In Georgia, emotional expression is much more visceral. When a Georgian says you are driving them crazy, they usually mean you are disrupting their shemowmeba (patience/endurance).
Put your hand on your chest, sigh deeply (as Georgians do), and say: drive me crazy qartulad
A chaotic but cozy Georgian table filled with khinkali and wine, or a bustling Marjanishvili street scene. We’ve all been there. You love someone (or something) deeply, but in the very next moment, that same person or thing makes you want to pull your hair out. In English, we have the perfect phrase for this: “You drive me crazy.” In Georgia, emotional expression is much more visceral
But what happens when you try to translate that fiery sentiment into Georgian? How do you say “drive me crazy” – qartulad ? We’ve all been there
(You climbed on my head, brother/sister.)
If you’ve been searching for this phrase, you aren’t just looking for a dry dictionary definition. You are looking for the feeling . You want the raw, poetic, and slightly dramatic energy that only the Georgian language can provide. If you plug “drive me crazy” into a translator, you might get something like: მაგიჟებს (magizhebs) or მადუღებს (madughebs).
It’s chaotic. It’s emotional. It’s perfectly Georgian. Have you ever driven a Georgian crazy (or been driven crazy by one)? Tell us your story in the comments below. Nerves migishlia?