | წერდა წერილს | c̣er-da tsersils |
| I wrote a letter (completed) | ვწერე წერილს | v-c̣er-e tsersils |
| You wrote a letter (completed) | წერე წერილს | c̣er-e tsersils |
| He/She wrote a letter (completed) | დაწერა წერილს | dats-era tsersils |
| I will write a letter | დავწერ წერილს | da-v-c̣er tsersils |
| You will write a letter | დწერ წერილს | da-c̣er tsersils |
| He/She will write a letter | დაწერს წერილს | da-c̣er-s tsersils |
| Let me write a letter | ვწერო წერილს | v-c̣er-o tsersils |
| Let you write a letter | წერო წერილს | c̣er-o tsersils |
| Let him/her write a letter | დაწეროს წერილს | da-c̣er-os tsersils |
Georgian Verb Tenses
Georgian has ten tenses in total, but here we focus on the five main tenses: present, imperfect, future, aorist, and optative.
| Tense | Meaning | English | Georgian | Latin Alphabet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present | Action happening now | Khato writes a letter | ხათო წერილს წერს | Khato tsersils c̣er-s |
| Imperfect | Habitual or ongoing past action | Khato wrote a letter often | ხათო წერილს წერდა | Khato tsersils tser-da |
| Future | Action that will happen | Khato will write a letter | ხათო წერილს დაწერს | Khato tsersils da-c̣er-s |
| Aorist | Completed past action | Khato wrote a letter (finished) | ხათომ წერილს დაწერა | Khato-m tsersils dats-era |
| Optative | Intention, desire, or permission | Let Khato write a letter | ხათომ წერილს დაწეროს | Khato-m tsersils dats-eros |
How Do You Say “Verbs” In Georgian?
In Georgian, the word for verb is ზმნა (zmna), or ზმნები (zmnebi) for plural.
ქართული ზმნები (kartuli zmnebi) are Georgian verbs.
Georgian Verbs In Simple Sentences
Here are some simple beginner sentences with common verbs you may use to practice easy Georgian vocabulary.
| English | Georgian | Latin alphabet |
|---|---|---|
| I eat | მე ვჭამ | Me v-cham |
| I drink | მე ვსვამ | Me v-svam |
| I go / I am going | მე მივდივარ | Me mi-vidivar |
| I come | მე მოვდივარ | Me mo-vidivar |
| I sleep | მე მძინავს | Me mdzinavs |
| I read | მე ვკითხულობ | Me v-ktxovlob |
| I write | მე ვწერ | Me v-c̣er |
| I speak / I talk | მე ვსაუბრობ | Me v-saubrob |
| I listen / I hear | მე ვუსმენ | Me v-usmen |
| I see / I look | მე ვხედავ | Me v-khedav |
| I understand | მე მესმის | Me mesmis |
| I want | მე მინდა | Me minda |
| I like / I love | მე მიყვარს | Me miqvars |
| I work | მე ვმუშაობ | Me v-mushaob |
| I play | მე ვთამაშობ | Me v-tamashob |
Tip: In Georgian, the subject pronoun (me) is optional. This is because the verb itself already shows who is doing the action through prefixes and endings.
Tips For Avoiding Common Mistakes Beginners Make
Many Georgian learners make simple mistakes, like forgetting to add affixes and mixing up direct and indirect objects. By knowing these common pitfalls, you can learn faster and use verbs correctly in conversations.
Here are some tips to keep in mind when studying Georgian verbs:
- Always include the subject prefix (ვ for I, გ for you, etc.) – I write: ვწერ(v-c̣er)
- Watch for indirect object markers (to/for someone) – I write to you: გწერ(g-c̣er)
- Learn one screeve at a time – He/she writes: წერს (c̣er-s)
- Know if the verb is transitive (needs an object) or intransitive (no object) – I eat bread: ვჭამპურს (v-cham purs), I go: მივდივარ (mi-vidivar)
- Version vowels change meaning (who benefits or is affected) – I write for him/her: ვუწერ (v-u-c̣er)
- Singular and plural endings matter – You (pl.) write: გწერთ (g-c̣er-t)
- Think of each verb as a full mini-sentence, not one word.
- Practice writing by hand to build memory. Use the Ling app’s finger tracing method to help yourself with the alphabet.
- Revise old verbs before learning new ones.
- Start with common verbs you use daily (eat, drink, go, come, see, write). Combine them with basic Georgian phrases to practice speaking naturally from day one.
- Listen and repeat verbs in sentences, not just the verbs alone. This helps build real speaking skills.
Some people think grammar isn’t that important when learning a language, especially if your goal is just to communicate. But research shows that having a basic understanding of grammar actually helps learners build a stronger foundation and makes it easier to progress.
FAQs About Georgian Verbs
What Is A Screeve In Georgian Grammar?
A screeve is a group of verb forms that show the same tense and mood. In Georgian, one screeve includes all the forms for I, you, he/she, etc. It shows who is doing the action, sometimes who it is done to, and when it happens, all inside the verb.
“I see”: ვხედავ (v khedav), “you see”: ხედავ (khedav), “he/she sees”: ხედავს (khedavs) all belong to the same screeve because they show the same tense and mood, just for different people.
How Do I Know Who A Georgian Verb Is About?
Check the affixes. For example, ვწერ (v-c̣er) means “I write,” გწერ (g-c̣er) means “I write to you,” and წერს (c̣er-s) means “he/she writes.” The prefix shows the subject or indirect object, and the ending shows the person or number.
Are Georgian Verbs Irregular?
Not completely. Some verbs follow clear patterns, but many verbs, especially common ones, are irregular. You will learn the patterns first, and then the irregular ones gradually.
What Have We Learned About Georgian Verbs?
Georgian verbs can seem complicated because a single verb can show who is doing the action, who it is done to, and when it happens, all at once.
This guide briefly explained the patterns, screeves, and essential tenses. It also covered some common verbs and how prefixes, endings, and version vowels indicate the subject and object.
As a beginner, you should focus on learning one screeve at a time, and practice common daily verbs. With these simple strategies, Georgian verbs become much more approachable without memorizing endless conjugation tables.
Learn More About The Georgian Language With The Ling App
You’ve seen how Georgian verbs can carry a lot of information in a single word. This guide gave you a clear start with basic verb forms, common daily verbs, and tips to avoid beginner mistakes.
Now, take your Georgian learning further and make it fun with interactive lessons, examples, and exercises that match your pace.
Download the Ling app and start learning Georgian today to see how quickly you can start forming full sentences and using verbs naturally.
