Words at the table
A handful of words that keep coming up at a Georgian table – in Georgian script, in a simplified transliteration, and written the way an English speaker can approximate them. The transliteration leaves out the apostrophes of the official system for readability; the button beside each word is the better guide anyway.
How to read it
- kh
- The throaty sound of Scottish ‚loch‘, never a soft h.
- gh
- A voiced rasp deep in the throat, like a French r.
- zh
- As the s in ‚measure‘.
- CAPITALS
- The stressed syllable.
- k, p, t, ts
- Georgian has two sets of these: aspirated and ejective. Our spelling writes both the same — the difference is something to hear, not to read.
At the table
| Georgische Schrift | Umschrift | Say it like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| გაუმარჯოს! | gaumarjos | ga-oo-mar-joss | A toast, literally ‚victory to him‘. At a supra the tamada leads many of them, each on its own theme. |
| გემრიელია | gemrielia | gem-ree-EH-lee-a | It is delicious. |
| მადლობა | madloba | mad-LAW-ba | Thank you. |
| სუფრა | supra | SOOP-ra | The Georgian feast – and the cloth it is laid on. |
| თამადა | tamada | TA-ma-da | The toastmaster who leads the toasts at a supra. |
Ingredients
| Georgische Schrift | Umschrift | Say it like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ნიგოზი | nigozi | nee-GAW-zee | Walnut – the base of countless Georgian sauces. |
| ქინძი | kindzi | keen-DZEE | Fresh coriander. |
| სულგუნი | sulguni | sool-GOO-nee | A salty brined cheese from Samegrelo; it pulls into threads when melted. |
| უცხო სუნელი | utskho suneli | oots-KHO soo-NEH-lee | Blue fenugreek – the spice that makes Georgian food recognisable. |
| ხმელი სუნელი | khmeli suneli | khmeh-LEE soo-NEH-lee | A dried spice blend – literally ‚dry spice‘. |
| აჯიკა | ajika | a-JEE-ka | A hot paste of chilli, garlic and herbs. |
| ღვინო | ghvino | gh-VEE-naw | Wine. |
| ქვევრი | kvevri | KVEV-ree | An egg-shaped clay vessel, usually buried, in which wine ferments, matures and is kept. The tradition goes back some 8000 years. |
Dishes
| Georgische Schrift | Umschrift | Say it like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ხინკალი | khinkali | kheen-KA-lee | Dumplings with broth inside – hold the knot, bite, sip, and leave the knot on the plate. |
| ხაჭაპური | khachapuri | kha-cha-POO-ree | Cheese bread, in many regional forms. |
| ლობიო | lobio | LAW-bee-aw | A bean stew with herbs. |
| ფხალი | pkhali | PKHA-lee | Finely chopped vegetables with walnut paste – often rolled into balls, sometimes spread. |
| ბაჟე | bazhe | ba-ZHEH | Walnut sauce – served cold with poultry and fish. |
| ტყემალი | tkemali | tkeh-MA-lee | A sour plum sauce. |
| ჩაქაფული | chakapuli | cha-ka-POO-lee | A braise with tarragon and sour plums, usually lamb or veal. |
| ჩურჩხელა | churchkhela | choorch-KHEH-la | Walnuts on a thread, dipped again and again in thickened grape juice. |
| მწვადი | mtsvadi | MTSVA-dee | Skewered meat over a fire – classically over vine-wood embers. |