Beyond ‘Gamarjoba’: 20 Georgian Words Every Tourist Needs

Georgia has welcomed a record number of tourists in 2025 and early 2026, and translation apps have gotten better — but they still fail at exactly the wrong moments. A dead phone battery in a Kakheti village, a taxi driver who shrugs at your screen, a market seller who wants a conversation before a transaction. Georgian people respond to effort in a way that few cultures match. Say three words in their language and doors open. This article gives you 20 words and phrases that actually come up, with pronunciation guides written for non-linguists.

Why Georgian Is Unlike Any Language You’ve Encountered Before

Georgian belongs to the Kartvelian language family — a completely isolated group with no connection to Indo-European languages like English, French, Russian, or Farsi, and no connection to Turkic or Semitic families either. It has been spoken continuously for at least 1,500 years in written form, making it one of the oldest literary languages in the world. The Georgian national epic, The Knight in the Panther’s Skin, was written in the 12th century.

For a tourist, this means you cannot guess. A Spanish speaker arriving in Portugal can stumble through. A French speaker in Romania catches every tenth word. In Georgia, you start from zero. There are no cognates, no borrowed roots that feel familiar, no patterns that transfer from other languages you might know. That sounds intimidating. It is actually freeing — nobody expects you to know anything, and any effort you make is treated as extraordinary.

Georgian also has sounds that do not exist in most European languages. The ejective consonants — letters like k’, t’, p’ — are produced with a sharp burst of air from the throat rather than from the lungs. You will hear them clearly in words like t’abi (taste) or k’aci (man). You do not need to master these sounds to be understood. A soft approximation is fine. Georgians will understand your intent and appreciate the attempt.

The Script: What You’re Seeing on Signs and Menus

Georgian uses its own unique alphabet called Mkhedruli (მხედრული), which translates roughly as “of the horseman” or “military script.” It was standardized around the 10th century and has 33 letters. Every letter represents exactly one sound, and every word is spelled phonetically — which means once you learn the alphabet, you can read Georgian out loud, even if you have no idea what it means.

In 2026, signage in Tbilisi and major tourist areas almost always includes transliteration into Latin script or English translation. Batumi, Sighnaghi, Mtskheta, and Kazbegi are similarly well-signed for English speakers. Where it gets harder is in local markets, smaller towns, marshrutka (minibus) destination boards, and handwritten signs at guesthouses. Menus in village restaurants are often Georgian-only.

Learning just a few Mkhedruli letters pays dividends. The word for metro (მეტრო) looks like gibberish until you know that მ = M, ე = E, ტ = T, რ = R, ო = O. The Tbilisi Metro expanded its network in late 2025 with the new Didube–Saburtalo connector line, and station signs follow the same Mkhedruli-plus-Latin format as the original network. If you can recognise the letters for your station name, you will navigate faster than tourists relying purely on phone maps.

For practical purposes, you do not need to learn the full alphabet. But recognising the word სასტუმრო (hotel), რესტორანი (restaurant), and აფთიაქი (pharmacy) on sight can save real time.

The Non-Negotiables: Greetings and Basic Courtesy

These are the words that change your experience from “tourist” to “welcome guest.” Use them every time, without exception.

• გამარჯობა — Gamarjoba (gah-mar-JO-ba): Hello. The standard greeting for any time of day. Literally it means “be victorious.” Use it when entering a shop, sitting down at a restaurant, or meeting your guesthouse host. There is no such thing as using it too much.
• გამარჯობათ — Gamarjobat (gah-mar-JO-baht): The formal or plural version of hello, used for elders, groups, or anyone you want to show extra respect. The -t suffix is a consistent Georgian pattern for formal address.
• გმადლობთ — Gmadlobt (gmah-DLOBT): Thank you (formal). One of the most useful words you will use. The informal version is მადლობა — Madloba (mah-DLO-ba). Both are universally understood. Start with Madloba if the consonant cluster in Gmadlobt ties your tongue.
• კი — Ki (kee): Yes.
• არა — Ara (AH-rah): No. Said with a slight head nod in Georgia — note that Georgians sometimes shake their head to mean yes, which confuses visitors. Watch context carefully.
• ნახვამდის — Nakhvamdis (nah-KHVAM-dis): Goodbye. The kh sound is a soft guttural, like the Scottish “loch.” Do not say it hard like a K.
• ბოდიში — Bodishi (bo-DEE-shi): Sorry / Excuse me. Works for both apologies and getting someone’s attention politely.

These seven alone will reshape your daily interactions. A gamarjoba when entering a guesthouse, a gmadlobt when receiving food, a bodishi when squeezing past someone in a crowded Dezerter Bazaar aisle — this is all it takes to be seen as someone making an effort.

At the Table: Food and Drink Vocabulary That Actually Gets Used

Georgian food culture is inseparable from hospitality, and eating is a deeply social act. Knowing a handful of food-related words shows respect for that culture and helps you order, refuse, or ask for more without pointing at menus like a lost child.

• გემრიელია — Gemrielia (gem-ree-EH-lia): Delicious / It’s tasty. Say this after your first bite of anything. The reaction from a Georgian cook, especially a grandmother who spent three hours making the khinkali you just consumed, is worth every vowel.
• გეახლეთ — Geakhlet (ge-AKH-let): Please (when offering food or drink to someone). You will hear this constantly during a supra feast as hosts urge food on guests. Knowing what it means tells you the offer is genuine.
• მეტი — Meti (MEH-tee): More. As in: more bread, more wine, more churchkhela. Pair with any food word — ghvino meti (more wine) is universally understood.
• ღვინო — Ghvino (GHVEE-no): Wine. The gh is a soft guttural — it comes from the back of the throat, not the front. Georgian is one of the oldest wine-producing cultures on earth, and calling their drink by its proper name matters here.
• წყალი — Ts’q’ali (ts-KAH-lee): Water. The ts’ is an ejective — a quick, sharp sound. Approximate it, and the word still works. Ask for ts’q’ali in a village and you will get water. Ask for “water” and you might get a polite smile and a slow search for English.
• ანგარიში — Angarishi (an-ga-REE-shi): The bill / check. Essential at restaurants where no English is spoken. Pair with a small hand gesture if needed.

The sensation of tearing into a freshly baked Adjarian khachapuri — that boat-shaped bread still bubbling with egg and butter — goes deeper when you can say gemrielia to the person who made it and mean it. They know you mean it. That exchange is not a transaction. It is the beginning of a conversation.

Getting Around: Words for Transport, Directions, and Taxis

Georgia’s transport network has improved significantly. In 2026, the Tbilisi Metro now covers more of the city, the Tbilisi–Batumi railway has a new express timetable launched in January 2026 (cutting travel time to under four hours), and Bolt and Yandex taxi apps work reliably in Tbilisi and Batumi. But once you leave major cities, you will rely on marshrutkas and local communication.

• სად არის…? — Sad aris…? (sahd AH-ris): Where is…? The single most useful question frame in Georgian. Sad aris metro? Where is the metro? Sad aris avtosadguri? Where is the bus station? Sad aris tualeti? (Where is the toilet?) will also serve you well.
• გაჩერება — Gachereba (ga-che-REH-ba): Stop (as in bus stop). On a marshrutka, saying gachereba signals the driver you want to get off at the next stop. Without this word, you will miss your stop or perform an elaborate mime.
• მარჯვნივ — Marjvniv (mar-JVNEEV): Right (direction).
• მარცხნივ — Martskhнiv (mar-TSKH-neev): Left (direction).
• პირდაპირ — Pirdapir (peer-dah-PEER): Straight ahead. These three direction words are for when a taxi driver or local is pointing you somewhere on foot. They use them constantly when giving directions.

A note on taxis in 2026: app-based taxis have largely standardised pricing in Tbilisi and Batumi. Outside those cities, agree on a price before you get in. The word ფასი — Pasi (PAH-si), meaning price or cost, is useful here. Held up with a questioning look and a number gesture, it opens a price negotiation that even without shared language usually resolves within thirty seconds.

Shopping and Markets: Numbers, Prices, and Haggling Phrases

Georgian numbers are learnable in an hour and immediately useful. Here are the essentials from one to ten: erti, ori, sami, otkhi, khuti, ekvsi, shvidi, rva, tskhra, ati (1–10). For larger numbers: oci = 20, ormoci = 40, asi = 100.

Prices are expressed simply: ati lari = 10 lari. oci lari = 20 lari. Knowing this lets you understand a quoted price without needing a calculator held up to your face.

• რა ღირს? — Ra ghirs? (rah GHEERS): How much does it cost? The most-used phrase in any market. The gh sound again — back of the throat, not hard.



• ძვირია — Dzvir’ia (DZVEE-ria): It’s expensive. Say this at a market stall after hearing a price and watch the seller’s face recalculate. It is not rude. It is expected. Georgian market culture treats mild haggling as a normal part of the transaction, especially for crafts, spices, and non-fixed goods.
• კარგია — K’argia (KAR-gia): It’s good / That’s fine / OK. Used to close a deal, accept a price, or simply confirm something is acceptable. Ubiquitous in everyday speech.

In Tbilisi’s Dry Bridge market on a Sunday morning, the smell of old metal, Soviet-era postcards, and hand-painted ceramics fills the air while sellers sit in folding chairs and watch you browse. Saying ra ghirs? instead of pointing or showing your phone signals that you are treating the transaction — and them — with some respect.

Emergencies and Health: Phrases You Hope to Never Need

Georgia’s emergency services number is 112 (unified emergency line, operational since 2021 and fully staffed with English speakers in Tbilisi as of 2024). For medical emergencies in larger cities, English-speaking staff are available in major hospitals. In rural areas, these words matter more.

• დახმარება! — Dakhmарeba! (dah-khma-REH-ba): Help! The kh is guttural. Shouting this is understood immediately.
• ექიმი — Ek’imi (EH-kee-mi): Doctor.
• აფთიაქი — Apt’iaki (ap-tee-AH-ki): Pharmacy. In 2026, GPC and PSP pharmacy chains are present in most Georgian towns and have staff with basic English. But in smaller settlements, knowing this word and showing it written down gets you to medication faster.
• ტკივილი — T’k’ivili (t-kee-VEE-lee): Pain. Paired with pointing at a body part, this communicates your problem clearly even without shared language.
• ავად ვარ — Avad var (AH-vahd var): I am sick / I don’t feel well. Simple, clear, immediately understood by anyone.

Georgia’s healthcare system has a strong private sector in Tbilisi and Batumi. If you need a clinic, your accommodation host will know the closest reliable option. Travel insurance that covers medical evacuation remains advisable for trekking in remote mountain areas like Svaneti or Tusheti.

Reading the Room: Social Words That Unlock Georgian Hospitality

There is a saying in Georgia: სტუმარი ღვთის სტუმარია — “The guest is a gift from God.” This is not a figure of speech. It is a guiding principle. Understanding a few social phrases means you can respond to hospitality with something other than a blank smile.

• გაუმარჯოს! — Gaumarjos! (gah-oo-MAR-jos): Cheers! / To your health! This is the standard toast at any table. When a tamada (the elected toastmaster at a Georgian feast) raises a glass and says gaumarjos, you raise yours and drink. Knowing this word means you are not the person at the table staring in confusion when everyone suddenly stands up.
• სიამოვნებით — Siamoвnebit (see-ah-mov-NEH-bit): With pleasure / I’d be happy to. A gracious way to accept an offer. When a host offers you another glass of wine or a second helping of lobio and you want to accept enthusiastically, this lands far better than nodding.
• ყოჩაღ! — Yocagh! (yo-CHAGH): Bravo! / Well done! An expression of praise and encouragement used constantly. After a good toast, after a child does something clever, after a musician finishes a piece. Knowing it lets you respond in the right register.
• ნეტავი — Net’avi (NEH-tah-vi): I wish… / If only… A wistful, longing expression. You will hear it in conversation and song. Its emotional weight is hard to translate but instantly felt in context — the warmth of a candle-lit basement wine cellar in Sighnaghi on a cold October evening, a glass of amber Rkatsiteli in hand, someone saying net’avi and trailing off. It means you are somewhere real.

These social words are not just phrases. They are entry points. Georgians have a finely tuned sense of who is performing politeness and who is genuinely trying to connect. The latter gets invited back.

2026 Budget Reality: What Things Cost and How to Talk About Money

Understanding prices in context makes language more useful. Here is what things actually cost in Georgia in 2026, across spending levels.

Transport

• Tbilisi Metro single ride: 1 GEL (card required — buy a MetroMoney card at any station for 2 GEL)
• Tbilisi city bus: 1 GEL
• Bolt taxi within central Tbilisi: 8–15 GEL typical short trip
• Marshrutka Tbilisi–Mtskheta: 1.50 GEL
• Tbilisi–Batumi express train (launched January 2026): 35–50 GEL (seat class dependent)

Food and Drink

• Budget: A bowl of khinkali and a beer at a local spot: 12–18 GEL
• Mid-range: Full lunch with salads, main, wine at a decent restaurant: 35–60 GEL per person
• Comfortable: Dinner with multiple courses, good Georgian wine, and a view in Tbilisi’s old town: 80–140 GEL per person

Accommodation

• Budget: Hostel dorm in Tbilisi: 30–45 GEL per night
• Mid-range: Guesthouse or small hotel outside Tbilisi: 80–130 GEL per night
• Comfortable: Boutique hotel in Tbilisi or Sighnaghi: 180–320 GEL per night

One practical note on money language: ATMs in Georgia dispense lari and are widely available. The word ბანკომატი — Bankomati (ban-ko-MAH-ti) is what locals call an ATM — and it is what you will see on signs. If you need to find one fast, ask sad aris bankomati? and you will be pointed in the right direction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really need to learn Georgian words if I’m only visiting Tbilisi?

Tbilisi in 2026 has good English coverage in tourist areas, apps, and most hotels. But even in the capital, stepping outside the main tourist corridor into local neighbourhoods, markets, and family restaurants means English disappears quickly. A few basic words also change how locals treat you — noticeably and immediately.

Will Georgians speak to me in Russian if I don’t know Georgian?

Older Georgians may default to Russian if English fails. Younger Georgians in urban areas generally prefer English over Russian. In 2026, with political and cultural attitudes toward Russia still tense, it is better not to assume Russian as a default fallback — English, even basic English, is preferred. Georgian phrases are far better received than Russian ones.

Are translation apps reliable for Georgian?

Google Translate’s Georgian coverage improved in 2024 and continues to improve. Camera-mode text translation of Mkhedruli script is now reasonably accurate for common words. However, audio translation still lags, and spoken Georgian — especially fast, informal speech — is frequently mistranslated. Use apps as backup, not primary communication.

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📷 Featured image by Mikhail | luxkstn on Unsplash.