Learning about family members and relationships in any language provides a useful way to connect with others about the people who are most important in one’s life. Latvian, a language spoken by the people of Latvia, has its own unique set of words for referring to relatives. Let’s dive into some common Latvian vocabulary for family members and relationships, complete with definitions and examples.

Māte — Mother
The term for “mother” in Latvian.
Manas mātes vārds ir Anna.

Tēvs — Father
This is the Latvian word for “father.”
Mans tēvs strādā kā inženieris.

Vecāki — Parents
A plural term that denotes both “mother” and “father,” or “parents” in English.
Mani vecāki ir laimīgi precējušies jau trīsdesmit gadus.

Brālis — Brother
The word for a male sibling, or “brother.”
Manam brālim ir zili acis.

Māsa — Sister
This word is used to refer to a female sibling, or “sister.”
Mana māsa mācās medicīnas skolā.

Bērni — Children
Refers to offspring of any age, or “children.”
Mūsu bērni katru vasaru pavada laukos.

Dēls — Son
The Latvian word for “son.”
Viņu dēls šogad iestājās augstskolā.

Meita — Daughter
The term used for “daughter” in Latvian.
Viņu meita ir ļoti talantīga pianiste.

Vecmāmiņa — Grandmother
The affectionate term for “grandmother.”
Mana vecmāmiņa katru svētdienu ceļ cepumus.

Vecvectēvs — Grandfather
Latvian word for “grandfather.”
Mans vecvectēvs atradās kara laikā.

Oncle — Uncle
Referring to the brother of one’s parent, or an “uncle.”
Mans oncle ir labs makšķernieks.

Tante — Aunt
The word for the sister of one’s parent or the wife of one’s uncle, an “aunt.”
Mana tante dzīvo uz laukiem.

Brāļadēls — Nephew
Refers to the son of one’s brother or sister, a “nephew.”
Man brāļadēls ir tik gudrs kā tēvs.

Brāļameita — Niece
The word for the daughter of one’s brother or sister, a “niece.”
Mana brāļameita nākamgad iet skolā.

Radinieki — Relatives
A general term for “relatives” or extended family members.
Lielākā daļa manu radinieku dzīvo Latvijā.

Vīrs — Husband
The Latvian term for “husband.”
Manas māsas vīrs ir no Vācijas.

Sieva — Wife
This refers to a “wife” or female spouse.
Mans onkulis joko, ka viņa sieva ir viņa labākā puse.

Understanding these words can offer a fundamental grasp on conversational Latvian, especially when engaging in dialogue about one’s family dynamics or inquiring about someone else’s. As with learning any language, practice and usage in context are key to fluency. So go ahead and share stories about your family using your newly acquired Latvian vocabulary!