Signification
Frozen precipitation falling.
Contexte culturel
In the high mountains, snow is a way of life. 'თოვლი მოდის' can mean the beginning of months of isolation. People prepare by stocking up on flour and dried meat. Tbilisians have a love-hate relationship with snow. Because it's rare, 'თოვლი მოდის' triggers immediate excitement but also fear of traffic chaos. Snow is the 'clean' start of the year. The 'Tovlis Babua' (Grandfather Snow) is the Georgian version of Santa Claus, literally named after the snow. Poets like Galaktion Tabidze used snow as a metaphor for purity and loneliness. The phrase 'თოვლი მოდის' often sets a melancholic tone in poems.
The 'Coming' Rule
In Georgian, almost all precipitation 'comes'. Rain comes, snow comes, hail comes. Master the verb 'მოსვლა' and you master the weather.
No 'It'
Never start a weather sentence with 'is' (it). Just say the noun and the verb.
Signification
Frozen precipitation falling.
The 'Coming' Rule
In Georgian, almost all precipitation 'comes'. Rain comes, snow comes, hail comes. Master the verb 'მოსვლა' and you master the weather.
No 'It'
Never start a weather sentence with 'is' (it). Just say the noun and the verb.
Sound like a native
When it's snowing really beautifully, use 'ბარდნის' (bardnis) instead of 'თოვლი მოდის'. It shows a higher level of vocabulary.
Snow and Taxis
In Georgia, if 'თოვლი მოდის', taxi prices will double. It's a common topic of conversation!
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct form of the verb 'to come' (მოდის).
გარეთ ______ თოვლი.
In Georgian, snow 'comes' (მოდის).
Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'It is snowing'?
Choose the best option:
'თოვლი მოდის' is the standard idiomatic expression.
Match the Georgian phrase with its English meaning.
Match the following:
These are the present, past, and future forms.
Complete the dialogue.
A: ხვალ სათხილამუროდ წავიდეთ? B: კი, თუ ______.
The future tense 'მოვა' is needed for a condition about tomorrow.
Match the word to the intensity of snow.
Which word describes a heavy snowstorm?
'ბარდნის' specifically refers to heavy, thick snow.
🎉 Score : /5
Aides visuelles
Snow Intensity
Light
- • ფიფქები მოდის
- • ცოტა თოვს
Normal
- • თოვლი მოდის
- • თოვს
Heavy
- • ბარდნის
- • დიდი თოვლი მოდის
Banque d exercices
5 exercicesგარეთ ______ თოვლი.
In Georgian, snow 'comes' (მოდის).
Choose the best option:
'თოვლი მოდის' is the standard idiomatic expression.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
These are the present, past, and future forms.
A: ხვალ სათხილამუროდ წავიდეთ? B: კი, თუ ______.
The future tense 'მოვა' is needed for a condition about tomorrow.
Which word describes a heavy snowstorm?
'ბარდნის' specifically refers to heavy, thick snow.
🎉 Score : /5
Questions fréquentes
14 questionsYes, 'თოვს' is perfectly correct, but it sounds a bit more literary. In a cafe or with friends, 'თოვლი მოდის' is more common.
You say 'თოვლი წამოვიდა' (tovli ts'amovida). The prefix 'ts'amo-' indicates the start of an action.
It is neutral. You can use it in any situation, from a news report to a text message to a friend.
It is 'ფიფქი' (pipki).
You say 'თოვამ გადაიღო' (tovam gadaigo). This is a specific idiom for weather stopping.
No, 'მოდის' stays the same. You just add 'ბევრი' (much/a lot): 'ბევრი თოვლი მოდის'.
It's just the way the Georgian language conceptualizes movement from the sky. Rain and wind also 'come'.
Yes, if a snow machine is working, you can still say 'თოვლი მოდის'.
Not really a slang 'word', but people might say 'რა მაგრად ასხამს' (it's pouring hard) even for snow if they are being expressive.
Ask: 'როდის მოვა თოვლი?'
It is in the Nominative case.
Georgian has no grammatical gender!
Only if it's actually snowing (maybe in the high mountains), otherwise people will think you are joking.
'თოვლმა' is the ergative case, used when the snow did something (like 'the snow covered the ground').
Expressions liées
წვიმა მოდის
similarIt is raining
სეტყვა მოდის
similarIt is hailing
ქარი ქრის
relatedThe wind is blowing
თოვლი დევს
contrastSnow is lying (on the ground)
ბარდნის
specialized formIt is snowing heavily
თოვლის ბაბუა
builds onGrandfather Snow (Santa)
