13.1 Reading Simple Words and Signs

Recognizing Georgian Script in Real Life

In this chapter you will practice recognizing and reading very short Georgian words and common signs. You do not need to write perfectly yet. The goal is to connect the shapes of letters to full words that you can actually see on streets, doors, and everyday objects.

Short Everyday Words You Will See Often

Let us start with very short and very frequent words. These often appear alone on signs or together with pictures and symbols.

One or two letter words

These are perfect for early reading practice.

Try to read:

• აქ და იქ
  ak da ik
  “Here and there”
• კი და არა
  ki da ara
  “Yes and no”

Very common 3 to 4 letter words

These are not full sentences, but you see them a lot on labels and small stickers.

Practice reading simple pairs:

• დიდი და პატარა
  didi da patara
  “Big and small”
• ახალი და ძველი
  akhali da dzveli
  “New and old”

Words on Doors and Buildings

When you walk in a Georgian city, door signs are some of the first things you can read.

Public places and buildings

Example sign texts:

• სკოლა №5
  skola nomeri 5
  “School no. 5”
• ახალი სასტუმრო
  akhali sast’umro
  “New hotel”
• კინო რუსთაველი
  kino rustaveli
  “Rustaveli Cinema”

Service words on doors

These short words tell you if a place is open or how to enter.

Example small texts:

• ღია / დაკეტილი
  ghia / dak’etili
  “Open / Closed”
• შესვლა აქ
  shesvla ak
  “Entrance here”
• გასვლა იქ
  gasvla ik
  “Exit there”

Street and Direction Signs

Direction signs usually combine an arrow and one or two words. The words repeat a lot, so they are good reading practice.

Core direction words

Example signs:

• ცენტრი აქ
  tsentri ak
  “Center here”
• ცენტრი იქ
  tsentri ik
  “Center there”
• მარჯვენა გზა
  marjvena gza
  “Right road”
• მარცხენა ქუჩა
  martskhena kucha
  “Left street”

You will often see a name plus a street word:

• რუსთაველის ქუჩა
  rustavelis kucha
  “Rustaveli Street”
• თავისუფლების გზა
  tavisp’uplebis gza
  “Liberty Road”

You do not need to understand all names yet. Focus on the repeating word ქუჩა kucha “street” and გზა gza “road”.

Transport and Station Signs

On buses, metro, and trains you can recognize some very frequent words.

Basic transport vocabulary

Example notice texts:

• ავტობუსის გაჩერება
  avtobusis gachereba
  “Bus stop”
• მატარებლის სადგური
  matarebelis sadguri
  “Train station”
• მოსვლა / წასვლა
  mosvla / ts’asvla
  “Arrival / Departure”

On buses you may see a number plus a destination. For now, practice spotting the transport word itself, for example მეტრო or ავტობუსი.

Shop and Café Signs

Shops and cafés like to write what they sell. Many of these words are borrowed and will look similar to English or other European languages.

Common shop types

Example signs:

• კაფე ბარი
  kafe bari
  “Café bar”
• სუპერმარკეტი ნიკორა
  supermarketi nikora
  “Nikora supermarket”
• სილამაზის სალონი
  silamazis saloni
  “Beauty salon”

Here again, at first you can ignore names and focus on the shop word that repeats: მაღაზია, კაფე, ბარ, რესტორანი.

Food and drink items on windows and boards

Often you will see single words or word lists, for example on bakery or café windows.

Example:

• ყავა, ჩაი, პური
  qava, chai, puri
  “Coffee, tea, bread”
• ღვინო და ლუდი
  ghvino da ludi
  “Wine and beer”

Simple Instruction and Warning Signs

Many short signs are instructions or warnings. Recognizing them helps you in daily life.

Typical instruction words

Example signs:

• არ მოწიოთ
  ar motsiot
  “Do not smoke”
• არ შედეთ
  ar shedet
  “Do not enter”
• სიფრთხილე! სველი იატაკი
  siprtkhile! sveli iataki
  “Caution! Wet floor”

You do not need to understand every second word yet. If you can find არ “no / do not”, you already understand that it is a prohibition.

Numbers in Simple Signs

You already know that Georgian numbers can look long in words, but digits are the same as in English. In real life, you see a mix of digits and Georgian words.

Prices and percentages

Example:

• 5₾ პური
  5 lari puri
  “5 lari bread”
• -50% ფასდაკლება
  -50 procent’i fasdakleba
  “50% discount”

Even if you cannot read ფასდაკლება yet, the combination of a number with % and many letters is usually a discount sign.

Very Short Notices and Labels

Many notices are only two or three words long. These are excellent reading exercises.

On doors and walls

Example:

• არ მუშაობს
  ar mushaobs
  “Does not work” (on machines)
• გასაყიდად
  gasaq’idad
  “For sale”
• იჯარით ბინა
  ijarit bina
  “Apartment for rent”

Focus first on recognizing მხოლოდ “only”, არ “not”, არ მუშაობს “not working”.

Reading Practice with Mini Signs

Here are some short realistic texts you might see, with line by line help.

Practice 1

Georgian:
შესხვა არ არის

Transliteration:
shesvla ar aris

Meaning:
“Entrance is not available” or “No entrance”

Key parts to recognize:

• შესვლა → entrance
• არ → no, not
• არ არის → there is not

Practice 2

Georgian:
ღია 10:00 – 22:00

Transliteration:
ghia 10:00 – 22:00

Meaning:
“Open 10:00 to 22:00”

Recognize:

• ღია → open
• numbers and time format are the same

Practice 3

Georgian:
სკოლა №1
საფასური 2₾

Transliteration:
skola nomeri 1
sapasuri 2 lari

Meaning:
“School no. 1”
“Fee 2 lari”

You can focus on reading:

• სკოლა → school
• 1 → number 1
• 2₾ → price

Practice 4

Georgian:
ავტობუსის გაჩერება

Transliteration:
avtobusis gachereba

Meaning:
“Bus stop”

When you see გაჩერება next to pictures of people waiting, it probably means a stop.

Practice 5

Georgian:
არ მოწიოთ!

Transliteration:
ar motsiot!

Meaning:
“Do not smoke!”

Recognize that არ at the beginning gives the negative meaning.

Strategies for Reading Simple Signs

You do not need to understand every single letter to use signs. Use these simple strategies at this level.

1. Look for repeated “anchor” words
   For example: სკოლა, ბანკი, მაღაზია, კაფე, რესტორანი, ქუჩა, გზა, ღია, დაკეტილი, შესვლა, გასვლა.
2. Use context and pictures
   A cup picture next to the word ყავა will help you remember “coffee”.
3. Read out loud slowly
   Even in your head, say every letter or syllable. For example: პუ–რი, პური.
4. Ignore long names at first
   City names and brand names are often hard. Just focus on the simple common words around them.
5. Collect photos of signs
   Take photos of repeated signs and later read them as homework. Try to find the same words in different places.

New Vocabulary from This Chapter