Verbal Nouns

Level 3

The verbal noun (masdar) names an action and works like a noun.

How It Works

Every verb has a verbal noun, or masdar (in Georgian მასდარი, masdari). It names the action, like an English word in -ing:

VerbVerbal nounMeaning
კითხულობსკითხვაreading
წერსწერაwriting
ცურავსცურვაswimming
ცეკვავსცეკვაdancing
მუშაობსმუშაობაworking
მიდისწასვლაgoing

Georgian has no infinitive. Where English uses to swim or swimming, Georgian often uses the verbal noun: ცურვა მიყვარს (I love swimming).

It behaves like a noun, so it takes case endings and postpositions: ცეკვაზე დავდივარ (I go to dancing classes), ცურვა ჯანმრთელობისთვის კარგია (swimming is good for your health).

Many verbal nouns are everyday words: სწავლა (studying), თამაში (playing, a game), ლაპარაკი (talking). There is no single ending, so learn each one with its verb.

Examples (5)

  1. მიყვარს კითხვა.

    I love reading.

    კითხვა is the verbal noun of read.

  2. ცურვა ჯანმრთელობისთვის კარგია.

    Swimming is good for your health.

    ცურვა is the subject, like a noun.

  3. ჩემი და ცეკვაზე დადის.

    My sister goes to dancing classes.

    ცეკვა takes the postposition -ზე.

  4. წერა მირჩევნია ლაპარაკს.

    I prefer writing to talking.

    Both verbal nouns take cases.

  5. დღეს მუშაობა არ მინდა.

    I don't feel like working today.

    მუშაობა after მინდა.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a person form where English uses -ing.

    მიყვარს ვკითხულობ.
    მიყვარს კითხვა.

    After love, use the verbal noun, not a verb with ვ-.

How It Connects

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Verbal NounsLevel 3

Learn This First

A verbal noun names the action.

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Patterns that build on this one.