BrixBloks Grammar Apps

In simple sentences you can think: who + does what + to what. Example: Es dzeru kafiju. The subject (es, tu, viņš/viņa, mēs, jūs, viņi/viņas) normally comes first, then the verb, then the object or extra information. Latvian word order can be flexible for emphasis, but S–V–O is a safe pattern for beginners.

Memory tip: If you get lost, go back to the basic order: subject + verb + object. Later you can move words for style and emphasis.

Masculine nouns often end in -s or -š and form the plural in -i: draugs → draugi, students → studenti. Many feminine nouns end in -a or -e and form the plural in -as or -es: grāmata → grāmatas, mašīna → mašīnas, puse → puses. Some nouns are irregular, so it is best to learn the singular and plural together.

Memory tip: When you add a new noun to your list, always write one plural example next to it: draugs – draugi, sieviete – sievietes, pilsēta – pilsētas.

A noun like māja can mean 'a house' or 'the house' depending on the situation. To point to something specific, you can add šis/šī (this) or tas/tā (that): šī māja, tas cilvēks. In many sentences you simply say the noun with no article: Es pērku maizi (I’m buying bread).

Memory tip: Good news: you do not need to choose between 'a' and 'the'. Say the noun, and add šis/šī or tas/tā only when you really want to point.

A simple pattern is possessive pronoun + noun: mana grāmata (my book), tavs telefons (your phone), viņa māja (his house), viņas soma (her bag). For 'X’s' use the genitive form before the noun: mana drauga māja (my friend’s house), brāļa mašīna (brother’s car). The possessive pronoun and the noun agree in gender and number.

Memory tip: Start with the most common set: mans/mana, tavs/tava, viņa, viņas, mūsu, jūsu, viņu. Repeat them with a few basic nouns: mans dzīvoklis, mana mašīna.

For yes/no questions you can put vai at the beginning: Vai tu dzīvo šeit? (Do you live here?). In spoken language you can also use just intonation. Wh-questions start with a question word: kur (where), kas (what, who), ko (what – object form), kad (when), kāpēc (why), kā (how), cik (how much/many). Word order after the question word is usually similar to a normal sentence.

Memory tip: A handy template: [question word] + [subject] + [verb] + [rest]. For example: Kur tu strādā?, Kad mēs tiekamies?, Kāpēc viņš kavē?

To make a sentence negative, put ne before the verb: Es nedzeru kafiju (I do not drink coffee), Viņa nestrādā sestdienās (She does not work on Saturdays). The verb 'būt' (to be) has a special negative form nav in the present: Viņš nav skolotājs (He is not a teacher), Viņa nav mājās (She is not at home).

Memory tip: Think of the positive sentence first, then add ne before the verb. Learn nav as a full word on its own – it appears very often.

Present forms are: es esmu, tu esi, viņš/viņa ir, mēs esam, jūs esat, viņi/viņas ir. Use them to say who or what something is and how or where it is: Es esmu students, Māja ir liela, Mēs esam noguruši, Viņa ir mājās.

Memory tip: Repeat the chain many times: es esmu, tu esi, viņš ir, mēs esam, jūs esat, viņi ir. Once this is automatic, talking becomes much easier.

Useful prepositions: uz (on/onto), pie (at/by), zem (under), virs (above), blakus (next to), aiz (behind), priekšā (in front of). Often the noun also changes ending: istaba → istabā (in the room), galds → uz galda (on the table). As a beginner, learn whole phrases instead of worrying about case names.

Memory tip: Collect ready-made chunks like istabā, skolā, darbā, uz galda, pie loga, zem gultas. Use them exactly as you hear them.

A common pattern is adjective + noun: liela māja (big house), jauns draugs (new friend), garšīgs ēdiens (tasty food). After the verb būt the adjective also agrees: Māja ir liela, Draugi ir jauni. The exact endings change, but at A1 level it is more important to use a natural pair than to know the rule name.

Memory tip: When you learn a new adjective, always pair it with a noun: gara diena, auksts laiks, silta maize. This feels much more natural.

Many verbs form the past with -ja or similar endings: strādāt → es strādāju, tu strādāji, viņš strādāja; runāt → es runāju. The verb būt has clear past forms: es biju, tu biji, viņš/viņa bija, mēs bijām, jūs bijāt, viņi bija. In real sentences you almost always add a time word: vakar (yesterday), pagājušajā nedēļā (last week), pirms stundas (an hour ago).

Memory tip: Learn a few useful pairs like es esmu / es biju, es strādāju šodien / es strādāju vakar. Combine them with clear time words.

For many verbs the future of es ends in -šu: es strādāšu, es iešu (I will go), es lasīšu. Tu usually ends in -si: tu strādāsi, viņš/viņa – -s: viņš strādās. You nearly always use a future time word: rīt (tomorrow), drīz (soon), nākamnedēļ (next week), nākamgad (next year).

Memory tip: Practise a mini set: es strādāšu, tu strādāsi, viņš strādās, mēs strādāsim, jūs strādāsiet, viņi strādās. Then plug in new time words.

Varēt expresses ability: Es varu runāt latviski (I can speak Latvian). Vajadzēt often appears with a dative pronoun: man vajag strādāt (I need to work), tev vajag atpūsties (you need to rest). Gribēt expresses desire: Es gribu ēst, Mēs gribam doties mājās. The main verb stays in the infinitive.

Memory tip: Drill three starters: Es varu…, Man vajag…, Es gribu…. Then add new verbs: mācīties, braukt, strādāt, atpūsties.

To compare two things, use vairāk (more) or mazāk (less) + adjective + nekā: Šī māja ir lielāka nekā tā (This house is bigger than that one). For 'the most', add vis- to the adjective: vislabākais (the best), visskaistākā (the most beautiful). For 'as … as' you can use tik … cik: tik liels kā, tik garš cik.

Memory tip: Keep these patterns in mind: vairāk … nekā, mazāk … nekā, vis- + adjective. With only these three you can already say a lot.

For tu, use the imperative form of the verb: Nāc šurp! (Come here!), Atver durvis! (Open the door!), Pagaidi mazliet! (Wait a bit!). For jūs, use the plural form: Nāciet šurp!, Atveriet, lūdzu, durvis! To sound polite, add lūdzu (please).

Memory tip: Learn a mini set of commands you really use: Nāc!, Skaties!, Klausies!, Pagaidi!, Nāciet iekšā!, Apsēdieties, lūdzu!