Bedeutung
Value of spoken words.
Kultureller Hintergrund
At a Georgian feast, the Tamada must be eloquent, but the guests must listen. This proverb is the invisible rule of the table. In the mountains, words were seen as binding contracts. Saying less meant having fewer debts of honor. The value of silence is linked to the monastic tradition of 'hesychasm' (inner stillness). In modern Tbilisi, being a 'good listener' is a highly sought-after soft skill in international companies.
Use the full version for impact
If you want to sound truly wise, use the full version including 'gagoneba okroa'. It shows a higher level of fluency.
Don't use it to be rude
Telling someone 'speech is silver' can be a polite way to say 'shut up,' but if your tone is angry, it will still be offensive.
Bedeutung
Value of spoken words.
Use the full version for impact
If you want to sound truly wise, use the full version including 'gagoneba okroa'. It shows a higher level of fluency.
Don't use it to be rude
Telling someone 'speech is silver' can be a polite way to say 'shut up,' but if your tone is angry, it will still be offensive.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing word to complete the proverb.
სიტყვა თქმაა, _________.
The proverb compares speech to silver (ვერცხლი).
Which metal represents 'listening' (გაგონება) in the full version of the proverb?
გაგონება არის...
Listening is considered more valuable, so it is compared to gold (ოქრო).
Match the situation to the best use of the proverb.
A friend is talking too much and not letting you speak.
The proverb is a polite way to suggest they should listen more.
Complete the dialogue.
გიორგი: 'რატომ არაფერს ამბობ?' ნინო: 'იმიტომ, რომ _________.'
Nino is using the proverb to explain her silence.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
The Hierarchy of Communication
Aufgabensammlung
4 Aufgabenსიტყვა თქმაა, _________.
The proverb compares speech to silver (ვერცხლი).
გაგონება არის...
Listening is considered more valuable, so it is compared to gold (ოქრო).
A friend is talking too much and not letting you speak.
The proverb is a polite way to suggest they should listen more.
გიორგი: 'რატომ არაფერს ამბობ?' ნინო: 'იმიტომ, რომ _________.'
Nino is using the proverb to explain her silence.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
4 FragenSilver represents something of high value but not the highest. It acknowledges that speech is a precious human gift, just not as precious as understanding.
Yes, but often in a slightly ironic or 'quoting my parents' kind of way. It's very common in written Georgian on social media.
It is the noun form of 'to say' (თქმა) plus the verb 'is' (ა). So it literally means 'is a saying' or 'is the act of saying'.
Yes, it's a great way to end an email where you are asking for feedback or suggesting a period of observation.
Verwandte Redewendungen
ენა ძვალსამტვრევია
similarThe tongue can break bones.
დუმილი ოქროა
synonymSilence is gold.
ბევრი ლაპარაკი ფასს უკარგავს სიტყვას
builds onToo much talking devalues the word.
