Softening With the Past

Level 4

Saying ერთი კითხვა მქონდა (I had a question) is a soft way to say you have one now.

How It Works

Direct	Softer
ერთი კითხვა მაქვს. (I have a question.)	ერთი კითხვა მქონდა. (I have a question.)
თხოვნა მაქვს. (I have a request.)	თხოვნა მქონდა. (I have a favor to ask.)
დამეხმარეთ! (Help me!)	ხომ ვერ დამეხმარებოდით? (Could you possibly help me?)

English does something similar with I was wondering or I wanted to ask. In Georgian, the past of მაქვს carries the same softness, but it still means now: ერთი კითხვა მქონდა is a question you want to ask today.

ხომ ვერ with the conditional is a very gentle way to ask a favor: ხომ ვერ დამეხმარებოდით? It leaves the other person an easy way to say no.

Use these with თქვენ, with staff and with people you don't know well. With friends, a plain request with გთხოვ is fine.

Examples (4)

ბოდიში, ერთი კითხვა მქონდა.
Excuse me, I have a question.
The past მქონდა softens it.
თქვენთან ერთი თხოვნა მქონდა.
I have a favor to ask you.
თქვენთან: with you.
ხომ ვერ დამეხმარებოდით?
Could you possibly help me?
ხომ ვერ with the conditional.
ბატონო ლევან, ერთი საქმე მქონდა.
Mr. Levan, there's something I wanted to ask you about.
Bringing up a matter politely.

How It Connects

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Softening With the PastLevel 4

Learn This First

A past form softens a wish.

მიყვარდა/მინდოდა/მქონდაLoved, Wanted and Had
Know მინდოდა, because it is the soft form of I want.
Level 3

Words in This Pattern

მქონდა

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