An old Georgian woman nearby laughed and said, “Swartad, bichobo!” — “Exactly, young man!”
“You got it,” Tiko said. | Expression | Language | Literal meaning | When to use | |------------|----------|----------------|--------------| | Mama mia | Italian | My mother | Surprise, frustration, awe | | დედა ჩემო (Deda chemoo) | Georgian | My mother | Same as above — very common | | ვაი, დედა (Vai, deda) | Georgian | Oh, mother | Shock, pain | | მამა, მია (Mama, mia) | Georgian | Father, there it is | Sudden surprise (jokey, emphatic) |
She pointed to a woman selling fresh produce nearby. “See that woman? If she suddenly saw a car splashing water on her tomatoes, she might say:
Tiko held up one finger. “Let me tell you a helpful story.” “In Italy,” Tiko began, “ Mama mia means ‘My mother!’ — but you use it when you’re surprised, upset, or amazed. In Georgia, we also call on mothers… just differently.” mama mia qartulad
Enzo tried it: “Deda chemoo!” Tiko nodded. “Good. But here’s the twist.”
And that’s how a little phrase helped Enzo feel less like a tourist and more like a local — one surprised shout at a time.
That means ‘My mother!’ — exactly like Mama mia . We use it for shock, pain, joy, or disbelief.” An old Georgian woman nearby laughed and said,
Enzo burst out laughing. “So in Italian, Mama mia is ‘my mother.’ In Georgian, Mama mia is ‘father, there it is’ — but they both mean the same exclamation of surprise!”
— Deda chemoo!
Enzo’s eyes lit up. “Really? What?” If she suddenly saw a car splashing water
Enzo froze. “Wait… did he just say… Mama mia ?”
Tiko smiled. “You know,” she said, “in Georgian, we don’t say Mama mia . But we have something very similar.”
“Exactly,” Tiko said. “But there’s one more. The most famous one.”
She led him to a bakery selling fresh lobiani (bean bread). An old man bit into a hot one, burned his tongue, and yelled:
