One Verb, Two People
A Georgian verb can show both the doer and the person the action is done to.
How It Works
| Verb | Meaning | Doer | Person seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| ვხედავ | I see him, her or it | I (ვ-) | him, her or it |
| ხედავ | you see him, her or it | you | him, her or it |
| ხედავს | he or she sees him, her or it | he or she (-ს) | him, her or it |
| მხედავ | you see me | you | me (მ-) |
| გხედავ | I see you | I | you (გ-) |
| გვხედავს | he or she sees us | he or she (-ს) | us (გვ-) |
Look at გხედავ: it has no ვ-, even though I am the doer. When გ- (you) is on the verb, the ვ- for I is left out, and the ending tells you the rest.
Because the verb holds all this, Georgian often leaves out pronouns: მხედავ? alone asks Do you see me? You will learn the markers მ-, გ- and გვ- at Level 2. For now, learn to spot them.
Examples (4)
- მხედავ?
Can you see me?
მ- means me; the doer is you.
- გხედავ!
I can see you!
გ- means you; the doer is I.
- ნინო გვხედავს.
Nino sees us.
გვ- means us; -ს goes with the doer, Nino.
- ხედავ?
Do you see it?
No prefix: the one seen is him, her or it.
How It Connects
Learn This First
A verb that shows two people is read from its letters and markers.
Related Patterns
- მ-/გ-/გვ- (Me, You, Us)Me, You and Us Markers
The full set of markers for me, you and us.
Level 2 - ვ- (I and We)The I and We Marker
The prefix for I and we as the doer.
Level 1 - -ს (He, She, It)The He or She Ending
The ending for he, she or it as the doer.
Level 1 - Leaving Out Pronouns
Why the verb alone is often enough.
Level 1 - Four Kinds of Verbs
Feeling verbs use მ- and გ- for the person who feels: მიყვარს, გიყვარს.
Foundations
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice One Verb, Two People in Bubblegum
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