Past stems and an event sequence
The simple past describes an earlier action. For : . The third person is again shared. Neither masculine nor feminine learners change these finite verb forms.
Regular long-stem verbs use -ju, -ji, -ja, -jām, -jāt, -ja: . Some first-person forms look like the present, so a time word or context matters.
Common shorter verbs must be learned with their past stem: iet → gāju, nākt → nācu, ņemt → ņēmu, ēst → ēdu, dzert → dzēru, atrast → atradu. Negation simply adds . Questions still use . Earlier and were explained whole expressions, not a productive past paradigm.
Tell a sequence with , first, , then, , after that. Past sound-change forms are normal vocabulary paradigms: , I saw; , I heard; , I found.
For , all persons are . Gender changes only an added adjective such as .
| Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| I went home. | ||
| I went home. | ||
| You went home, familiar. | ||
| You went home, familiar. | ||
| He went home. | ||
| He went home. | ||
| We went home. | ||
| We went home. | ||
| You went home, polite. | ||
| You went home, polite. | ||
| They went home. | ||
| They went home. | ||
| · | · | I was tired. |
| I was tired. | ||
| · | · | You were tired, polite. |
| You were tired, polite. | ||
Es gāju mājās.I went home.
Tu gāji mājās.You went home, familiar.
Viņš gāja mājās.He went home.
Mēs gājām mājās.We went home.
Jūs gājāt mājās.You went home, polite.
Viņi gāja mājās.They went home.
Es biju noguris.I was tired.
Es biju nogurusi.I was tired.
Jūs bijāt noguris.You were tired, polite.
Jūs bijāt nogurusi.You were tired, polite.
Practice 1/6 · Finding words
Notice the useful pattern
Tap the form practised in this unit.
.
I went home.
.
You went home, familiar.
.
He went home.
.
We went home.
Practice 2/6 · The right form
Choose the form
Use the English meaning and the pattern in this unit.
Es mājās.
I went home.
Tu mājās.
You went home, familiar.
Viņš mājās.
He went home.
Mēs mājās.
We went home.
Jūs mājās.
You went home, polite.
Viņi mājās.
They went home.
Es biju .
I was tired.
Es biju .
I was tired.
Jūs bijāt .
You were tired, polite.
Jūs bijāt .
You were tired, polite.
Practice 3/6 · Fill the gaps
Complete the messages
Fill the gaps with the words from the box.
Viņš mājās.
He went home.
Mēs mājās.
We went home.
Jūs mājās.
You went home, polite.
Viņi mājās.
They went home.
Es biju .
I was tired.
Es biju .
I was tired.
Jūs bijāt .
You were tired, polite.
Jūs bijāt .
You were tired, polite.
Practice 4/6 · Building sentences
Build a sentence
Put the words in order.
I went home.
You went home, familiar.
He went home.
We went home.
You went home, polite.
They went home.
Practice 5/6 · In situations
What would you say?
Choose the right words for the situation.
I went home.
You say:
Use the meaning and Latvian pattern explained in this unit.
I went home.
You say:
Use the meaning and Latvian pattern explained in this unit.
You went home, familiar.
You say:
Use the meaning and Latvian pattern explained in this unit.
You went home, familiar.
You say:
Use the meaning and Latvian pattern explained in this unit.
He went home.
You say:
Use the meaning and Latvian pattern explained in this unit.
He went home.
You say:
Use the meaning and Latvian pattern explained in this unit.
We went home.
You say:
Use the meaning and Latvian pattern explained in this unit.
We went home.
You say:
Use the meaning and Latvian pattern explained in this unit.
Practice 6/6 · Matching
Connect messages and meanings
Match the pairs.
Unit complete
