You’re planning a trip to Tbilisi, or a move, and you’re wondering: do people speak Russian there? Is English enough? Or should you learn a few words of a language you’ve never heard before? Here’s the honest answer, including the part about Russian that many travel guides skip.
Short answer: what language is spoken in Georgia?
The official language of Georgia is Georgian (kartuli, ქართული), spoken by the vast majority of the population. It has its own alphabet and isn’t related to Russian. In the autonomous republic of Abkhazia, Abkhaz is also an official language. Regional languages such as Mingrelian and Svan are spoken in western Georgia, and Azerbaijani and Armenian in minority regions. Many older Georgians also speak Russian, while younger people in Tbilisi and Batumi often speak good English.
Quick clarification before we start: this article is about Georgia, the country in the South Caucasus, between the Black Sea, Russia, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan. In the US state of Georgia, the main language is of course English.
I’ve been learning languages on my own for over 20 years and have written four books about language learning. I don’t speak Georgian myself. What I can give you is a clear picture of the language situation, based on official sources, and a practical recommendation on which words are worth learning before you go.
The official language of Georgia: Georgian
Georgian is the state language of Georgia, as set out in the country’s Organic Law on the State Language. Georgians call their language kartuli (ქართული) and their country Sakartvelo (საქართველო). The name “Georgia” is only used by outsiders.
In the last census in 2014, about 3.7 million people lived in the areas under government control, and 86.8 percent of them were ethnic Georgians. Georgian is the language of schools, universities, government, TV, newspapers and everyday life. In other words: wherever you go in Georgia, Georgian is the language around you.
Three facts make Georgian special:
- Its own family. Georgian belongs to the Kartvelian language family, which exists only in the Caucasus. It isn’t Slavic, Indo-European or Turkic, so it’s not related to Russian, Armenian or Turkish.
- Its own script. Georgian uses a unique alphabet of 33 letters that’s used for no other major language. More in our guide to the Georgian alphabet.
- A long written history. The oldest securely dated Georgian inscriptions are from the 5th century, which makes Georgian one of the oldest written languages still in daily use.
All languages spoken in Georgia at a glance
Georgia is small, but the Caucasus has always been a meeting point of peoples. That’s why you’ll hear more than one language, depending on the region:
| Language | Where and by whom | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Georgian | Everywhere, by the large majority | State language |
| Abkhaz | Abkhazia, in the northwest | Official there alongside Georgian |
| Mingrelian | Samegrelo region, western Georgia | Regional Kartvelian language, mostly spoken at home |
| Svan | Svaneti, in the high Caucasus | Small Kartvelian language, considered endangered |
| Azerbaijani | Kvemo Kartli in the south, about 6 percent of the population | Minority language |
| Armenian | Samtskhe-Javakheti in the south and parts of Tbilisi, about 4.5 percent | Minority language |
| Russian | Widely understood, especially by older people | Foreign language, no official status |
| English | Young people, tourism, business in Tbilisi and Batumi | Foreign language, growing fast |
Smaller communities also speak Ossetian, Greek, Ukrainian and other languages. The census figures for minorities come from the areas under government control. Abkhazia and South Ossetia have been outside the control of the Georgian government for decades and were not counted.
Mingrelian and Svan: Georgian’s little siblings
Mingrelian and Svan are not dialects of Georgian but separate languages from the same Kartvelian family. A Georgian speaker can’t simply understand them. Almost all Mingrelian and Svan speakers also speak Georgian, though, so as a visitor you’ll get by with Georgian everywhere. If you hike in Svaneti, it’s still a nice gesture to know that the language you hear between neighbours may not be Georgian at all.
Do people in Georgia speak Russian?
Many do, especially people who went to school before the 1990s. In the Soviet era, Russian was the common language across the region, and many Georgians over 45 speak it fluently. Taxi drivers, market vendors and older hosts in guesthouses will often understand Russian better than English.
That said, Russian is a sensitive topic. Georgia fought a war with Russia in 2008, and Russian troops are still stationed in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Many Georgians, particularly younger ones, prefer not to be addressed in Russian by default. My advice: start every conversation with a Georgian greeting like gamarjoba. If it turns out Russian is your only common language, most people will happily switch. You’ll just have shown respect first.
Do people in Georgia speak English?
More and more. English is taught in schools from an early age, and in Tbilisi, Batumi and Kutaisi many young people, hotel staff, café owners and tour guides speak good English. In villages and among older people, English becomes rare quickly.
For a city trip, English will get you around. For guesthouses in the mountains, family visits or a longer stay, a few Georgian phrases make a real difference, and they’re the fastest way to be treated as a guest instead of a tourist.
Is Georgian similar to Russian or any other language?
No. This is one of the most common misconceptions. Georgian and Russian come from completely different language families and use different alphabets. Georgian has borrowed some words from Russian, Persian, Arabic, Greek and Turkish over the centuries, but grammar, sounds and core vocabulary are entirely its own.
For learners, that means two things. You can’t lean on another language you know. And at the same time, nothing you already know gets in the way: no false friends, no mixed-up endings, a genuinely fresh start. Georgian also has no grammatical gender and no articles, which makes some parts easier than in many European languages.
Which language should you learn before going to Georgia?
Here’s my honest recommendation, depending on your situation:
- Short trip to Tbilisi or Batumi: English plus 20 Georgian phrases. That’s enough and opens a lot of doors.
- Road trip, hiking or village guesthouses: Add basic reading skills, so you can read signs and menus. Our alphabet guide gets you there in one to three weeks.
- Moving to Georgia, or a Georgian partner: Learn Georgian properly. Russian might be practical with some older people, but Georgian is the language of friendship, family and belonging. Our step-by-step guide shows you how to learn Georgian even though the big apps don’t offer it.
Learn Georgian before your trip, 17 minutes a day
- Over 1,300 words with native speaker audio
- Short daily lessons on your phone, tablet or PC
- Long-term memory method: words come back right before you forget them
- Test it free for 2 days, no payment details needed
Frequently asked questions about the language of Georgia
What language is spoken in Georgia?
The official and main language of Georgia is Georgian, called kartuli by Georgians themselves. In Abkhazia, Abkhaz is also official. Many older Georgians also speak Russian, and many younger people speak English.
Is Georgian the same as Russian?
No. Georgian and Russian belong to different language families and use different alphabets. Georgian is a Kartvelian language with its own unique script.
Can I use Russian in Georgia?
Often yes, especially with older people. Because of the political history, it’s more polite to start in Georgian or English and only switch to Russian if it’s the only shared language.
Is English widely spoken in Georgia?
In Tbilisi, Batumi and tourist areas, many young people and service staff speak English. In rural areas and among older people, English is much less common.
How many languages are spoken in Georgia?
Besides Georgian, the regional languages Mingrelian and Svan, the minority languages Azerbaijani and Armenian, Abkhaz in Abkhazia and several smaller community languages are spoken. Russian and English are the most common foreign languages.
What do Georgians call their country?
Georgians call their country Sakartvelo (საქართველო) and their language kartuli (ქართული). The name Georgia is only used in other languages.
Related links
- Learn Georgian: a realistic plan from alphabet to first conversation
- The Georgian alphabet: all 33 letters with pronunciation
- Georgian phrases with pronunciation
- The different ways of learning languages
Prefer another language?
About the author
Sven Mancini has published four books on language learning and has over 20 years of hands-on experience learning languages through self-study, from Norwegian (business fluent since 2005) to English, Danish, Swedish, French and Spanish. He doesn’t claim to speak every language he writes about. He writes about the methods and courses that actually work. Read more about Sven here.