Our transliteration policy
Scholarly works use several different romanizations for Georgian. This site uses one consistent learning notation, chosen for readability:
| Rule | This site writes | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Ejective consonants | letter + apostrophe (t' p' k' ch' ts' q') | ტ t' · პ p' · კ k' · ყ q' |
| Aspirated consonants | plain letter (t p k ch ts) | თ t · ფ p · ქ k |
| Throat fricatives | kh (voiceless) / gh (voiced) | ხ kh · ღ gh |
| zh, j, dz, ts | as written | ჟ zh · ჯ j · ძ dz · ც ts |
| Everything else | spelled as pronounced | ბ b · რ r · ს s |
This notation is a learning aid, not an official romanization. Signs and menus may use slightly different spellings.
Ejective consonants (t' p' k' ch' ts' q')
Ejectives are Georgian's signature sound. To make one, close the vocal cords tightly, then release the consonant with a sharp pop — like a tiny cough built into the letter. English has no ejectives, so don't force them at first: hearing the difference between t and t' matters more than producing it perfectly on day one.
ტყე
Pronunciation t'q'e
forest
კარი
Pronunciation k'ari
door
წყალი
Pronunciation ts'q'ali
water
kh, gh, zh — the consonants that fool English ears
| Letter | Translit | Closest English anchor |
|---|---|---|
| ხ | kh | Scottish 'loch', German 'Bach' — a breathy scrape at the back of the mouth |
| ღ | gh | French r in 'Paris' — the voiced partner of kh |
| ჟ | zh | 's' in 'measure', 'g' in 'genre' |
| ყ | q' | deepest ejective — made far back in the throat; nothing close in English |
| რ | r | lightly trilled r — never the English retroflex r |
Consonant clusters — yes, really
Georgian stacks consonants in ways that look impossible to English speakers: გთხოვთ (gtkhovt, 'please') opens with four consonants, and the record-holders have six or more. The trick: don't pause or insert vowels — say the cluster quickly, like one percussion hit.
გთხოვთ
Pronunciation gtkhovt
please (polite)
მშვიდობით
Pronunciation mshvidobit
goodbye (lit. 'with peace')
ბრმა
Pronunciation brma
blind
Summary
- Transliteration on this site: ' = ejective; kh/gh = throat fricatives
- Ejectives: throat-closed pops — t' p' k' ch' ts' q'
- kh like 'loch'; gh like French r; zh like 'measure'
- Consonant clusters are pronounced without pauses or added vowels
- Gentle first-syllable stress; don't hammer it
- Next: how Georgian sentences are built (SOV, no articles, no gender)
Mini practice
Q1. The apostrophe in t' means…
- a silent letter
- an ejective consonant
- a stressed syllable
- a borrowed letter
Answer: an ejective consonant
Q2. kh (ხ) is closest to…
- English k
- Scottish 'loch'
- English h in 'home'
- a rolled r
Answer: Scottish 'loch'
Q3. gh (ღ) is the ___ partner of kh.
- silent
- nasal
- voiced
- ejective
Answer: voiced
Q4. In გთხოვთ (gtkhovt), the initial consonants…
- are silent
- form one quick cluster
- take extra vowels between
- are optional
Answer: form one quick cluster
Q5. Georgian word stress…
- falls hard on the last syllable
- is absent
- falls gently near the first syllable
- changes meaning randomly
Answer: falls gently near the first syllable
