Language/Standard-latvian/Vocabulary/Family
Hi Standard Latvian learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn the vocabulary related to family in Standard Latvian. Family is considered the cornerstone of society in Latvia, and it is an important aspect of the Latvian culture.
Don't hesitate to look into these other pages after completing this lesson: Standard Latvian Vocabulary: Going Shopping and Using Public ..., Standard Latvian Vocabulary → Health and wellness → Body parts ..., Food & Family and relationships.
Basic Family Vocabulary[edit | edit source]
To start our family vocabulary lesson, we will begin by learning basic family terms.
| Standard Latvian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ģimene | ʤe-mê-ne | family |
| tēvs | tei-vs | father |
| māte | maː-te | mother |
| dēls | dei-s | son |
| meita | mei-ta | daughter |
| brālis | braː-lis | brother |
| māsa | maː-sa | sister |
| vecāki | ve-tsaː-ki | parents |
| bērns | beːrns | child |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: "Sveiks, cik tev ir bērni?" (Hello, how many children do you have?)
- Person 2: "Man ir divas meitas un viens dēls." (I have two daughters and one son.)
Extended Family Vocabulary[edit | edit source]
Next, let's learn vocabulary related to extended family members.
| Standard Latvian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| vectēvs | vec-tei-vs | grandfather |
| vecmāmiņa | vec-maː-miː-ɲa | grandmother |
| tante | tan-te | aunt |
| onkulis | on-ku-lis | uncle |
| brālēns | braː-leːns | brother-in-law |
| māsas vīrs | maː-sas virs | sister's husband / brother-in-law |
| dēla sieva | dei-la sie-va | son's wife / daughter-in-law |
| meitas vīrs | mei-tas virs | daughter's husband / son-in-law |
| māsa | maː-sa | sister-in-law |
| vīramāte | viː-ra-maː-te | mother-in-law |
| vīratēvs | viː-ra-tei-vs | father-in-law |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: "Vai tev ir vectēvs?" (Do you have a grandfather?)
- Person 2: "Jā, man ir vectēvs un vecmāmiņa." (Yes, I have a grandfather and grandmother.)
Family Relationship Vocabulary[edit | edit source]
Now, let's learn vocabulary related to family relationships.
| Standard Latvian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| laulātais | lau-laː-tai-s | fiancé / fiancée |
| vīrs | virs | husband |
| sieva | sie-va | wife |
| bijusī sieva | bi-ju-si sie-va | ex-wife |
| bijušais vīrs | bi-ju-ʃais virs | ex-husband |
| atraitne | a-trai-tne | widow |
| bāznieks | baːz-ni-eks | priest |
| līgavainis | liː-ɡa-vaɪ-nis | groom |
| līgava | liː-ɡa-va | bride |
| mežģīņi | meʒ-ɟi-ɲi | cousins |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: "Kādas plānos tev ir ar taviem mežģīņiem?" (What are your plans with your cousins?)
- Person 2: "Mēs plānojam kopā doties uz bēru dienestu." (We plan to go together to the funeral service.)
Cultural Information[edit | edit source]
In Latvia, family values are highly regarded, and the family unit is considered the backbone of society. It is common for relatives to gather together during special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, and name day celebrations. Latvians also highly respect their elders and have a culture of taking care of them when they become old.
Interesting Facts[edit | edit source]
- Did you know that Latvian family names are based on gender? As an example, if a father's name is Jānis, his son's last name would be Jānis' followed by the suffix "-sons." Similarly, if a mother's name is Anna, her daughter's last name would be Anna followed by the suffix "-dze." - In Latvia, it is customary to give a baby a name that has a specific meaning. For instance, the name "Laima" means "good fortune," while the name "Dainis" means "song."
To improve your Standard Latvian Vocabulary, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
Sources[edit | edit source]
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Food
- Count to 10
- Clothes
- Health
- Idiomatic Expressions
- Education
- Days of the Week
- How to say Good Bye?
- How to Say Hello and Greetings