Martial Arts

1. ერთჯერადი ვარჯიში შესაძლებელია?

   Ertjeradi varjishi shesadzlebelia?

   Is a one-off training session possible?

   Usage

   Judo, wrestling and sambo clubs in Tbilisi are not really set up for drop-ins and usually work on monthly membership, but if you explain you are travelling they will almost always let you train once. This is the line to open with

   Grammar Note

   Georgian questions need no inversion — keep the statement word order, add "?" and raise your intonation. "Shesadzlebelia" fuses "possible" with the copula and works for asking whether anything is allowed

2. შემიძლია ვარჯიშს დავაკვირდე?

   Shemidzlia varjishs davak'virde?

   May I watch the training session?

   Usage

   Georgian sports clubs are very relaxed about spectators and will rarely refuse. Children's groups usually train from around 16:00 to 18:00 and adults from 19:00. Shoes are never worn on the mats, so do not step onto them even as a visitor

   Grammar Note

   The verb after "shemidzlia" goes into the subjunctive. "Dakvirveba" (to observe) takes a dative object, so "varjishi" becomes "varjishs". A Georgian verb encodes both subject and object in its own form

3. კიმონო შემიძლია ვიქირაო?

   K'imono shemidzlia vikirao?

   Can I rent a gi?

   Usage

   Georgians call a judo or sambo jacket a "kimono". Clubs often keep spare ones but not always, so ask ahead. The short jacket worn for chidaoba is a dedicated costume in the style of the "chokha" and is normally supplied by the club

   Grammar Note

   The prefix "v-" marks a first-person subject. "Kiraoba" (to rent) shows person and tense through prefixes and suffixes at once, giving "vikirao". The loanword "kimono" behaves as an ordinary "-o" final noun

4. დამწყები ვარ, პირველად ვცდილობ.

   Damts'q'ebi var, p'irvelad vtsdilob.

   I am a beginner, this is my first time.

   Usage

   Georgian clubs are built around athletes who started as children and post no skill levels, so unless you say something you will be paired with experienced players. Tell both the desk and the coach and they will start you on breakfalls and basic grips

   Grammar Note

   Georgian has no grammatical gender, so the form is identical whether the speaker is male or female. The suffix "-ad" derives adverbs: "pirveli" (first) becomes "pirvelad" (for the first time)

5. უფრო მსუბუქად, გთხოვთ.

   Upro msubukad, gtkhovt.

   A bit lighter, please.

   Usage

   The shortest way to ask for lower intensity in grip fighting or randori. Georgian players are big and strong, so a visiting beginner should not hesitate to use it. To ask for the opposite, say "upro dzlierad" (harder)

   Grammar Note

   The comparative is simply "upro" plus the adjective or adverb. "Gtkhovt" is a full verb meaning "I ask you", where the final "-t" is the polite plural; to a friend you would say "gtkhov"

6. მუხლი მტკივა, გთხოვთ, წიხლების გარეშე.

   Mukhli mt'k'iva, gtkhovt, ts'ikhlebis gareshe.

   My knee hurts, so no kicking drills please.

   Usage

   Say this before training starts. Georgian clubs use no intake form, so speaking up is the only way to flag an injury. Swap "mukhli" (knee) for "mkhari" (shoulder), "tseli" (lower back) or "kochi" (ankle)

   Grammar Note

   "Mtkiva" is an indirect-subject construction — the aching body part is the grammatical subject and the person is marked on the verb. "Garéshe" (without) is a postposition following a genitive noun

7. ერთი ვარჯიში რა ღირს?

   Erti varjishi ra ghirs?

   How much is one training session?

   Usage

   Tbilisi clubs work mainly on a monthly pass ("tviuri abonementi"): reckon on about 10-20 lari per session or 100-200 lari a month. State sports schools ("sasporto skola") are aimed at children and rarely take one-off adult visitors, so private gyms are the easier option

   Grammar Note

   "Ra ghirs?" (literally "what is it worth?") is the fixed way to ask a price. Just swap the subject: "tviuri abonementi ra ghirs?" asks for the monthly rate

8. ქალებისთვის ცალკე ჯგუფი გაქვთ?

   Kalebistvis tsalk'e jgupi gakvt?

   Do you have a separate group for women?

   Usage

   Judo and wrestling in Georgia were long male-dominated, but women's judo has been pushed hard in recent years and more Tbilisi clubs now run women's groups. Many private gyms also offer self-defence ("tavdatsva") classes aimed at women

   Grammar Note

   The suffix "-istvis" (for) attaches directly to the noun: "kalebi" + "istvis". Possession uses the verb "gakvt", which is the form used for owning inanimate things

9. ვარჯიშების განრიგი სად ვნახო?

   Varjishebis ganrigi sad vnakho?

   Where can I see the training schedule?

   Usage

   Georgian clubs usually put the timetable on a printed sheet by the desk or on their Facebook page; many have no website at all. Sessions can be cancelled during competition season or on Orthodox holidays, so check on the day

   Grammar Note

   The genitive is marked by "-is"; added to the plural "varjishebi" it gives "varjishebis". The natural word order places the question word immediately before the verb

10. შემიძლია ჭიდაობა ვისწავლო?

    Shemidzlia ch'idaoba vists'avlo?

    Can I learn chidaoba, Georgian wrestling?

    Usage

    "Chidaoba" is Georgia's traditional standing wrestling, inscribed on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage in 2018. Wrestlers grip a short jacket and belt to throw one another, and the ceremonial form is still performed to the accompaniment of the zurna and the doli drum. This tradition is widely credited for Georgia's strength in judo, wrestling and sambo, and many athletes come up through chidaoba first

    Grammar Note

    "Chidaoba" is both the name of the traditional style and the general word for wrestling. To distinguish disciplines you add a modifier: "tavisupali chidaoba" (freestyle), "berdznul-romauli chidaoba" (Greco-Roman)

11. სად შემიძლია ჭიდაობის შეჯიბრება ვნახო?

    Sad shemidzlia ch'idaobis shejibreba vnakho?

    Where can I watch a wrestling competition?

    Usage

    Domestic judo and wrestling tournaments are held in Tbilisi sports halls, often with free entry. Chidaoba also appears in demonstration form at regional festivals ("dgheoba") and cultural events, which is the easiest way for a visitor to see it. Your club's coach is the most reliable source of dates

    Grammar Note

    In the genitive, the final "-a" of "chidaoba" drops before "-is", giving "chidaobis". When one noun modifies another, the modifier takes the genitive and comes first

12. ეს ილეთი კიდევ ერთხელ მაჩვენეთ, გთხოვთ.

    Es ileti k'idev ertkhel machvenet, gtkhovt.

    Please show me that technique once more.

    Usage

    "Ileti" is the Georgian word for a throw or hold and is everyday vocabulary on the mat. Many Georgian coaches speak Russian rather than English, so having this line in Georgian is genuinely useful. Add "nela" (slowly) and they will break the movement down

    Grammar Note

    "Machvenet" packs the first-person object prefix "m-" and the polite suffix "-t" onto the imperative of "to show". A single Georgian verb can express the whole "you show me" relationship

13. როდის შემიძლია სპარინგში ჩავერთო?

    Rodis shemidzlia sp'aringshi chaverto?

    When can I join the sparring?

    Usage

    Randori and sparring at Georgian clubs happen only with the coach's approval. In judo the gate is whether you can break-fall ("datsema") safely; until then you will be kept on grip work. Let the coach decide rather than pushing to join

    Grammar Note

    The postposition "-shi" (into / in) attaches directly to the noun: "sparingi" becomes "sparingshi". Loanwords follow the same rule without exception

14. საშხაპე სად არის?

    Sashkhap'e sad aris?

    Where is the shower room?

    Usage

    Older Georgian sports halls may have no working shower, or no hot water. Bring your own towel and sandals. The mat room is a shoes-off area, and people wear indoor shoes or sandals between the changing room and the mat

    Grammar Note

    The circumfix "sa- ... -e" derives nouns of purpose: "shkhapi" (shower) becomes "sashkhape" (shower room). The related pattern "sa- ... -o" gives "sasadilo" (dining hall)

15. ხელები მაღლა, მოწინააღმდეგეს თვალებში უყურე!

    Khelebi maghla, mots'inaaghmdeges tvalebshi uq'ure!

    Hands up, look your opponent in the eyes!

    Usage

    Said by the coach. One of the most frequent cues just before engaging or during striking drills. Georgian coaches call out short, forceful commands — there is nothing rude about it, and it is often clipped to a single "khelebi!"

    Grammar Note

    "Qureba" (to look at) governs a dative object, so "motsinaaghmdege" becomes "motsinaaghmdeges". The imperative drops the subject entirely, and with someone familiar it takes the singular form without "-t"

16. მთელი ძალით დაარტყი, ნუ დაზოგავ!

    Mteli dzalit daart'q'i, nu dazogav!

    Hit with all your strength, do not hold back!

    Usage

    Said by the coach. The standard call when the coach on the pads wants full power, and also a signal that you may hit at full force. If instead you hear "daisvene" (rest) or "nela" (slowly), you are either overdoing it or your form needs fixing

    Grammar Note

    Prohibitions take "nu" plus the future tense, never the imperative ("nu dazogav" = do not hold back). "Dzalit" is the instrumental of "dzala" (strength), meaning "by means of"

17. ხუთი წუთი შესვენება, წყალი დალიეთ.

    Khuti ts'uti shesveneba, ts'q'ali daliet.

    Five-minute break, drink some water.

    Usage

    Said by the coach. Georgian sports halls have no air conditioning and get very hot in summer, so water breaks are called between rounds. Bring your own bottle; Tbilisi tap water comes from the mountains and many people drink it straight

    Grammar Note

    Addressing the whole class takes the plural imperative "daliet" (to one person, "dalie"). After a numeral the noun stays singular — you do not say "tsutebi"

18. დღეისთვის ეს იყოს. ყოჩაღ!

    Dgheistvis es iq'os. Q'ochagh!

    Let us call it a day. Well done!

    Usage

    Said by the coach to wrap up the session, usually followed by handshakes all round. Reply with "didi madloba" (thank you very much). Georgian clubs have no tipping culture, but being invited for tea — or chacha — afterwards is common

    Grammar Note

    "Iqos" is the third-person subjunctive of "to be" and frames the sentence as a proposal. "Qochagh" is a word of praise borrowed from Turkish and is heard constantly, both in sport and in daily life

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