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?
ბატონო გიორგი, ერთი წუთით შეიძლება?
Mr. Giorgi, may I have a moment?
ქალბატონო ნინო, თქვენი ყავა მზადაა.
Ms. Nino, your coffee is ready.
ბატონო? ვერ გავიგე, გაიმეორეთ, თუ შეიძლება.
Pardon? I did not catch that, please repeat.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
ბატონო (sir) and ქალბატონო (madam) pair with the FIRST name: ბატონო გიორგი, ქალბატონო ნინო - never the surname. Bare ბატონო? means polite 'pardon?'. With these forms use თქვენ; with შვილო and გენაცვალე (terms of endearment) use შენ.
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.
ბატონო გიორგი, ერთი წუთით შეიძლება?
Mr. Giorgi, may I have a moment?
batono + FIRST name - Georgian politeness pairs the title with the given name, not the surname.
ქალბატონო ნინო, თქვენი ყავა მზადაა.
Ms. Nino, your coffee is ready.
kalbatono for women, always with tkven (formal you).
ბატონო? ვერ გავიგე, გაიმეორეთ, თუ შეიძლება.
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