Consonant Clusters

Level 1

Georgian words can start with several consonants in a row, and you say every one.

How It Works

English allows only a few consonants at the start of a word, as in street. Georgian allows many more: მთა (mountain), გზა (road), მწვანე (green). A well-known example is გვფრცქვნი (gvprtskvni), you peel us, with eight consonants before its vowel.

Some tips:

  • Say the consonants close together, with no vowel between them. მთა is mta, not muta.
  • Some pairs are said as one quick unit: ტკ in ტკბილი, ცხ in ცხელი (hot), წყ in წყალი (water).
  • Go slowly at first, then speed up.

Every letter is pronounced, so the spelling helps you: read the word letter by letter and you will not miss a sound.

Examples (5)

  1. გვიან არის.

    It's late.

    გვიან starts with გვ: gvian.

  2. ეს ვაშლი მწვანე არის.

    This apple is green.

    მწვანე starts with three consonants: mts'vane.

  3. ჩურჩხელა ტკბილი არის.

    Churchkhela is sweet.

    ტკბილი starts with ტკბ: t'k'bili.

  4. მთა მაღალი არის.

    The mountain is high.

    მთა: say m and t together, mta.

  5. გზა გრძელი არის.

    The road is long.

    გზა and გრძელი both start with two consonants.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Consonant ClustersLevel 1

Learn This First

Clusters are runs of letters, so the alphabet comes first.