Getting around
მეტრო
სად მიდის?
Where to?
You hear this when the doors close or the next stop is called. It is written down too, so a missed word does not end the ride.
Tbilisi
Georgia
Tbilisi is the capital of Georgia. The fortress sits on the hill above the old baths, and Rustaveli is the long avenue below.
How the language is used
Georgian is the language of the metro, the shop, and the city office. Russian is also heard. The signs use the Georgian alphabet.
In this city
- Language
- Georgian
- Also heard
- Mostly Georgian
- A local word
- გმადლობთ — Thank you.
- Writing
- the Georgian alphabet
What people say
Ordinary lines from this city: the ride, the counter, the food, and the greeting.
The counter
კაფე
ერთი ყავა.
One coffee, please.
This line is a whole order. You do not need a longer sentence.
Food
ბაზარი
რა ღირს?
How much is it?
The order is built in short pieces like this one.
The street
ქუჩა
გმადლობთ.
Thank you.
People keep this line short. It is enough for the moment.
The language through the day
Georgian is the language of the ride, the shop, and the street.
A first day in Tbilisi can run on four lines: “სად მიდის?”, “ერთი ყავა.”, “რა ღირს?”, and “გმადლობთ.”. Each one is already a complete moment.
If you are new here
- Stops, prices, and shop signs are written in the Georgian alphabet.
- One everyday you-form covers most shops. Please and thanks do the polite work.
- If a spoken line goes past you, read the screen or the board. In Tbilisi, the stop and the price are written down.
One local word: გმადლობთ. It means Thank you..
Places you can see
- Narikala — The fortress on the hill above the old town.
- Sulfur baths — The old bath houses by the stream under the hill.
- Rustaveli — The long avenue of theatres and the opera.
Food
Khachapuri, the cheese bread, is the ordinary order. You ask in Georgian.
Getting around
The metro crosses the centre. Announcements are in Georgian.
Daily life
A short question in Georgian gets you through a shop. The reading beside the Georgian letters on this site shows the sound.
A few everyday phrases
Georgian
| Phrase | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| გამარჯობა | Gamarjoba | Hello |
| გმადლობთ | Gmadlobt | Thank you |
| დილა მშვიდობისა | Dila mshvidobisa | Good morning |
| მე მქვია… | Me mkvia… | My name is… |
