Language/Standard-latvian/Grammar/Nouns

Standard Latvian Grammar - Nouns

Hi Standard Latvian learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will cover everything you need to know about nouns in Standard Latvian. Nouns are an essential part of any language, and they are used to describe people, places or things. As a Latvian language teacher with 20 years of experience, I will illustrate this lesson with cultural information and interesting facts. So, let's get started!

Basic Introduction

Before we dive into the Latvian grammar rules for nouns, it's essential to know the definition of nouns. A noun is a part of speech that describes a person, place, thing, or idea. In the Latvian language, nouns can be masculine or feminine.

• **Masculine Nouns:**

Masculine nouns are essential to understand while learning Standard Latvian grammar rules. In general, masculine nouns end with "-s". However, there are several exceptions in which masculine nouns end with "-is" or "-us".

• **Feminine Nouns:**

Feminine nouns, on the other hand, always end with "-a" or "-e".

Latvian Nouns' Declension

Latvian nouns follow declension patterns. It means that they change depending on the grammatical context of the sentence. There are six distinct cases in Latvian. These cases indicate the noun's grammatical role in the sentence. The case of a specific word changes as per its place in a sentence. Let us take a look at each of them in more detail below.

The nominative case

The nominative case indicates the subject of the sentence. In other words, it represents the thing present in an active state. It is also the word's primary form, as it is the main form used when listing words in the dictionary. Nouns in the nominative case usually end with "-s" or "-a".

Examples:

Standard Latvian	Pronunciation	English
saule	['sɑu̯lɛ]	sun
restorãns	[rɛstɔran: s]	restaurant
zēns	[zes]	boy
meitene	[mɛitɛne]	girl

Dialogue:

• Person 1: "Kur ir zēns?" (Where is the boy?)
• Person 2: "Zēns ir dārzā." (The boy is in the garden.)

The genitive case

The genitive case refers to a sentence's possessive form. It is used when expressing belonging or ownership. In most cases, genitive nouns end with "-a"; however, some masculine nouns may end with "-u".

Examples:

Standard Latvian	Pronunciation	English
ballīte	['bali:te]	party
cilvēks	['t͡silve:ks]	person
mama	['ma:ma]	mother
auto	['auto]	car

Dialogue:

• Person 1: "Vai tas ir tavs mājas lapa?" (Is that your website?)
• Person 2: "Nē, tas ir manas uzņēmējdarbības vietnes." (No, it's my business website.)

The dative case

The dative case describes the indirect object of the sentence. It is mainly used with the prepositions "uz" (on), "par" (about) or "pie" (at). Most dative nouns end in "-am". Some masculine nouns may end with "-im" or "-em".

Examples:

Standard Latvian	Pronunciation	English
skolēns	[skɔlɛ:ns]	student
kāzu	['ka:zu]	wedding
kafija	['kafi:ja]	coffee

Dialogue:

• Person 1: "Kur ir kafijas krūze?" (Where is the coffee cup?)
• Person 2: "Tā ir uz galdiņa." (It's on the table.)

The accusative case

The accusative case refers to the direct object of the sentence. It is mainly used with the prepositions "uz" (on), "par" (about) or "pie" (at). Most accusative nouns end in "-u", but some masculine nouns may end in "-i" or "-a".

Examples:

Standard Latvian	Pronunciation	English
laiks	[lai̯ks]	time
dzīvoklis	['dzi:vɔplis]	apartment
diena	['di:ena]	day

Dialogue:

• Person 1: "Es vēlos iegādāties dzīvokli." (I want to buy an apartment.)
• Person 2: "Kādā rajonā tu meklē dzīvokli?" (In which area are you looking for an apartment?)

The instrumental case

The instrumental case refers to the tool or means used to accomplish an action. Most instrumental nouns end with "-u." Some masculine nouns may end in "-im".

Examples:

Standard Latvian	Pronunciation	English
zāģis	['za:dis]	saw
līdzeklis	['li:dzɛklɪs]	remedy
pētījums	[pe:ti:jums]	research

Dialogue:

• Person 1: "Vai tev ir līdzeklis pret galvassāpēm?" (Do you have a remedy for a headache?)
• Person 2: "Jā, man ir tabletes." (Yes, I have some pills.)

The locative case

The locative case refers to a place where an action takes place. Most locative nouns end with "ī." Some masculine nouns may end in "-ā".

Examples:

Standard Latvian	Pronunciation	English
darbnīca	[dɑrbņit͡sa]	workshop
parkā	['parka:]	park
veikalā	[veikaɫa:]	in the shop

Dialogue:

• Person 1: "Kur tu esi?" (Where are you?)
• Person 2: "Es esmu bibliotēkā." (I am in the library.)

Plural Nouns

In the Latvian language, to change singular nouns into plural, you need to modify the noun's ending. In general, follow these rules:

• **Masculine:** Ends with "-i" or "-ie".
• **Feminine:** Ends with "-as"
• **Neuter:** There are no strict rules to follow.

Examples:

Standard Latvian	Pronunciation	English
skolēni	[skɔlɛ:ni]	students
ceļotāji	[t͡sɛɫɔta:ji]	travelers
laukumi	['lau̯kumi]	fields

Dialogue:

• Person 1: "Cik studenti jums ir šajā klasē?" (How many students do you have in your class?)
• Person 2: "Mums ir 25 skolēni." (We have 25 students.)

Conclusion

In this lesson, we have covered all the basics of Latvian grammar rules with nouns. The knowledge of grammar rules is essential when learning a new language. Now, as you have learned about declension cases and plurals, you can enhance your knowledge by using Polyglot Club. Additionally, you can also find native speakers and ask them any questions! If you want to learn more about Latvian grammar, visit our Grammar section.

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➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Sources

• Latvian Language
• Latvian Declension
• Latvian Grammar