Who created the Georgian alphabet, and what do Georgian letters look like?
Three scripts, 33 letters and UNESCO heritage.
Short answer
The modern Georgian alphabet, Mkhedruli, has 33 letters, no capital letters in everyday use, and rounded, curling letterforms. Medieval tradition credits King Parnavaz with creating the script in the 3rd century BC, while the earliest dated Georgian inscriptions are from the 5th century AD. Georgian has three historical scripts: Asomtavruli, Nuskhuri and Mkhedruli.
Why
- In 2016 UNESCO added the living culture of the three Georgian scripts to its intangible heritage list.
- Mkhedruli is written left to right, and each letter usually matches one sound.
- The oldest dated inscriptions were found in Palestine and at Bolnisi Sioni.
Details
Headings sometimes use stylised 'capital' Mtavruli letters, but they don't appear in ordinary text. You can learn the alphabet in a few weeks, and reading signs gets easier within days.
Tip
Start with letters on signs and menus; you'll learn the alphabet faster than from a chart.
Common misconception
The Georgian alphabet has capital and small letters like Russian.
What actually happens
Modern Georgian writing has no capital letters; names and sentence starts use the same letters.
People also ask
- How many letters are in the Georgian alphabet?
Sources
Information checked on October 3, 2026.
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