KAHIBARO
3.5. Basic Adjectives and Agreement
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Understanding Basic Adjectives in Georgian
In this chapter you will meet common Georgian adjectives and learn how they interact with nouns in very simple sentences. You will not yet learn full case patterns or complex agreement. The goal is to recognize adjectives, place them correctly, and use some frequent patterns.
What Is an Adjective in Georgian?
An adjective describes a person, place, thing, or idea, for example โbig,โ โsmall,โ โbeautiful,โ โgood.โ
In Georgian, adjectives work in a similar way. Some examples:
| English | Georgian | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| big | แแแแ | didi |
| small | แแแขแแ แ | patara |
| good | แแแ แแ | kargi |
| bad | แชแฃแแ | tsudi |
| beautiful | แแแแแแ | lamazi |
| new | แแฎแแแ | akhali |
| old (not new) | แซแแแแ | dzveli |
| interesting | แกแแแแขแแ แแกแ | saintereso |
You can use these adjectives to describe basic nouns you already know or will soon learn, such as:
| English | Georgian | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| house | แกแแฎแแ | sakhli |
| book | แฌแแแแ | tsโigni |
| city | แฅแแแแฅแ | qalaqi |
| child | แแแแจแแ | bavshvi |
| man | แแแชแ | kโatsi |
| woman | แฅแแแ | qali |
Position of Adjectives
In Georgian, adjectives generally come before the noun.
RULE: In simple phrases, put the adjective before the noun:
adjective + noun
Compare:
| Type | Georgian phrase | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| adjective + noun | แแแแ แกแแฎแแ | didi sakhli | a big house |
| adjective + noun | แแแแแแ แฅแแแ | lamazi qali | a beautiful woman |
| adjective + noun | แแฎแแแ แฌแแแแ | akhali tsโigni | a new book |
More examples in short sentences:
| Georgian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| แแก แแแแ แกแแฎแแ แแ แแก. | es didi sakhli aris. | This is a big house. |
| แแก แแแขแแ แ แฅแแแแฅแแ. | es patara qalaqia. | This is a small city. |
| แแก แแแ แแ แฌแแแแแ. | es kargi tsโignia. | This is a good book. |
| แแก แแแแแแ แฅแแแแ. | is lamazi qalia. | She is a beautiful woman. |
Notice that in these basic examples, the adjective stays before the noun.
Adjectives and Gender
Georgian does not have grammatical gender like many European languages. There is no separate masculine or feminine form of the same adjective.
RULE: Georgian adjectives do not change for masculine or feminine.
Use the same adjective form for โhe,โ โshe,โ โman,โ โwoman.โ
Examples:
| Georgian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| แแแแแแ แแแชแ | lamazi kโatsi | a handsome / beautiful man |
| แแแแแแ แฅแแแ | lamazi qali | a beautiful woman |
| แแก แแแแแแ แแแแแแแแแ. | is lamazi adamiania. | He / she is a beautiful person. |
| แแแ แแ แแแกแฌแแแแแแแแ | kargi mastsโavlebeli | a good teacher (male or female) |
The adjective แแแแแแ โbeautifulโ and แแแ แแ โgoodโ do not change.
Very Common Basic Adjectives
Here are some frequent adjectives that are useful in everyday descriptions.
Size and Quality
| English | Georgian | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| big | แแแแ | didi |
| small | แแแขแแ แ | patara |
| long | แแ แซแแแ | grdzelI |
| short | แแแแแ | mokle |
| good | แแแ แแ | kargi |
| bad | แชแฃแแ | tsudi |
| important | แแแแจแแแแแแแแแ | mnishvnelovani |
Example phrases:
| Georgian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| แแแแ แฅแแแแฅแ | didi qalaqi | a big city |
| แแแขแแ แ แแแแฎแ | patara otakhi | a small room |
| แแแ แแ แแฆแแกแแกแฌแแฃแแ | kargi dghesatsโqโali | a good holiday |
| แแแแจแแแแแแแแแ แจแแฎแแแแ แ | mnishvnelovani shekhvedra | an important meeting |
Age and Newness
| English | Georgian | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| new | แแฎแแแ | akhali |
| old (thing) | แซแแแแ | dzveli |
| young | แแฎแแแแแแ แแ | akhalgazrda |
| old (person) | แแแฎแฃแชแ | mokhutsโi |
Examples:
| Georgian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| แแฎแแแ แขแแแแคแแแ | akhali teleponi | a new phone |
| แซแแแแ แกแแฎแแ | dzveli sakhli | an old house |
| แแฎแแแแแแ แแ แแแชแ | akhalgazrda kโatsi | a young man |
| แแแฎแฃแชแ แฅแแแ | mokhutsโi qali | an old woman |
Appearance and Character (very basic)
| English | Georgian | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| beautiful | แแแแแแ | lamazi |
| ugly | แฃแจแแ | ushno |
| interesting | แกแแแแขแแ แแกแ | saintereso |
| boring | แแแกแแฌแงแแแ | mosatsโqโeni |
| kind, nice | แแแแแแ | kโetili |
| clever, smart | แญแแแแแแ | tskโviani |
Examples:
| Georgian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| แกแแแแขแแ แแกแ แแแแแแแแ | saintereso adamiani | an interesting person |
| แแแกแแฌแงแแแ แฌแแแแ | mosatsโqโeni tsโigni | a boring book |
| แแแแแแ แแแแแแแ แ | kโetili megobari | a kind friend |
| แญแแแแแแ แกแขแฃแแแแขแ | tskโviani studenti | a smart student |
AdjectiveโNoun Agreement in Simple Phrases
Full case agreement is more complex and belongs to later chapters. At this stage you should notice only some easy patterns that appear in basic dictionary forms and simple sentences like โthis is a big house.โ
Often, when both noun and adjective are in a simple base form, the adjective and noun end in -แ or -แ, but not always. You do not need to change the adjective for gender or number in these first phrases.
Examples:
| Georgian phrase | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| แแแแ แกแแฎแแ | didi sakhli | big house |
| แแแขแแ แ แฅแแแแฅแ | patara qalaqi | small city |
| แแแแแแ แแแแฎแ | lamazi otakhi | beautiful room |
| แแแ แแ แกแแแแ | kargi skola | good school |
In simple โthis is โฆโ sentences, you can usually keep the same form:
| Georgian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| แแก แแแแ แกแแแแ แแ แแก. | es didi skola aris. | This is a big school. |
| แแก แแแแแแ แแแแฎแแ. | es lamazi otakhia. | This is a beautiful room. |
| แแก แแแ แแ แแแแแแแแ แแ แแก. | es kargi adamiani aris. | This is a good person. |
RULE (for now): In very basic โX is Yโ sentences, keep the adjective form you learn in the vocabulary list.
You do not need to change it for gender or number at this point.
You will later see how adjectives look in other cases. For now, just learn common adjective + noun combinations as fixed phrases.
Combining More Than One Adjective
You can use more than one adjective before a noun. In everyday speech, Georgians often simply put adjectives one after another.
Patterns:
- adjective + adjective + noun
- small linking words sometimes appear, but you can begin with simple strings.
Examples:
| Georgian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| แแแแ แแแแแแ แกแแฎแแ | didi lamazi sakhli | a big beautiful house |
| แแแขแแ แ แแแ แแ แฌแแแแ | patara kargi tsโigni | a small good book |
| แกแแแแขแแ แแกแ แแฎแแแ แคแแแแ | saintereso akhali pilmi | an interesting new movie |
| แญแแแแแแ แแฎแแแแแแ แแ แฅแแแ | tskโviani akhalgazrda qali | a smart young woman |
Short sentences:
| Georgian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| แแก แแแแ แแแแแแ แกแแฎแแแ. | es didi lamazi sakh lia. | This is a big beautiful house. |
| แแก แกแแแแขแแ แแกแ แแฎแแแ แฌแแแแแ. | es saintereso akhali tsโignia. | This is an interesting new book. |
| แแก แญแแแแแแ แแฎแแแแแแ แแ แกแขแฃแแแแขแแ. | is tskโviani akhalgazrda studentia. | He / she is a smart young student. |
Saying โVeryโ and โA Littleโ
You can intensify adjectives with simple adverbs of degree. These are very useful and easy to combine.
โVeryโ
The most common word for โveryโ is แซแแแแแ dzalian.
RULE: Place แซแแแแแ directly before the adjective or before the whole adjective phrase.
Examples:
| Georgian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| แซแแแแแ แแแ แแ | dzalian kargi | very good |
| แซแแแแแ แแแแ แฅแแแแฅแ | dzalian didi qalaqi | a very big city |
| แซแแแแแ แแแแแแ แแแแ | dzalian lamazi gogo | a very beautiful girl |
In full sentences:
| Georgian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| แแก แซแแแแแ แแแ แแ แฌแแแแแ. | es dzalian kargi tsโignia. | This is a very good book. |
| แแก แซแแแแแ แแแแแแ แแแแแแแแแ. | is dzalian lamazi adamiania. | He / she is a very beautiful person. |
| แแแแแแกแ แซแแแแแ แแแแ แฅแแแแฅแแ. | tbilisi dzalian didi qalaqia. | Tbilisi is a very big city. |
โA bit, a littleโ
You can soften the meaning with words such as แชแแขแ tsโota โa little.โ
Examples:
| Georgian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| แชแแขแ แแแแ | tsโota didi | a bit big |
| แชแแขแ แแแกแแฌแงแแแ | tsโota mosatsโqโeni | a little boring |
| แชแแขแ แซแแแแ | tsโota dzveli | a bit old |
In sentences:
| Georgian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| แแก แแแแฎแ แชแแขแ แแแขแแ แแ. | es otakhi tsโota pataraa. | This room is a bit small. |
| แแก แคแแแแ แชแแขแ แแแกแแฌแงแแแแ. | es pilmi tsโota mosatsโqโenia. | This movie is a little boring. |
Do not worry yet about the verb forms at the end. Focus on how แชแแขแ and แซแแแแแ work with adjectives.
Short Descriptions with โTo Beโ
You already met sentences like โthis is a big house.โ Here we use adjectives in very basic descriptions. You will study the verb โto beโ in detail in another chapter, so here you only see simple patterns to show adjectives in context.
Examples with แแก แแ แแก โฆ โthis is โฆโ:
| Georgian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| แแก แแ แแก แแแแ แฅแแแแฅแ. | es aris didi qalaqi. | This is a big city. |
| แแก แแ แแก แแแแแแ แกแฃแ แแแ. | es aris lamazi surati. | This is a beautiful picture. |
| แแก แแ แแก แแแ แแ แ แแกแขแแ แแแ. | es aris kargi restorani. | This is a good restaurant. |
Examples with แแก แแ แแก โฆ โhe / she / it is โฆโ:
| Georgian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| แแก แแ แแก แแแ แแ แแแกแฌแแแแแแแแ. | is aris kargi mastsโavlebeli. | He / she is a good teacher. |
| แแก แแ แแก แญแแแแแแ แกแขแฃแแแแขแ. | is aris tskโviani studenti. | He / she is a smart student. |
| แแก แแ แแก แแแแแแ แแแแแแแแ. | is aris kโetili adamiani. | He / she is a kind person. |
Examples with แซแแแแแ:
| Georgian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| แแก แแ แแก แซแแแแแ แแแแแแ แฅแแแ. | is aris dzalian lamazi qali. | She is a very beautiful woman. |
| แแก แแ แแก แซแแแแแ แญแแแแแแ แแแแจแแ. | is aris dzalian tskโviani bavshvi. | He / she is a very smart child. |
You will later learn shorter forms like แแก แแแแแ etc. For now, keep the full forms if that is easier.
Practice: Match and Build
Use this as a self exercise. Try to read and understand combinations.
- Combine an adjective and noun:
- แแแแ, แแแขแแ แ, แแแแแแ, แซแแแแ
- แกแแฎแแ, แฅแแแแฅแ, แฌแแแแ, แกแฃแ แแแ
Examples of correct combinations:
- แแแแ แฅแแแแฅแ
- แแแแแแ แกแฃแ แแแ
- แซแแแแ แฌแแแแ
- แแแขแแ แ แกแแฎแแ
- Add โveryโ:
- แซแแแแแ แแแแ แฅแแแแฅแ
- แซแแแแแ แแแแแแ แกแแฎแแ
- แซแแแแแ แแแ แแ แฌแแแแ
- Make short โthis is โฆโ sentences:
- แแก แแแแ แกแแฎแแแ.
- แแก แซแแแแแ แแแ แแ แฌแแแแแ.
- แแก แแแขแแ แ แฅแแแแฅแแ.
Try to say them aloud, focusing on the position of the adjective and the flow of the phrase.
Vocabulary List for This Chapter
Adjectives
| Georgian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| แแแแ | didi | big |
| แแแขแแ แ | patara | small |
| แแ แซแแแ | grdzelI | long |
| แแแแแ | mokle | short |
| แแแ แแ | kargi | good |
| แชแฃแแ | tsudi | bad |
| แแแแแแ | lamazi | beautiful |
| แฃแจแแ | ushno | ugly |
| แแฎแแแ | akhali | new |
| แซแแแแ | dzveli | old (not new) |
| แแฎแแแแแแ แแ | akhalgazrda | young |
| แแแฎแฃแชแ | mokhutsโi | old (person) |
| แกแแแแขแแ แแกแ | saintereso | interesting |
| แแแกแแฌแงแแแ | mosatsโqโeni | boring |
| แแแแแแ | kโetili | kind, nice |
| แญแแแแแแ | tskโviani | clever, smart |
| แแแแจแแแแแแแแแ | mnishvnelovani | important |
Nouns Used in Examples
| Georgian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| แกแแฎแแ | sakhli | house |
| แฌแแแแ | tsโigni | book |
| แฅแแแแฅแ | qalaqi | city |
| แแแแฎแ | otakhi | room |
| แกแฃแ แแแ | surati | picture |
| แ แแกแขแแ แแแ | restorani | restaurant |
| แแแแแแแแ | adamiani | person |
| แแแแจแแ | bavshvi | child |
| แแแชแ | kโatsi | man |
| แฅแแแ | qali | woman |
| แแแแ | gogo | girl |
| แแแกแฌแแแแแแแแ | mastsโavlebeli | teacher |
| แกแขแฃแแแแขแ | studenti | student |
| แแแแแแแ แ | megobari | friend |
| แกแแแแ | skola | school |
| แคแแแแ | pilmi | movie, film |
| แแฆแแกแแกแฌแแฃแแ | dghesatsโqโali | holiday |
Degree Words and Useful Items
| Georgian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| แซแแแแแ | dzalian | very |
| แชแแขแ | tsโota | a little, a bit |
| แแก | es | this |
| แแก | is | that, he, she, it |
| แแ แแก | aris | is |
Use these words to build many short descriptions and to start speaking about people and things around you.
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