Day 16. Where are my keys?
I am late for class, and my keys have disappeared. I search the whole flat while Bebo watches from her armchair with a little smile. She knows exactly where they are.
Today: in, on, at and under.
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
Sam
ბებო, ჩემი გასაღები სად არის?bebo, chemi gasaghebi sad aris?Grandma, where is my key?
Bebo
მაგიდაზე?magidaze?On the table?
Sam
არა, მაგიდაზე არ არის. ჩანთაშიც არ არის.ara, magidaze ar aris. chantashits ar aris.No, it's not on the table. It's not in the bag either.
Bebo
კართან?k'artan?By the door?
Sam
არც კართან არის!arts k'artan aris!Not by the door either!
Bebo
შენ ხელში რა არის, შვილო?shen khelshi ra aris, shvilo?What's in your hand, dear?
Sam
ოჰ... აი, გასაღები!oh... ai, gasaghebi!Oh... here's the key!
3New words
| Georgian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| გასაღები | gasaghebi | key |
| ხელი | kheli | hand |
| ჯიბე | jibe | |
| იატაკი | iat'ak'i | floor |
| კედელი | k'edeli | wall |
| თარო | taro | shelf |
| ქვეშ | kvesh | under (after the -ისis form) |
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
Three endings for places
| ending | meaning | example |
|---|---|---|
| -ში-shi | in, inside; to | ჩანთაშიchantashi (in the bag) |
| -ზე-ze | on, on top of; about | მაგიდაზეmagidaze (on the table) |
| -თან-tan | near, at, by; at someone's place | კართანk'artan (by the door) |
They attach the same way as -შიshi (lesson 31): words in -იi lose it (სკამიsk'ami → სკამზეsk'amze, ხელიkheli → ხელშიkhelshi), other vowels stay (მაგიდაmagida → მაგიდაზეmagidaze, ჯიბეjibe → ჯიბეშიjibeshi).
-თანtan after a vowel: -სთანstan
After a vowel, -თანtan becomes -სთანstan: ფანჯარაpanjara → ფანჯარასთანpanjarastan (by the window), დედაdeda → დედასთანdedastan (at mother's), მეტროmet'ro → მეტროსთანmet'rostan (near the metro).
წიგნი თაროზეა.ts'igni tarozea.book shelf-on-isThe book is on the shelf.
ტელეფონი ჯიბეშია.t'eleponi jibeshia.phone pocket-in-isThe phone is in the pocket.
ნინო ფანჯარასთანაა.nino panjarastanaa.Nino window-by-isNino is by the window.
At someone's place
-თანtan also means "at someone's place", like French "chez": ბებიასთანbebiastan (at Grandma's), ექიმთანekimtan (at the doctor's).
Under: ქვეშkvesh
"Under" is a separate word that comes after the noun in its -ისis form: მაგიდის ქვეშmagidis kvesh, "under the table". You will meet more of these words in lesson 48.
5Good to know
-შიshi also means "to" with verbs of movement: სკოლაში მივდივარsk'olashi mivdivar, "I'm going to school" (lesson 38). And -ზეze also means "about": რაზეა ფილმიrazea pilmi? "What is the film about?"
When you add -ცts (too) after these endings, you get forms like ჩანთაშიცchantashits, "in the bag too / not in the bag either".
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.
- "On the table" is…
- "In the bag" is…
- "By the door" is…
- "At Grandma's" is…
- "On the chair" is…
- ტელეფონი ჯიბეშიაt'eleponi jibeshia means…
- "Under the table" is…
- What does ექიმთანekimtan mean?
- What does კედელიk'edeli mean?
- "In the hand" is…
Well done! Lesson 32 is ticked on your course map.
Say it, then write it
Say your answer out loud, write it down, then open the model answer.
- Ask "Where is my phone?"
Show the answer
სად არის ჩემი ტელეფონი?sad aris chemi t'eleponi? - Say "It's on the table."
Show the answer
მაგიდაზეა.magidazea. - Say "The key is in my pocket."
Show the answer
გასაღები ჯიბეშია.gasaghebi jibeshia. - Say "Nino is at the doctor's."
Show the answer
ნინო ექიმთანაა.nino ekimtanaa. - Say "The dog is under the table."
Show the answer
ძაღლი მაგიდის ქვეშაა.dzaghli magidis kveshaa.
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
Unit 4: Everyday actions in the present A1
- 31I live, I work: ვცხოვრობvtskhovrob, ვმუშაობvmushaob
- 32In, on, at: -შიshi, -ზეze, -თანtan
- 33I study, I speak: ქართულადkartulad
- 34I write a letter: the object in -სs
- 35Eating and drinking: ვჭამvch'am, ვსვამvsvam
- 36I want: მინდაminda
- 37I like, I love: მომწონსmomts'ons, მიყვარსmiq'vars
- 38Going and coming: მივდივარmivdivar, მოვდივარmovdivar
- 39I know, I understand: ვიციvitsi, მესმისmesmis
- 40Review: a day in Tbilisi