12.1 Starting and Ending Conversations

Starting Conversations in Georgian

Starting a conversation in Georgian often involves polite greetings, a short exchange of how you are, and sometimes a quick introduction. Here we focus on simple, natural openings you can use in everyday life.

Basic Conversation Openers

The simplest way to start a conversation is with a greeting and the word “hello”.

You can combine a greeting with a name or title.

Use ბატონო (batono) before a man’s first name and ქალბატონო (qalbatono) before a woman’s first name for polite speech. These forms are especially common with older people or in formal situations.

Starting a Conversation Politely

A very useful tool to start is “excuse me”. You can use it to get someone’s attention on the street, in a shop, or before asking a question.

Typical starter patterns:

1. Excuse me, + question
• უკაცრავად, ერთი კითხვა შეიძლება?
  ukatsravad, erti kitkhva sheidzleba?
  “Excuse me, may I ask one question?”
2. Excuse me, + request
• უკაცრავად, შეგიძლიათ დამეხმაროთ?
  ukatsravad, shegidzliat damekhmarot?
  “Excuse me, can you help me?”
3. Excuse me, + greeting
   This sounds extra polite when addressing a stranger.
• უკაცრავად, გამარჯობა.
  ukatsravad, gamarjoba.
  “Excuse me, hello.”

Asking “How Are You?” to Start Small Talk

After “hello”, Georgian speakers often immediately ask how you are.

Short natural mini-openings:

• გამარჯობა, როგორ ხარ?
  gamarjoba, rogor khar?
  “Hi, how are you?”
• გამარჯობათ, როგორ ხართ?
  gamarjobat, rogor khart?
  “Hello, how are you?” (formal / speaking to several people)

Some possible replies you can use to keep the conversation going:

Typical exchange:

• A: გამარჯობა, როგორ ხარ?
  gamarjoba, rogor khar?
  B: კარგად ვარ, მადლობა, შენ?
  kargad var, madloba, shen?
  “Hi, how are you?”
  “I am fine, thanks, and you?”

Introducing a Topic After the Opening

Once you have greeted and asked how someone is, you often move to your purpose. Here are some simple bridges:

Example openings that connect to a topic:

• გამარჯობათ, მაქვს ერთი კითხვა.
  gamarjobat, makvs erti kitkhva.
  “Hello, I have one question.”
• უკაცრავად, დახმარება მჭირდება.
  ukatsravad, dakhmareba mchirdeba.
  “Excuse me, I need help.”
• გამარჯობა, ცოტას ვისაუბროთ?
  gamarjoba, tsotas visaubrot?
  “Hi, shall we talk a little?”

Starting Conversations in Different Situations

With Friends and People You Know

With friends you can be more relaxed and short.

Examples:

• ჰეი, რა ამბებია?
  hei, ra ambebia?
  “Hey, how are things?”
• გამარჯობა, დღეს როგორ ხარ?
  gamarjoba, dghes rogor khar?
  “Hi, how are you today?”

With Older People or in Formal Situations

Use plural forms and polite titles. This makes your opening respectful.

Polite patterns:

• გამარჯობათ, როგორ ხართ?
  gamarjobat, rogor khart?
  “Hello, how are you?” (formal)
• ბატონო გიორგი, დიდად გისმენთ.
  batono giorgi, didad gismnent.
  “Mr. Giorgi, I am listening to you.”
• ქალბატონო ნინო, ძალიან მიხარია თქვენი ნახვა.
  qalbatono nino, dzalian mkharia tkveni nakhva.
  “Ms. Nino, I am very happy to see you.”

On the Phone

Phone conversations often have their own typical openings.

Example:

• A: ალო, გამარჯობა, ნინო ვარ.
  alo, gamarjoba, nino var.
  “Hello, hi, this is Nino.”
• B: გამარჯობათ, ნინო, გისმენთ.
  gamarjobat, nino, gismnent.
  “Hello, Nino, I am listening.”

In Shops and Public Places

Here are very simple ways to open a conversation with staff.

Example:

• გამარჯობა, უკაცრავად, სად არის მენიუ?
  gamarjoba, ukatsravad, sad aris menyu?
  “Hello, excuse me, where is the menu?”

Ending Conversations in Georgian

Ending a conversation politely is as important as starting it. You can close with thanks, a wish, a goodbye, or a promise to talk again.

Basic Goodbye Phrases

“ნახვამდის” literally means “until we see (each other)”. It works in most situations.

Ending with Thanks and Polite Wishes

You can make your goodbye warmer by adding thanks and short wishes.

Example closing:

• დიდი მადლობა დახმარებისთვის, ნახვამდის.
  didi madloba dakhmarebistvis, nakhvamdis.
  “Thank you very much for the help, goodbye.”

Saying “See You” and Referring to Time

You can use time words to say “see you later”, “see you tomorrow”, etc.

Typical patterns:

• კარგად იყავი, ხვალამდე.
  kargad iqavi, khvalamde.
  “Take care, see you tomorrow.” (informal)
• ნახვამდის, მალე შეხვედრამდე.
  nakhvamdis, male shekhvedramde.
  “Goodbye, see you soon.”

Ending Conversations with Friends

With friends you can be more relaxed and playful.

Examples:

• ბაი, მერე დაგირეკავ.
  bai, mere dagirekav.
  “Bye, I will call you later.”
• პაკა, თავს გაუფრთხილდი.
  paka, tavs gaufrtkhildi.
  “Bye, take care of yourself.”

Ending Conversations Politely and Formally

With older people, teachers, or at work, use more formal endings.

Example:

• დიდი მადლობა თქვენი დროისთვის, სასიამოვნო იყო თქვენთან საუბარი, ნახვამდის.
  didi madloba tkveni droistvis, sasiamovno iko tkuentan saubari, nakhvamdis.
  “Thank you very much for your time, it was nice talking to you, goodbye.”

Softening the End: Saying You Must Go

Sometimes you want to end the conversation without sounding rude. You can explain that you have to go.

Useful phrases:

Examples:

• კარგი, ახლა უნდა წავიდე, მერე ვისაუბროთ, ნახვამდის.
  kargi, akhla unda tsavide, mere visaubrot, nakhvamdis.
  “Ok, I must go now, let’s talk later, goodbye.”
• ძალიან კარგი, მეჩქარება, მომავალ შეხვედრამდე.
  dzalian kargi, mechqareba, momaval shekhvedramde.
  “Very good, I am in a hurry, until next time we meet.”

Example Dialogues

1. Starting and Ending a Short Street Conversation

A: გამარჯობა, უკაცრავად.
gamarjoba, ukatsravad.
B: გამარჯობა, გისმენთ.
gamarjoba, gismnent.
A: თუ შეიძლება, სად არის მეტრო?
tu sheidzleba, sad aris metro?
B:ตรง იქ, მარჯვნივ.
shesakhib ak, marjvniv.
A: დიდი მადლობა, ნახვამდის.
didi madloba, nakhvamdis.
B: არაფრის, კარგ დღეს გისურვებთ.
ara프ris, karg dghes gisurvebt.

2. Friendly Call, Start and End

A: ალო, გამარჯობა, გიორგი ვარ.
alo, gamarjoba, giorgi var.
B: ჰეი, გიორგი, რა ხდება?
hei, giorgi, ra khdeba?
A: არაფერი, შენ როგორ ხარ?
araferi, shen rogor khar?
B: კარგად ვარ, მადლობა.
kargad var, madloba.
A: კარგი, ახლა უნდა წავიდე, მერე დაგირეკავ.
kargi, akhla unda tsavide, mere dagirekav.
B: კარგი, პაკა.
kargi, paka.

New Vocabulary for This Chapter