Mingrelian has nine grammatical cases. For pluralization the suffix -ep is used, which is inserted between stem and case marker.

Mingrelian shares a noun classification scheme with other Kartvelian languages and classifies objects as:

• 'Intelligent' entities (question mi? "who?")
• 'Non-intelligent' entities (question mu? "what?)

Noun classification scheme edit

Noun declension edit

Declension of noun stem ǩoç ("man") in comparison to corresponding Laz ǩoç (id.), Georgian ḳac (id.) and Svan č'äš (husband) forms:

Adjectives in Mingrelian are declined like nouns.

Example of adjective declension edit

Declension of stem ǯveş ("old") in comparison to corresponding Laz (mǯveş), Georgian (ʒvel) and Svan (ǯwinel) forms:

The Mingrelian numerals are almost identical to Laz with minor phonetic differences. The number system is vigesimal like in Georgian.

Cardinal numbers edit

Most of the Mingrelian cardinal numbers are inherited from Proto-Kartvelian language, except arti (one) and eçi (twenty), which are considered as a Karto-Zan heritage, since there are no regular equivalents in Svan.

Ordinal numbers edit

In Mingrelian the circumfix ma-...-a produces ordinal numbers, which is a Common-Kartvelian heritage, since it has regular phonetical equivalents in Svan and Georgian (me-...-e in both)

Fractional numbers edit

The fractional numbers derivation rule in Mingrelian is akin to Old Georgian and Svan.

Personal pronouns edit

Possessive pronouns edit

The Mingrelian verb has the categories of person, number, version, tense, mood, aspect, voice, and verbal focus.

Personality and number edit

In Mingrelian the verbs can be monovalent, bivalent or trivalent. This feature is also shared with other Kartvelian languages.

• Monovalent verbs are represented only by subjective person and are always intransitive.
• Bivalent verbs together with subject have also one object (direct or indirect). They are:
  • transitive in the case of direct object
  • intransitive if the object is indirect
• Trivalent verbs have one subject and always both, direct and indirect objects and are ditransitive.

Table of verb personality edit

The person may be singular or plural.

Subject and object markers in Mingrelian are roughly the same as in Laz.

Subject markers edit

Object markers edit

In pre-consonant position the markers v- and g- may change phonetically:

• v- → b- (in Zugdidi-Samurzakano dialect)
• g- → r- (in both dialects)

Version edit

In Mingrelian there are four types of version marking like in other Kartvelian languages:

• subjective – shows that the action is intended for oneself,
• objective – action is intended for another person,
• objective-passive – the action is intended for another person and at the same time indicating the passiveness of subject,
• neutral – neutral with respect to intention.

Tenses edit

In total there are 20 screeves in Mingrelian. They are grouped in four series.

Mood edit

Indicative

Indicative statement claims that the proposition should be taken as an apparent fact.

Interrogative

There are two ways to express interrogative mood:

• with interrogative words, e.g. mi? (who?), mu? (what?), so? (where?), muzhams? (when?), muç̌o? (how?) etc. This rule is shared with other Kartvelian languages.
• by attaching an interrogative particle -o to the end of a verb. Cf. the interrogative particles in Laz -i, Old Georgian -a and Svan -ma/-mo/-mu.

Imperative

Indicates a command or request. The aorist form is used when addressing 2nd person (singular/plural) and aorist optative in all other cases.

Subjunctive

Expresses possibility, wish, desire. The subjunctive mood in Mingrelian is provided by optative screeves.

Conditional

Indicates condition in contrary to a fact. It is produced by adding a verbal suffix -ǩo(ni) to the end of a verb.

Aspect edit

In Mingrelian the verbs may have two aspects depending on the completeness of action (perfective aspect) or the lack of it (imperfective aspect). The perfective aspect is derived by adding a preverb to the verb.

In 2nd, 3rd, 4th series the verbs equally have both aspect forms, while in the 1st series the screeves are distributed between two aspects.

• Chikobava, Arn. (1936). Grammatical analysis of Laz with texts (in Georgian). Tiflis.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Chikobava, Arn. (1938). Chan-Megrel-Georgian Comparative Dictionary (in Georgian). Tbilisi.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Fähnrich, H. & Sardzhveladze, Z. (2000). Etymological Dictionary of the Kartvelian Languages (in Georgian). Tbilisi.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Kajaia, O. (2001–2002). Megrelian-Georgian dictionary. 3 Vols. (in Georgian). Tbilisi.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Kartozia, G. (2005). The Laz language and its place in the system of Kartvelian languages (in Georgian). Tbilisi.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Klimov, G. (1964). Etymological Dictionary of the Kartvelian Languages (in Russian). Moscow.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Klimov, G. (1998a). Etymological Dictionary of the Kartvelian Languages. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
• Klimov, G. (1998b). Languages of the World: Caucasian languages (in Russian). Moscow: Academia.
• Marr [Марръ], N. [Н.] (1910). Грамматика ̔чанскаго (лазскаго) языка съ хрестоматіею и словаремъ [Grammar of Chan (Laz) with chrestomathy and dictionary (in Russian)]. St. Petersburg.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Qipshidze, I. (1914). The Grammar of Megrelian (Iver) Language with reader and dictionary. St. Petersburg.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link). (in Russian and Mingrelian)
• Shanidze, A. (1973). Essentials of Georgian Grammar (in Georgian). Tbilisi.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Topuria, V. & Kaldani, M. (2000). Svan Dictionary (in Georgian). Tbilisi.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)