Latvian in everyday situations · Grammar review

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Latvian in everyday situations

Reviews practise both sides: wherever Lukas and Lena would say something differently, you do it once as each.

Vāciski, latviski

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FormExampleMeaning
I speak Latvian.
You speak Latvian, familiar.
She speaks Latvian.
We speak Latvian.
You speak Latvian, polite.
They speak Latvian.
· · I am German.
· · I am an engineer.

An infinitive is the dictionary verb form, ending in -t or -ties: , to play, , to sleep. Remove -t from to see its long-vowel stem. The regular present forms are .

The same model gives and . The third-person form is the same for he, she and they.

Put before the verb: . Early is a whole polite request. has the useful forms ; learn the sound change with the verb.

Say for German nationality and for speaking German. A profession is . , from Germany, is an early whole source phrase.

The Latvian alphabet has 33 letters: . Keep macrons and consonant marks. A foreign surname such as Becker keeps its passport spelling. asks for spelling.

Galda nav, krēslu nav

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FormExampleMeaning
There is no table.
There is no wardrobe.
There is no house.
There is no cup.
There are tables here.
There are houses here.
· · I am new.
· · You are new, polite.

The genitive names an owner or what is absent. With , singular patterns are . The noun classes are commonly called declensions; learn each noun with its form, not by guessing from English.

For a singular object, the same nouns are . For a location they are .

Plural subject forms are . After , plural genitive forms are . Notice consonant changes in some genitives. and do not change for plural nouns.

Liels dīvāns, liela lampa

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FormExampleMeaning
That is a big table.
That is a big lamp.
I see a big table.
There are big tables here.
There are big houses here.
The lamp is green.
· · I am new.
· · You are new, polite.

An adjective agrees with its noun’s gender, number and case. Singular nominative patterns are . Accusative is ; genitive is ; locative is .

Plural nominatives are . Both plural accusatives use . The owner can be a name in the genitive: , Maija’s table, , Jānis’s sofa.

The complete basic colours are . Feminine forms are . More definite describing forms in the scene, such as , mean the particular red lamp; learn them as recognition chunks here.

Mans, mana, mani, manas

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FormExampleMeaning
That is my table.
That is my cup.
Those are my chairs.
Those are my cups.
I take my cup.
Muris is in my armchair.
· · I am new.
· · You are new, polite.

Use for my; for your familiar; for our; for your polite or plural; for his; for her; for their. The final five owner forms stay unchanged while the following noun changes.

My plural nouns use for masculine and for feminine. Accusative singular is for both; genitive singular is masculine, feminine; dative is , masculine, , feminine; locative is for both.

Ownership does not depend on the learner’s gender. is my cup for Lukas and Lena. For describing yourself, however, use .

Mēs palīdzam

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FormExampleMeaning
I help Elīna.
You help Elīna, familiar.
He helps Elīna.
We help Elīna.
You help Elīna, polite.
They help Elīna.
· · I am hungry.
· · You are hungry, polite.

An infinitive is the dictionary verb form, ending in -t or -ties: , to play, , to sleep. Remove -t from to see its long-vowel stem. The regular present forms are .

The same model gives and . The third-person form is the same for he, she and they.

Put before the verb: . Early is a whole polite request. has the useful forms ; learn the sound change with the verb.

has . The recipient takes a dative: , help me. A singular noun dative is .

Early and are useful furniture-scene reactions, learned whole before full action past. is a familiar joint suggestion learned as a chunk until commands in module five.

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