Georgian alphabet: every letter to copy
Georgian (ქართული) is spoken by about 4 million people in Georgia and abroad. Its alphabet is one of the most beautiful in the world, with curved, flowing letters. Modern Georgian uses the Mkhedruli script, which has 33 letters: ა ბ გ დ ე ვ ზ თ ი კ ლ მ ნ ო პ ჟ რ ს ტ უ ფ ქ ღ ყ შ ჩ ც ძ წ ჭ ხ ჯ ჰ. This page lists them in order, followed by the Mtavruli capitals and the older Asomtavruli letters.
Tap any letter to copy it.
Three Georgian scripts
- Asomtavruli: The oldest script, seen on ancient churches and inscriptions.
- Nuskhuri: A later script used in religious manuscripts.
- Mkhedruli: The modern script used for everyday Georgian.
- Mtavruli: A capital style of Mkhedruli, used for titles and headings.
No capital letters in everyday writing
Most alphabets have capital and small letters, but everyday Georgian does not. Sentences and names start with the same letters as any other word. Mtavruli capitals exist, but they are used for titles, signs and emphasis, not for the start of sentences. Mtavruli was added to Unicode in 2018, so older devices may not show it.
A world heritage alphabet
In 2016, UNESCO added the living culture of the three Georgian scripts to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Georgians are proud of their alphabet, and you will see its letters on art, jewellery and tattoos. The letter ღ (ghani) is popular around the world because it looks like a curly heart.
Georgian sounds
Georgian has some sounds that are rare in other languages, including ejective consonants like კ, პ, ტ, წ and ჭ, made with a short burst of air. It is also famous for words with many consonants in a row, like გვფრცქვნი. Each letter stands for one sound, so once you learn the alphabet you can read Georgian aloud.
Georgian for learners and travellers
Travellers to Tbilisi and Batumi often learn a few words, like გამარჯობა (hello) and მადლობა (thank you). Copy letters here to make flashcards or practise reading street signs and menus.
Typing Georgian
Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone all include Georgian keyboards, usually with a layout that matches English key sounds. For Mtavruli capitals or old Asomtavruli letters, copying from this page is easiest.
Georgian digits and numbers
Georgian uses the normal digits 0 to 9 today. In older texts, letters were used as numbers, much like in Greek and Armenian, with each letter standing for a value. Georgian counting is also unusual because it is based on twenties, so 40 is said as two twenties.
Frequently asked questions
- How many letters are in the Georgian alphabet?
- Modern Georgian uses 33 Mkhedruli letters.
- Does Georgian have capital letters?
- Not in everyday writing. Mtavruli capitals exist for titles and headings, but sentences do not start with a capital.
- What is ღ?
- ღ is the Georgian letter ghani, for a throaty gh sound. People often use it as a heart symbol.
- What are Asomtavruli letters?
- They are the oldest Georgian letters, used in ancient inscriptions and church writing.
- How do I say hello in Georgian?
- Hello is გამარჯობა (gamarjoba).
- Is Georgian related to Russian?
- No. Georgian is a Kartvelian language with its own unique alphabet, not related to Russian or Cyrillic.