The Georgian language is truly distinct; an isolate language with no connection to Indo-European, Turkic, or Arabic language groups from the surrounding regions, Georgian stands alone. With some extremely tricky consonant clusters, Georgian is notoriously difficult for many foreigners but locals are always pleasantly pleased to hear their language usually spoken by the less than 4 million Georgians in the world being attempted by their guests from other countries. The Georgian written language also has its own unique alphabet, extremely beautiful and full of curving, swerving shapes. Even if you do not succeed in speaking Georgian almost all Georgians are bi-lingual, with the older generations speaking Russian as a second language and the younger generations increasingly speaking English, Arabic, and European languages.
While the Georgian language and alphabet does maintain an infamous reputation for being extra difficult, have no fear! Here is a short guide to essential Georgian terms and phrases: