Significado
Something very small and insignificant.
Contexto cultural
Georgians often use water metaphors because of the country's abundance of rivers and its border with the Black Sea. Water is seen as a life-giving but overwhelming force. In religious contexts, a single prayer or a small candle is sometimes called a 'drop in the sea' of God's mercy, showing humility. In modern Tbilisi, this phrase is frequently used to complain about traffic solutions or small infrastructure changes that don't solve the city's massive congestion. When a guest brings a small gift to a massive feast, the host uses this phrase to make the guest feel comfortable, implying that the host's own abundance makes any gift unnecessary.
Use for Humility
If someone praises your contribution, say 'ეს მხოლოდ ზღვაში წვეთია' to sound modest and polite.
Don't use for people
Calling a person 'a drop in the sea' can sound like you are saying they are unimportant as a human being. Use it for their *actions* or *resources* instead.
Significado
Something very small and insignificant.
Use for Humility
If someone praises your contribution, say 'ეს მხოლოდ ზღვაში წვეთია' to sound modest and polite.
Don't use for people
Calling a person 'a drop in the sea' can sound like you are saying they are unimportant as a human being. Use it for their *actions* or *resources* instead.
Combine with 'მხოლოდ'
Adding 'მხოლოდ' (mkholod - only) before the phrase makes it sound much more natural: 'ეს მხოლოდ ზღვაში წვეთია'.
The Black Sea Connection
Remember that for Georgians, the 'Sea' almost always refers to the Black Sea. Visualizing its dark, vast waters helps you use the idiom with the right emotion.
Teste-se
Fill in the missing word to complete the idiom.
ეს დახმარება ______ წვეთია.
The idiom is 'ზღვაში წვეთია' (a drop in the sea).
Which situation best fits the phrase 'ზღვაში წვეთია'?
გიორგის 1000 ლარი სჭირდება, მაგრამ მხოლოდ 1 ლარი აქვს.
1 GEL is an insignificant amount compared to the 1000 GEL needed.
Complete the dialogue.
A: ბევრი სამუშაო დაგრჩა? B: კი, რაც გავაკეთე, ______ ______.
B is saying that the work they finished is very little compared to what remains.
Match the phrase to the correct meaning.
ზღვაში წვეთია
The idiom refers to the insignificance of a small part compared to a large whole.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Recursos visuais
Scale Comparison
Banco de exercicios
4 exerciciosეს დახმარება ______ წვეთია.
The idiom is 'ზღვაში წვეთია' (a drop in the sea).
გიორგის 1000 ლარი სჭირდება, მაგრამ მხოლოდ 1 ლარი აქვს.
1 GEL is an insignificant amount compared to the 1000 GEL needed.
A: ბევრი სამუშაო დაგრჩა? B: კი, რაც გავაკეთე, ______ ______.
B is saying that the work they finished is very little compared to what remains.
ზღვაში წვეთია
The idiom refers to the insignificance of a small part compared to a large whole.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Perguntas frequentes
12 perguntasIt is neutral. You can use it in a business report or while chatting with a friend.
Yes, it is understood, but 'ზღვაში' is much more common and traditional in Georgia.
Usually, yes, because it implies a lack of something. However, it can be used positively to show humility.
This is exactly how you say it! Georgian doesn't use 'bucket' (ვედრო) for this idiom.
You wouldn't usually pluralize it, but you could say 'ზღვაში წვეთებია' (they are drops in the sea).
Yes, in a full sentence. If you are just using it as a title, you can say 'ზღვაში წვეთი'.
Yes! 'ერთი წუთი ამ საქმისთვის ზღვაში წვეთია' (One minute for this task is a drop in the sea).
Very common. Every native speaker knows it.
Yes, for example, to describe a challenge: 'ჩემი გამოცდილება ამ სფეროში ჯერჯერობით ზღვაში წვეთია, მაგრამ სწრაფად ვსწავლობ.'
There isn't one direct idiom, but you could say 'ზღვა მასალაა' (it's a sea of material/plenty).
It rhymes loosely with 'მეტი' (more) or 'გვეთი' (side), often used in wordplay.
Yes, many Georgian pop and folk songs use sea/drop imagery to talk about love and fate.
Frases relacionadas
ზღვა მასალა
contrastA sea of material
წვეთ-წვეთად
builds onDrop by drop
არაფერია
synonymIt is nothing
ოკეანეში წვეთი
similarA drop in the ocean
ზღვაში ჩაგდება
relatedTo throw into the sea
