ᲖმნებიC1

Secondary Preverb Meanings: Re-, Slightly, Accidentally

Figurative preverb senses: gada- (re-/overdo), mo- (slightly), ts'amo- (burst out), shemo- + inversion (accidentally).

Learning Goal

I can read and use preverbs in their figurative senses - including the famous accidental shemo-.

Exam Skills:NAEC Georgian C1: ListeningNAEC Georgian C1: Speaking

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

ეს თხზულება თავიდან გადაწერე - ბევრი შეცდომაა.

Rewrite this essay from the beginning - there are many mistakes.

ეს ღვინო ცოტა მომჟავოა, მაგრამ ბებიას ასე უყვარს.

This wine is slightly sourish, but grandma loves it that way.

ბოდიში, მთელი ნამცხვარი შემომეჭამა!

Sorry, I accidentally ate the whole cake!

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

Beyond direction

At C1 the preverbs reveal their figurative lives: გადა- = re- or overdo (გადაწერა rewrite, გადაამლაშა oversalted), მო- = slightly (მომჟავო sourish), წამო- = burst out (წამოიძახა exclaimed), and the national treasure შემო- + inversion = accidentally (შემომეჭამა - it got eaten by me).

Secondary Preverb Meanings: Re-, Slightly, Accidentally: Figurative preverb senses: gada- (re-/overdo), mo- (slightly), ts'amo- (burst out), shemo- + inversion (accidentally).

Reading gadats'era as 'wrote across' and missing the accidental flavor of shemo- inversions.

Common Error Patterns

Literal directional readings of figurative preverbs

Figurative-sense drills: gada-/mo-/shemo- beyond direction.

ეს თხზულება თავიდან გადაწერე - ბევრი შეცდომაა.

Rewrite this essay from the beginning - there are many mistakes.

gada- adds 're-': gadats'era 'rewrite' - the same prefix that means 'across'.

ეს ღვინო ცოტა მომჟავოა, მაგრამ ბებიას ასე უყვარს.

This wine is slightly sourish, but grandma loves it that way.

mo- as attenuator on qualities: momzhavo 'sourish', molurjo 'bluish' - the diminutive of adjectives.

ბოდიში, მთელი ნამცხვარი შემომეჭამა!

Sorry, I accidentally ate the whole cake!

shemo- + indirect frame = 'it happened to me accidentally': shemomech'ama - Georgia's most beloved verb form.

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in C1 course exercises

C1 Course
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