Hello, language learners! Irakli here. If you’ve started learning Georgian, you’ve probably heard that the verbs are… well, a bit of a challenge. They can seem like a huge, complicated puzzle.

But what if I told you there’s a key to unlocking that puzzle? A concept that makes everything much more organized and easier to learn?

That key is the screeve.

It sounds like a strange word, but understanding it is one of the biggest “aha!” moments you’ll have when learning Georgian. Forget trying to memorize endless verb charts. Let’s talk about screeves, the building blocks of Georgian verbs.

What is a screeve? (a simple explanation)

In languages like English or Spanish, we talk about “tenses” (past, present, future) and “conjugating” a verb for each person (I, you, he/she, etc.).

A Georgian screeve is basically a complete set of conjugations for a specific tense and mood.

Think of it like a “snapshot” of a verb. For example, there’s a “present tense snapshot,” a “future tense snapshot,” and a “simple past tense snapshot.” Each snapshot, or screeve, contains all six forms of the verb:

• I
• You (singular)
• He/She/It
• We
• You (plural)
• They

So, when you learn the “Present Screeve” of a verb, you’re learning all the forms for “I do,” “you do,” “he does,” and so on, all at once. It’s a neat, organized package. There are around 11 screeves in total, but you only need to focus on a few to get started.

The three main series of screeves

To make things even more organized, all the screeves are grouped into three main categories called series. Understanding these series is like having a roadmap for the entire verb system.

1. Series I (The Present/Future Series)

This series is used for actions happening right now, actions that happen habitually, or actions that will happen in the future.

The most important screeves here are the Present Screeve (for what’s happening now) and the Future Screeve (for what will happen).

For example, for the verb “to do/make” (კეთება, keteba):

• Present: მე ვაკეთებ (me v-aket-eb) - I do
• Future: მე გავაკეთებ (me ga-v-aket-eb) - I will do

Notice how they look similar? That’s the logic of the series system!

2. Series II (The Aorist Series)

This series is mainly for actions that were completed in the past. It’s the most common way to say that something happened and is now finished.

The main screeve here is the Aorist Screeve, which is like the simple past tense in English.

For our example verb “to do/make”:

• Aorist: მე გავაკეთე (me ga-v-aket-e) - I did

This form tells us the action happened and it’s over.

3. Series III (The Perfect Series)

This series is a bit more advanced, so don’t worry too much about it for now. It’s used to describe the result of a past action that is still relevant in the present. It often translates to “have done” something.

For our example verb:

• Perfect: მე გამიკეთებია (me ga-mi-keteb-ia) - I have done (it seems)

Just know that this series exists. You’ll tackle it later in your journey. For now, let’s focus on the first two series.

Let’s look at an example: ‘to write’ (წერა)

Let’s make this more concrete. We’ll take the verb წერა (ts’era), which means “to write,” and see how it looks in the most common screeves.

Present Screeve (Series I)

This is used for “I am writing” or “I write (in general).”

Future Screeve (Series I)

This is used for “I will write.” Notice how it’s built from the present form, often by adding a “preverb” at the beginning (in this case, და-, da-).

Aorist Screeve (Series II)

This is for when you want to say “I wrote.” The action is done. Notice that the verb endings are different from the ones in Series I. This is a key feature of the Aorist.

Why is learning about screeves helpful?

Learning Georgian verbs can feel like trying to drink from a fire hose. The concept of screeves turns that hose into a manageable tap.

Here’s why it’s so useful:

• It creates order: Instead of a random mess of verb forms, you have neat, organized sets.
• It breaks it down: You can focus on learning one screeve at a time. Master the Present Screeve for many common verbs. Then move on to the Future. Then the Aorist.
• It reveals the system: Understanding the three series shows you the underlying logic of Georgian grammar. You’ll start to see patterns everywhere.
• It’s how Georgians think about verbs: This isn’t just a trick for foreigners. It’s the fundamental structure of the language, so all good textbooks and teachers use this framework.

So, the next time you feel overwhelmed by a Georgian verb, just stop and ask: “Which screeve is this?”

By learning to identify and use the basic screeves, you’ll be building a solid foundation that will make the rest of your language journey much, much smoother. Take it one screeve at a time, and you’ll get there