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Latvian phrasebook Travel Guide
From Wikitravel
Latvian or Lettish is the language is spoken natively by most of the 1.4 million residents of Latvia. It is an Indo-European language that shares its own Baltic branch of that linguistic family with Lithuanian.
Contents |
Pronunciation guide
Vowels
- a
- as in 'u' in "cup"
- ā
- as in 'a' in "another" long sound
- e
- as in 'e' in "pet" and 'a' in "fat"
- ē
- as in 'ai' in "fair" and 'a' in "spar" but longer
- i
- as in 'i' in "pin"
- ī
- as in 'ee' in "speed" long sound
- o
- as in 'o' in "pot" and 'oa' in "oats"
- u
- as in 'u' in "pull"
- ū
- as in 'oo' in "pool" long sound
Consonants
- b
- as 'b' in "ball"
- c
- as 'ts' in "bits"
- č
- as 'ch' in "chest"
- d
- as 'd' in "dog"
- dz
- as 'ds' in "beds"
- dž
- as 'j' in "job"
- f
- as 'f' in "fish"
- g
- as 'g' in "grass" [hard g sound]
- ģ
- as 'ju' in "judge"
- h
- as 'h' in "hot"
- j
- as 'y' in "yes"
- k
- as 'k' in "kite"
- ķ
- as 'c' in "cute"
- l
- as 'l' in "lid"
- ļ
- as 'li' in "million"
- m
- as 'm' in "money"
- n
- as 'n' in "noise"
- ņ
- as 'ny' in "new"
- p
- as 'p' in "pet"
- r
- trilled as spanish 'r'
- s
- as 's' in "sand"
- š
- as 'sh' in "ship"
- t
- as 't' in "top"
- v
- as 'v' in "vest"
- z
- as z' in "zebra"
- ž
- as 'su' in "pleasure"
Common diphthongs
- ai
- as 'i' in "dive"
- au
- as 'ow' in "now"
- ei
- as 'ay' in "may"
- ie
- as 'ea' in "fear"
- oi
- as 'oy' in "toy"
- ui
- as 'ui' in "Luis"
Phrase list
Basics
- Hello.
- Sveika! [f](sveh_ee-kah)
- Hello.
- Sveiks! [m] (sveh_eeks)
- How are you?
- Kā jums klājas?(kaah yooms KLAA-yahs?)
- Fine, thank you.
- Labi, paldies. (LAH-bee, pahl-DEAS )
- What is your name?
- Kā jūs sauc? (kaah yoos sowts?)
- My name is ______ .
- Mani sauc______ . (MAH-nee sowts_____ .)
- I'm pleased to meet you.
- Prieks iepazīties. (preaks EA-pah-zee-teas)
- Please
- Lūdzu. (LOO-dzuh)
- Thank you
- Paldies. (pahl-DEAS)
- You're welcome.
- Lūdzu. (LOO-dzuh)
- Yes.
- Jā.(yaa)
- No.
- Nē. (neh)
- Excuse me.
- Atvainojiet. (AHT-vay-noh-yeat)
- I'm sorry.
- Piedodiet.(peeah-DOH-deeaht)
- Goodbye
- Uz redzešanos. ( )
- Goodbye (informal)
- Atā. ( )
- I can't speak Latvian [well].
- Es nemāku latviešu valodu [labi]. ( [ ])
- Do you speak English?
- Vai jūs runājat angliski? ( ?)
- Is there someone here who speaks English?
- Vai te ir kāds, kas māk angļu valodu? ( ?)
- Help!
- Palīga! ( !)
- Look out!
- ! ( !)
- Good morning
- Labrīt
- Good day
- Labdien
- Good evening
- Labvakar
- Good night.
- . ( )
- Good night (to sleep)
- Arlabunakti. ( )
- I don't understand.
- Es nesaprotu. ( )
- Where is the toilet?
- Kur ir tualete? ( ?)
Problems
- Leave me alone.
- Ej prom. (...)
- Don't touch me!
- Neaizskar mani! (...)
- I'll call the police.
- Es zvanīšu policijai. (...)
- Police!
- Policija! (...)
- Stop! Thief!
- Ķeriet zagli! (...)
- I need your help.
- Man vajag jūsu palīdzību. (...)
- It's an emergency.
- Ir avārija. (...)
- I'm lost.
- Esmu pazudis (male)/ pazudusi (female). (...)
- I'm sick.
- Esmu slims (male)/slima (female). (...)
- I need a doctor.
- Man vajag ārstu. (...)
- Can I use your phone?
- Vai es drīkstu zvanīt ar jūsu telefonu? (...)
Numbers
- 1
- viens (veans)
- 2
- divi (divi)
- 3
- trīs (trees)
- 4
- četri (chet-ri)
- 5
- pieci (pea-tsi)
- 6
- seši (se-shi)
- 7
- septiņi (sep-ti-nyi)
- 8
- astoņi (us-toa-nyi)
- 9
- deviņi (de-vi-nyi)
- 10
- desmit (...)
- 11
- vienpadsmit (...)
- 12
- divpadsmit (...)
- 13
- trīspadsmit (...)
- 14
- četrpadsmit (...)
- 15
- piecpadsmit (...)
- 16
- sešpadsmit (...)
- 17
- septiņpadsmit (...)
- 18
- astoņpadsmit (...)
- 19
- deviņpadsmit (...)
- 20
- divdesmit (...)
- 30
- trīsdesmit (...)
- 40
- četrdesmit (...)
- 50
- piecdesmit (...)
- 60
- sešdesmit (...)
- 70
- septiņdesmit (...)
- 80
- astoņdesmit (...)
- 90
- deviņdesmit (...)
- 100
- simts (simc)
- 1,000,000
- miljons (...')
- 1,000,000,000
- miljards (...)
- 1,000,000,000,000
- biljons (...)
Time
- What time is it?
- Cik ir pulkstenis? (...)
- What time?
- Cikos? (...)
- When?
- Kad? (...)
- Now
- tagad (...)
- Later
- vēlāk (...)
- second
- sekunde (...)
- minute
- minūte (...)
- half an hour
- pusstunda (...)
- hour
- stunda (...)
- morning
- rīts (...)
- in the morning
- no rīta (...)
- evening
- vakars (...)
- in the evening
- vakarā (...)
- night
- nakts (...)
Clock time
- one o'clock
- pulkstens viens (...)
- two o'clock
- pulkstens divi (...)
- three o'clock
- pulkstens trīs (...)
- four o'clock
- pulkstens četri (...)
- five o'clock
- pulkstens pieci (...)
- six o'clock
- pulkstens seši (...)
- seven o'clock
- pulkstens septiņi (...)
- eight o'clock
- pulkstens astoņi (...)
- nine o'clock
- pulkstens deviņi (...)
- ten o'clock
- pulkstens desmit (...)
- eleven o'clock
- pulkstens vienpadsmit (...)
- twelve o'clock
- pulkstens divpadsmit (...)
- quarter to seven, 17:45
- bez piecpadsmit minūtēm seši
- quarter past seven, 18:15
- piecpadsmit minūtes pāri sešiem
- half past seven, 18:30
- pusseptiņi
Duration
Days
- today
- šodien (...)
- yesterday
- vakardien (...)
- tomorrow
- rītdien (...)
- this week
- šonedēļ (...)
- last week
- pagājušo nedēļ (...)
- next week
- nākošnedēļ (...)
- Monday
- pirmdiena (...)
- Tuesday
- otrdiena (...)
- Wednesday
- trešdiena (...)
- Thursday
- ceturtdiena (...)
- Friday
- piektdiena (...)
- Saturday
- sestdiena (...)
- Sunday
- svētdiena (...)
Months
- January
- janvāris (...)
- February
- februāris (...)
- March
- marts (...)
- April
- aprīlis (...)
- May
- maijs (...)
- June
- jūnijs (...)
- July
- jūlijs (...)
- August
- augusts (...)
- September
- septembris (...)
- October
- oktobris (...)
- November
- novembris (...)
- December
- decembris (...)
Writing time and date
Colors
- black
- melns (...)
- white
- balts (...)
- gray
- pelēks (...)
- red
- sarkans (...)
- blue
- zils (...)
- yellow
- dzeltens (...)
- green
- zaļš (...)
- orange
- oranžs (...)
- purple
- violets/lillā (...)
- brown
- brūns (...)
Transportation
Bus and train
Directions
Taxi
Lodging
- Hotel
- Viesnīca
Money
Eating
- Breakfast
- Brokastis
- Dinner
- Pusdienas
- Supper
- Vakariņas
