თქვა, რომ: reporting what someone said
The news is nothing but retelling: 'the minister said that…'. Georgian does it with რომ, but puts the word where English never would. For example: “ჟურნალისტმა თქვა, რომ წყარო სანდოა” — The journalist said the source is reliable. A rule from the Georgian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
The news is nothing but retelling: 'the minister said that…'. Georgian does it with რომ (rom), but puts the word where English never would.
რომ moves inside the clause instead of sitting on its edge. მან თქვა (man tkva), რომ ხვალ მოვა (rom khval mova) — here it is the first word. In live speech it more often sits after the first word: მან თქვა, ხვალ რომ მოვა (khval rom mova). Both are correct.
The tense does not shift. Georgian calmly leaves the future in the future: თქვა (tkva), რომ ხვალ მოვა — he said he will come tomorrow.
A question is retold differently. With no question word, თუ (tu) holds it together. Livelier is თუ არა (tu ara) after the verb: მკითხა (mkitkha), მოვიდოდი თუ არა — he asked whether I would come. If there was a question word, it serves as the link: მკითხა, სად ვცხოვრობ (sad vtskhovrob).
Table
| Direct speech | Reported | Link | Where the link stands |
|---|---|---|---|
| ხვალ მოვა | თქვა, რომ ხვალ მოვა | რომ | first word of the clause |
| ხვალ მოვა | თქვა, ხვალ რომ მოვა | რომ | after the first word — colloquial |
| მოხვალ? | მკითხა, თუ მოვიდოდი | თუ | first word of the clause |
| მოხვალ? | მკითხა, მოვიდოდი თუ არა | თუ არა | after the verb |
| სად ცხოვრობ? | მკითხა, სად ვცხოვრობ | სად | a question word; no 'რომ' needed |
| რატომ არ მოხვედი? | მკითხა, რატომ არ მოვედი | რატომ | a question word |
By example
- ჟურნალისტმა თქვა, რომ წყარო სანდოაzhurnalistma tkva, rom tsqaro sandoaThe journalist said the source is reliable
- მკითხა, საზღვარი გადავკვეთე თუ არაmkitkha, sazghvari gadavkvete tu araHe asked whether I had crossed the border
- მოხელემ ჰკითხა, სად ვცხოვრობmokhelem hkitkha, sad vtskhovrobThe official asked where I live
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
reporting what someone said: how does it work in Georgian?
The news is nothing but retelling: 'the minister said that…'. Georgian does it with რომ, but puts the word where English never would.
What does it look like in an example sentence Georgian?
“ჟურნალისტმა თქვა, რომ წყარო სანდოა” (zhurnalistma tkva, rom tsqaro sandoa) — The journalist said the source is reliable. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.