Probably, Maybe, Evidently: The Certainty Scale
The epistemic scale: autsileblad, albat, ikneb, et'qoba, turme - certainty strength and knowledge source.
I can grade my certainty and mark where my knowledge comes from.
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
ალბათ გვიან მოვა - სამსახურში ბევრი საქმე აქვს.
He'll probably come late - he has a lot of work.
იქნებ ერთად წავიდეთ? უფრო მხიარული იქნება.
Maybe we could go together? It would be more fun.
ეტყობა, წუხელ კარგად ვერ დაიძინა - თვალები წითელი აქვს.
Apparently he didn't sleep well last night - his eyes are red.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
How sure are you?
The B2 certainty toolkit: აუცილებლად (definitely), ალბათ (probably), იქნებ (maybe - also a soft proposal with the subjunctive), ეტყობა (evidently, from signs), თურმე (it turns out, from hearsay). Each marks a different source and strength of knowledge - fluent speakers pick precisely.
One-word-fits-all albat and indicative after proposal-ikneb (*ikneb ts'avalt instead of ts'avidet).
Common Error Patterns
Flattening the certainty scale to one word or wrong mood after ikneb
Certainty-ladder drills: same fact at five confidence levels.
ალბათ გვიან მოვა - სამსახურში ბევრი საქმე აქვს.
He'll probably come late - he has a lot of work.
albat = probably: the everyday ~70% guess.
იქნებ ერთად წავიდეთ? უფრო მხიარული იქნება.
Maybe we could go together? It would be more fun.
ikneb + subjunctive doubles as a soft proposal - 'how about...'.
ეტყობა, წუხელ კარგად ვერ დაიძინა - თვალები წითელი აქვს.
Apparently he didn't sleep well last night - his eyes are red.
et'qoba = 'evidently/it shows': inference from visible signs.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in B2 course exercises