viens galds
one table
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A noun ending in -s or -is is usually masculine. With galds use the masculine forms 'viens', 'liels', 'labs'.
56 rules of thumb for the traps the Latvian A2 exam actually sets — each one explained in your language.
These rules were written for this site and reviewed by qualified human language specialists. They are concise memory aids, not a complete grammar reference.
one table
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A noun ending in -s or -is is usually masculine. With galds use the masculine forms 'viens', 'liels', 'labs'.
one house
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A noun ending in -a or -e is usually feminine. With māja use the feminine forms 'viena', 'liela', 'laba'.
I have a big sister.
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An adjective agrees with its noun in gender, number and case. Here māsa is feminine singular nominative, so the adjective is liela.
I live in Riga.
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To say where someone is, Latvian normally uses the locative form without a separate word for "in": Rīgā, mājā, veikalā.
I am going to Riga.
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Movement towards a place = uz + accusative. Being there = the -ā ending.
I have two children.
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Latvian has no verb "to have". It is "to me there is": Man ir…, Viņam ir…, Mums ir…
Anna's house is big.
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The owner comes FIRST and takes the genitive: Annas māja, mana brāļa mašīna.
Where is the blue bag?
the blue one — the specific bag you both know about
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A specific, already-known thing takes the DEFINITE adjective: -ais (m), -ā (f). New information takes the plain form.
I need a new bag.
any new bag — you are not talking about a particular one
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For a new or non-specific thing, use the indefinite adjective. The definite endings -ais/-ā point to a specific, already-known thing.
He speaks very fast.
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Describing a VERB? Swap the adjective ending for -i: labs → labi, ātrs → ātri, skaļš → skaļi.
I am going to the shop.
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"I" in the present almost always ends in -u: eju, strādāju, dzīvoju, saprotu.
I am learning Latvian.
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A reflexive infinitive ends in -ties. In the first person singular, many common reflexive verbs end in -os: mācos, satiekos, interesējos.
I like coffee.
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patīk works like "is pleasing to me". The person goes dative, the thing stays nominative: Man patīk kafija.
I need a new bag.
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vajag never changes for person. Change the pronoun instead: man vajag, tev vajag, viņam vajag.
I want to drink coffee.
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After gribu, varu, drīkstu the second verb stays in the dictionary form (-t): gribu dzert, varu iet.
My name is Anna.
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Mani sauc… is the standard phrase for giving your name. Learn the two words as one fixed expression.
It is cold today.
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Many weather expressions are impersonal: ir auksts, ir silts, līst. Latvian does not add a word meaning "it" in these sentences.
Yesterday I went to work.
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Spot the time word first. vakar / pagājušajā nedēļā force the past before you even read the verb.
Tomorrow I will go to Riga.
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In the first person singular, the future often has -šu: braukšu, iešu, strādāšu, būšu. The time word rīt confirms the future here.
She went to the shop yesterday.
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In the past, "he" and "she" share one form — and so do "they": viņš gāja, viņa gāja, viņi gāja.
I have to go to work.
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Must = stick jā- on the front of the verb and put the person in the dative: man jāiet, tev jāstrādā, viņam jāmaksā.
You have to fill in the form.
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Official notices often use the debitive: Jums jāiesniedz…, Jums jāierodas… Understand it as "you must" or "you need to".
I have no time.
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After nav the noun goes genitive: man nav laika, man nav naudas, viņam nav darba.
I do not understand.
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The negative prefix ne- is written together with the verb: nesaprotu, nezinu, nestrādāju.
I do not see anything.
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Latvian doubles the negative, like Russian and Ukrainian: neko neredzu, nekad nebraucu. Never drop the second one.
There is no bread in the shop.
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nē answers a question. nav says something is absent. Never swap them.
The office is on the third floor.
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A floor number is an ordinal in the locative: pirmajā, otrajā, trešajā stāvā.
The ticket costs two euros.
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maksāt takes the accusative: maksā divus eiro, maksā piecus eiro. Listen for the -us.
I have a lot of work.
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daudz, maz and nedaudz take the genitive: daudz darba, maz laika.
The meeting is at half past six.
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In Latvian time-telling, pusseptiņi means half past six, i.e. 6:30—not 7:30.
I work on Monday.
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"On Monday" is just the -ā ending again: pirmdienā, otrdienā, sestdienā. No preposition.
The course starts on 5 March.
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A full stop after a number means "th": 5. martā = on the 5th of March. The month takes -ā too.
I am going to the doctor.
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Going to a PERSON = pie + genitive. Going to a PLACE = uz + accusative.
I am talking with friends.
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With common A2 prepositions, a plural noun takes the dative form: ar draugiem, pie draugiem, no draugiem.
The bus departs from the station.
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"From" = no + genitive: no stacijas, no darba, no mājas.
I travel by bus.
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"By bus/car/train" = ar + accusative: ar autobusu, ar mašīnu, ar vilcienu.
What would you like?
speaking to someone you do not know
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Use jūs with anyone you do not know, and in every official situation. tu is for family and friends.
He took his own bag.
his own bag, not somebody else's
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Use savs when the owner is the subject of the sentence: viņš paņēma savu somu. Viņa somu normally refers to another person's bag.
Do you speak Latvian?
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In neutral and formal Latvian, a yes/no question usually begins with Vai.
Where do you live?
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Kur usually asks about location. Kurp or uz kurieni clearly asks about direction; in everyday speech kur can also be used with movement verbs.
How much does the ticket cost?
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Cik = how much / how many. Cik maksā? Cik ilgi? Cik pulksten?
Which of these buses goes to the centre?
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Kurš selects one item from a known set. Kāds usually asks what kind of item or person it is.
I cannot come because I have to work.
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jo = because, bet = but, tāpēc = therefore. These words connect ideas and make a reason or contrast clear.
Where are my trousers?
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Some nouns are used only in the plural: bikses, durvis, brokastis, svētki. Words that agree with them also take plural forms.
We are learning Latvian.
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"We" ends in -am / -ām, and reflexives add -ies: strādājam, ejam, mācāmies.
The correct time is 15.00.
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A speaker may correct an earlier detail. After a correction such as nē… or drīzāk…, use the final corrected information.
Which is NOT mentioned in the text?
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Negative wording changes what you must select. Mark words such as nav, nav minēts and nepareizi before comparing the options.
five vs. fifteen
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The -padsmit ending is the whole difference between 5 and 15, 6 and 16. Listen to the END of the number.
Smoking is forbidden.
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On signs, Aizliegts = forbidden and Atļauts = allowed. One word decides the whole notice.
One return ticket, please.
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In a ticket context, turp means the outward journey; turp un atpakaļ means a return journey.
Excuse me, could you speak more slowly?
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Use this polite request when you need the other person to speak more slowly: Atvainojiet, vai varat runāt lēnāk?
Yes, I agree.
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Answer and add one simple reason. Jā, es piekrītu, jo… gives a clear, complete A2 response.
Eat in or take away?
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This is a common café question: šeit means eating or drinking there, and līdzi means taking the order away.
Surname: Bērziņa
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vārds = first name, uzvārds = surname. The uz- prefix is the only difference, and forms rely on it.
With my signature I confirm…
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ar always takes the accusative in the singular: ar parakstu, ar karti, ar autobusu.
Submit by 15 March.
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līdz = by/until, and it takes the dative: līdz 15. martam, līdz pirmdienai. pēc would mean AFTER — the opposite.
Adjectives
Man vajag ____ somu.
any new bag — you are not talking about a particular one