Month 9. The weather forecast
Giorgi wants to go to the Tbilisi Sea tomorrow, but the forecast is not sure. We make plans for every kind of weather.
Today: "if" for real possibilities.
LIMBA audio course · Georgian
Hear it, then say it: learn to speak Georgian
- 37 audio lessons
- about 13 minutes each
- explained in simple English
This written course gives you the grammar, the words and the script. The LIMBA audio course trains your ear and your mouth: you listen, you repeat, you answer — the perfect complement to these lessons.
Download the Georgian audio courseOrder form · your download link arrives by email▶ Listen to lesson 1 for free
1Sam’s diary
2Dialogue
Giorgi
ხვალ თბილისის ზღვაზე წავიდეთ?khval tbilisis zghvaze ts'avidet?Shall we go to the Tbilisi Sea tomorrow?
Sam
თუ ამინდი კარგი იქნება, წავიდეთ!tu amindi k'argi ikneba, ts'avidet!If the weather is good, let's go!
Giorgi
პროგნოზი ამბობს, რომ დილით მზიანი იქნება, საღამოს კი შეიძლება იწვიმოს.p'rognozi ambobs, rom dilit mziani ikneba, saghamos k'i sheidzleba its'vimos.The forecast says it will be sunny in the morning, but in the evening it may rain.
Sam
თუ იწვიმებს, რას ვიზამთ?tu its'vimebs, ras vizamt?If it rains, what will we do?
Giorgi
თუ იწვიმებს, კაფეში შევალთ. ქოლგა წამოიღე!tu its'vimebs, k'apeshi shevalt. kolga ts'amoighe!If it rains, we'll go into a café. Bring an umbrella!
Sam
კარგი. ნინოც მოდის თუ არა?k'argi. ninots modis tu ara?OK. Is Nino coming or not?
Giorgi
თუ დრო ექნება, მოვა. ჩაი თუ ყავა? ახლა გავაკეთებ.tu dro ekneba, mova. chai tu q'ava? akhla gavak'eteb.If she has time, she'll come. Tea or coffee? I'll make it now.
Sam
ყავა, თუ შეიძლება.q'ava, tu sheidzleba.Coffee, please.
3New words
| Georgian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| თბილისის ზღვა | tbilisis zghva | the Tbilisi Sea (a big lake on the edge of Tbilisi) |
| შეიძლება იწვიმოს | sheidzleba its'vimos | it may rain |
| ვიზამთ | vizamt | we'll do |
| შევალთ | shevalt | we'll go in |
| წამოიღე! | ts'amoighe! | bring (it) along! |
| თუ არა | tu ara | or not; whether |
| ექნება | ekneba | he/she will have |
How to read the pronunciation
The pronunciation is written in English letters, following Georgia’s official romanization. Say every letter: a as in father, e as in pet, i as in machine, o as in port, u as in rule; r is rolled; g is always hard; kh as in Scottish loch; gh a soft gargled g, like a French r; sh as in shop; zh like the s in pleasure; ch as in church; ts as in cats; dz as in adze; j as in jam. An apostrophe marks a “popped” consonant, said with a little click in the throat and no puff of air: k’, p’, t’, ts’, ch’, q’ (q’ is made deep in the throat). Without an apostrophe, k, p, t, ts, ch have a small puff of air. Use the Pronunciation button at the top to hide or show it.
4Grammar and explanations
თუtu + future
For a possible event in the future, Georgian puts the future after თუtu, where English uses the present: > თუ იწვიმებსtu its'vimebs, კაფეში შევალთk'apeshi shevalt. | if it-will-rain, café-into we'll-go | If it rains, we'll go into a café. > თუ დრო ექნებაtu dro ekneba, მოვაmova. | if time she'll-have, she'll-come | If she has time, she'll come.
თუtu + present
For something true now, use the present: > თუ გცივაtu gtsiva, ფანჯარას დავხურავpanjaras davkhurav. | If you're cold, I'll close the window. > თუ გინდაtu ginda, წავიდეთts'avidet. | If you want, let's go.
Other uses of თუtu
| use | example | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| "or" in questions | ჩაი თუ ყავა?chai tu q'ava? | tea or coffee? |
| "or not" | მოდიხარ თუ არა?modikhar tu ara? | are you coming or not? |
| "whether" | არ ვიცი, მოვა თუ არა.ar vitsi, mova tu ara. | I don't know whether he'll come. |
| "please" | თუ შეიძლებაtu sheidzleba | literally "if it is possible" |
თუtu is only for real possibilities. For unreal ones ("if I had money, I would…"), Georgian uses რომrom and other verb forms: see lesson 142.
5Good to know
The Tbilisi Sea (თბილისის ზღვაtbilisis zghva) is in fact a large reservoir, filled in the 1950s on the north-eastern edge of the city. In summer, people from Tbilisi go there to swim.
6Exercises
Choose an answer for each question, then press Check my answers. Score 70% or more and the lesson is ticked on your course map.
- "If it rains, we'll stay at home" is…
- "Tea or coffee?" is…
- "Are you coming or not?" is…
- "If you want, let's go" is…
- "If she has time, she'll come" is…
- "I don't know whether he'll come" is…
- What does მზიანიmziani mean?
- "It may rain" is…
- In "If it rains tomorrow…", Georgian uses…
- "Bring an umbrella!" (come with it) is…
Well done! Lesson 114 is ticked on your course map.
Say it, then write it
Say your answer out loud, write it down, then open the model answer.
- Say "If it rains, we'll stay at home."
Show the answer
თუ იწვიმებს, სახლში დავრჩებით.tu its'vimebs, sakhlshi davrchebit. - Say "If you want, let's go to the cinema."
Show the answer
თუ გინდა, კინოში წავიდეთ.tu ginda, k'inoshi ts'avidet. - Ask "Tea or coffee?"
Show the answer
ჩაი თუ ყავა?chai tu q'ava? - Say "I don't know whether Nino will come."
Show the answer
არ ვიცი, ნინო მოვა თუ არა.ar vitsi, nino mova tu ara. - Say "If I have time, I'll call you."
Show the answer
თუ დრო მექნება, დაგირეკავ.tu dro mekneba, dagirek'av.
Lesson finished? Now train your ear
Speak Georgian with the 37 LIMBA audio lessons
- 37 audio lessons
- about 13 minutes each
- explained in simple English
This written course gives you the grammar, the words and the script. The LIMBA audio course trains your ear and your mouth: you listen, you repeat, you answer — the perfect complement to these lessons.
Download the Georgian audio courseOrder form · your download link arrives by email▶ Listen to lesson 1 for free