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What does 'katso' mean in Georgian?

A casual way to address a man, and why to use it carefully.

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Short answer

Katso (კაცო) is a casual way to address a man, from katsi (კაცი), 'man, person', roughly 'hey, man' or 'listen, mate'. Among acquaintances it sounds simple and familiar, but to a stranger it may seem a bit rude. In Russian the word became known through films and jokes.

Russian-Georgian phrasebook faq-cover-georgian-language.png

Why

  1. The -o ending makes it a form of address, as bichi becomes bicho.
  2. Katso is often said with annoyance or surprise: 'come on, katso!'.
  3. The polite way to address a man is batono.

Details

Visitors shouldn't address strangers this way, especially older people. Among friends it's fine as a joke.

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The transliteration is approximate; the Georgian spelling gives the pronunciation most accurately.

Russian-Georgian phrasebook

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