batono/kalbatono + first name, bare batono? as 'pardon?', and matching shen/tkven to the warmth level of the address.
I can address strangers, officials, and family with the right Georgian form and pronoun.
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
ááá¢ááá áááá áá, áá áá á¬á£ááá ášááá«áááá?
Mr. Giorgi, may I have a moment?
á¥ááááá¢ááá áááá, áá¥áááá á§ááá áááááá.
Ms. Nino, your coffee is ready.
ááá¢ááá? ááá áááááá, ááááááá áá, áᣠášááá«áááá.
Pardon? I did not catch that, please repeat.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
ááá¢ááá (sir) and á¥ááááá¢ááá (madam) pair with the FIRST name: ááá¢ááá áááá áá, á¥ááááá¢ááá áááá - never the surname. Bare ááá¢ááá? means polite 'pardon?'. With these forms use áá¥ááá; with ášáááá and áááááªáááá (terms of endearment) use ášáá.
Apply this grammar in A2 course exercises
Practice ExercisesPairing batono with the surname (European transfer) and mixing registers - shen with batono Giorgi sounds as odd as a formal handshake at a family supra.
Pairing batono with a surname or mixing shen with batono-level formality
Role-play drills: formal office vs family kitchen address sets.
ááá¢ááá áááá áá, áá áá á¬á£ááá ášááá«áááá?
Mr. Giorgi, may I have a moment?
batono + FIRST name - Georgian politeness pairs the title with the given name, not the surname.
á¥ááááá¢ááá áááá, áá¥áááá á§ááá áááááá.
Ms. Nino, your coffee is ready.
kalbatono for women, always with tkven (formal you).
ááá¢ááá? ááá áááááá, ááááááá áá, áᣠášááá«áááá.
Pardon? I did not catch that, please repeat.
Bare batono? is the polite 'pardon?' - a uniquely Georgian habit worth copying.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A2 course exercises