Language/Standard-latvian/Grammar/Latvian-verb-conjugation-in-the-present-tense
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As a Standard Latvian language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I know that verb conjugation can be one of the trickiest aspects of learning a new language. However, it is essential to master verb conjugation to create meaningful sentences in Latvian. In this lesson, you will learn how to distinguish different types of verbs and how to conjugate them according to person and number in the present tense.
Finish this lesson and explore these related pages: 0 to A1 Course & The verb to be and basic sentence structure.
Types of Latvian Verbs
In Latvian, there are two types of verbs: the first conjugation and the second conjugation verbs. The first conjugation verbs end with "-t" or "-d" in their infinitive forms, while the second conjugation verbs end in "-t" or "-t".
First Conjugation Verbs
First conjugation verbs end with "-t" or "-d" in their infinitive form. For example:
- Runāt - to speak
- Darīt - to do
- Domāt - to think
Second Conjugation Verbs
Second conjugation verbs can be divided into two subgroups: those that end in "-ot" and those that end in "-ēt". Some examples include:
- Dzert - to drink
- Lasīt - to read
- Atgriezties - to return (reflexive verb)
Conjugating Latvian Verbs in the Present Tense
To conjugate verbs in the present tense in Latvian, you need to identify the subject of the sentence and its corresponding number (singular or plural). Once you have identified the subject, remove the infinitive suffix ("-t" or "-ot") and add the appropriate present tense ending based on the subject.
First Conjugation Verbs in the Present Tense
To conjugate first conjugation verbs in the present tense, you need to add the following suffixes to the stem:
| Person | Suffix | Example Verb |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Singular | -u | runā-t -> runā-t-u (I speak) |
| 2nd Singular | -i | runā-t -> runā-t-i (you speak) |
| 3rd Singular | -a | runā-t -> runā-t-a (he/she/it speaks) |
| 1st Plural | -am | runā-t -> runā-t-am (we speak) |
| 2nd Plural | -at | runā-t -> runā-t-at (you all speak) |
| 3rd Plural | -a | runā-t -> runā-t-a (they speak) |
For example, to conjugate runāt (to speak) in the present tense for the third person singular (he/she/it speaks), you would remove the "-t" suffix and add "-a" to get "runā-a".
Second Conjugation Verbs in the Present Tense
Second conjugation verbs are conjugated similarly to the first conjugation verbs. However, there are some changes to note:
- Second conjugation verbs that end with "-ot" and "-ēt" are both conjugated the same way
- Second conjugation verbs that end with "-ēt" require the addition of "-j" before the personal suffixes for the first and second persons singular
Check out the table below for the complete set of suffixes to add for the present tense of second conjugation verbs:
| Person | Suffix | Example Verb (dzert) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Singular | -u | dzer-t -> dzer-t-u (I drink) |
| 2nd Singular | -i | dzer-t -> dzer-t-i (you drink) |
| 3rd Singular | - | dzer-t -> dzer (he/she/it drinks) |
| 1st Plural | -am | dzer-t -> dzer-t-am (we drink) |
| 2nd Plural | -at | dzer-t -> dzer-t-at (you all drink) |
| 3rd Plural | - | dzer-t -> dzer (they drink) |
For the verb dzert (to drink), note that there is no suffix for the third person singular. It is important to memorize the special conjugations for second conjugation verbs that end in "-ēt"
Irregular Verbs in the Present Tense
Some verbs do not follow the regular present tense suffixes. Here are some examples:
- Es esmu - I am
- Tu esi - You are
- Viņš/viņa ir - He/she/it is
- Mēs esam - We are
- Jūs esat - You all are
- Viņi/viņas ir - They are
Note that the verb "to be" is irregular in the present tense, and it cannot be conjugated in the same way as other verbs.
I hope this lesson has helped you understand the basics of Latvian verb conjugation in the present tense. Practice makes perfect, so keep on practicing until you feel comfortable with the topic. In the next lesson, we will cover the past tense and other verb forms.
Other Lessons
- Negation
- Prepositions and their cases
- The genitive case and possession
- The subjunctive mood and wishes
- Nouns
- How to Use Have
- The past tense and other verb forms
- How to Use Be
- Future Tense
- Conditional Mood
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