Latvian, the official language of Latvia, is a beautiful and unique language that belongs to the Baltic language group. For those who are new to learning Latvian, starting with some foundational vocabulary is essential. This article will guide you through some of the most important Latvian words and phrases to know at the A1 level. By familiarizing yourself with these basic terms, you’ll be well on your way to navigating everyday conversations and building a strong foundation for further learning.

Basic Greetings and Polite Expressions

First impressions matter, and knowing how to greet someone and use polite expressions is crucial. Here are some essential words and phrases:

– **Sveiki** – Hello (formal)
– **Čau** – Hi (informal)
– **Labrīt** – Good morning
– **Labdien** – Good afternoon
– **Labvakar** – Good evening
– **Ar labunakti** – Good night
– **Uz redzēšanos** – Goodbye
– **Atā** – Bye (informal)
– **Lūdzu** – Please
– **Paldies** – Thank you
– **Piedodiet** – Excuse me / Sorry (formal)
– **Piedod** – Excuse me / Sorry (informal)
– **Jā** – Yes
– **Nē** – No

Introducing Yourself and Others

Being able to introduce yourself and ask for someone’s name is fundamental in any language. Here are some phrases to help you get started:

– **Mani sauc…** – My name is…
– **Kā tevi sauc?** – What is your name? (informal)
– **Kā jūs sauc?** – What is your name? (formal)
– **Prieks iepazīties** – Nice to meet you
– **Es esmu no…** – I am from…
– **Cik tev ir gadu?** – How old are you? (informal)
– **Cik jums ir gadu?** – How old are you? (formal)
– **Es esmu… gadus vecs** – I am… years old

Numbers and Counting

Numbers are an essential part of everyday conversation, from telling the time to shopping. Here are the numbers from one to twenty in Latvian:

1. **Viens**
2. **Divi**
3. **Trīs**
4. **Četri**
5. **Pieci**
6. **Seši**
7. **Septiņi**
8. **Astoņi**
9. **Deviņi**
10. **Desmit**
11. **Vienpadsmit**
12. **Divpadsmit**
13. **Trīspadsmit**
14. **Četrpadsmit**
15. **Piecpadsmit**
16. **Sešpadsmit**
17. **Septiņpadsmit**
18. **Astoņpadsmit**
19. **Deviņpadsmit**
20. **Divdesmit**

Days of the Week and Months

Knowing the days of the week and months of the year is important for making plans and understanding dates. Here are the days and months in Latvian:

Days of the Week

– **Pirmdiena** – Monday
– **Otrdiena** – Tuesday
– **Trešdiena** – Wednesday
– **Ceturtdiena** – Thursday
– **Piektdiena** – Friday
– **Sestdiena** – Saturday
– **Svētdiena** – Sunday

Months of the Year

– **Janvāris** – January
– **Februāris** – February
– **Marts** – March
– **Aprīlis** – April
– **Maijs** – May
– **Jūnijs** – June
– **Jūlijs** – July
– **Augusts** – August
– **Septembris** – September
– **Oktobris** – October
– **Novembris** – November
– **Decembris** – December

Common Verbs

Verbs are the action words in any language. Here are some of the most common verbs you will need at the A1 level:

– **Būt** – To be
– **Ir** – Is / Are
– **Nē** – Not
– **Darīt** – To do
– **Strādāt** – To work
– **Dzīvot** – To live
– **Mācīties** – To learn / To study
– **Runāt** – To speak
– **Sapņot** – To dream
– **Saprast** – To understand
– **Rakstīt** – To write
– **Lasīt** – To read
– **Redzēt** – To see
– **Dzirdēt** – To hear
– **Ēst** – To eat
– **Dzert** – To drink
– **Iet** – To go
– **Braukt** – To drive / To ride
– **Skriet** – To run
– **Spēlēt** – To play

Basic Nouns

Nouns are the building blocks of any language, representing people, places, things, and ideas. Here are some basic nouns you should know:

People

– **Vīrietis** – Man
– **Sieviete** – Woman
– **Zēns** – Boy
– **Meitene** – Girl
– **Bērns** – Child
– **Draugs** – Friend (male)
– **Draudzene** – Friend (female)
– **Ģimene** – Family
– **Tēvs** – Father
– **Māte** – Mother
– **Brālis** – Brother
– **Māsa** – Sister

Places

– **Māja** – House
– **Dzīvoklis** – Apartment
– **Skola** – School
– **Universitāte** – University
– **Veikals** – Store
– **Restorāns** – Restaurant
– **Slimnīca** – Hospital
– **Parks** – Park
– **Pilsēta** – City
– **Valsts** – Country

Things

– **Grāmata** – Book
– **Dators** – Computer
– **Telefons** – Phone
– **Galds** – Table
– **Krēsls** – Chair
– **Mašīna** – Car
– **Velosipēds** – Bicycle
– **Soma** – Bag
– **Apģērbs** – Clothes
– **Kurpes** – Shoes

Adjectives

Adjectives describe nouns and can help you add detail to your sentences. Here are some useful adjectives:

– **Liels** – Big
– **Mazs** – Small
– **Garš** – Long / Tall
– **Īss** – Short
– **Jauns** – New / Young
– **Vecs** – Old
– **Skaists** – Beautiful
– **Nepatīkams** – Ugly
– **Labs** – Good
– **Slikts** – Bad
– **Karsts** – Hot
– **Auksts** – Cold
– **Grūts** – Difficult
– **Viegli** – Easy
– **Ātrs** – Fast
– **Lēns** – Slow

Everyday Phrases

Being able to use everyday phrases will make your conversations smoother and more natural. Here are some common phrases:

– **Cik tas maksā?** – How much does it cost?
– **Es nesaprotu** – I don’t understand
– **Varbūt** – Maybe
– **Man patīk** – I like
– **Man nepatīk** – I don’t like
– **Vai jūs runājat angliski?** – Do you speak English? (formal)
– **Kur ir tualete?** – Where is the bathroom?
– **Es esmu izsalcis** – I am hungry (male)
– **Es esmu izsalkusi** – I am hungry (female)
– **Es esmu izslāpis** – I am thirsty (male)
– **Es esmu izslāpusi** – I am thirsty (female)
– **Vai jūs varat palīdzēt?** – Can you help? (formal)
– **Es gribu…** – I want…

Questions and Interrogatives

Asking questions is a key part of communication. Here are some question words and phrases:

– **Kas?** – What?
– **Kur?** – Where?
– **Kad?** – When?
– **Kā?** – How?
– **Kāpēc?** – Why?
– **Cik?** – How much? / How many?
– **Vai?** – (Used to form yes/no questions)

Colors

Knowing the names of colors can be very useful in describing objects. Here are some basic colors in Latvian:

– **Sarkans** – Red
– **Zils** – Blue
– **Zaļš** – Green
– **Dzeltens** – Yellow
– **Oranžs** – Orange
– **Balts** – White
– **Melns** – Black
– **Brūns** – Brown
– **Pelēks** – Grey
– **Rozā** – Pink
– **Purpurs** – Purple

Food and Drinks

Food is a universal topic, and knowing some basic food-related vocabulary can be very helpful:

– **Maize** – Bread
– **Piens** – Milk
– **Ūdens** – Water
– **Sula** – Juice
– **Kafija** – Coffee
– **Tēja** – Tea
– **Augļi** – Fruits
– **Dārzeņi** – Vegetables
– **Gaļa** – Meat
– **Zivs** – Fish
– **Siers** – Cheese
– **Ola** – Egg
– **Sviests** – Butter
– **Cukurs** – Sugar
– **Sāls** – Salt
– **Pipari** – Pepper

Family and Relationships

Understanding family terms can help you talk about relationships and personal life:

– **Vecāki** – Parents
– **Tēvs** – Father
– **Māte** – Mother
– **Vecmāmiņa** – Grandmother
– **Vectēvs** – Grandfather
– **Mazbērns** – Grandchild
– **Brālis** – Brother
– **Māsa** – Sister
– **Onkulis** – Uncle
– **Tante** – Aunt
– **Brālēns** – Cousin (male)
– **Māsīca** – Cousin (female)

Common Animals

Talking about animals is often a part of everyday conversation, especially for those with pets:

– **Suns** – Dog
– **Kaķis** – Cat
– **Zirgs** – Horse
– **Govs** – Cow
– **Cūka** – Pig
– **Vista** – Chicken
– **Zivs** – Fish
– **Putns** – Bird
– **Trusis** – Rabbit
– **Lapsa** – Fox

Conclusion

Mastering these essential Latvian words and phrases will provide a solid foundation for your language learning journey. As you become more comfortable with this basic vocabulary, you’ll find it easier to engage in simple conversations and understand more complex expressions. Remember, practice is key to language acquisition, so try to use these words and phrases in your daily life as much as possible.

Happy learning, and *veiksmi*! (Good luck!)