'''Latvian''' is the official language in the Republic of Latvia, spoken natively by approximately 60% of the residents of Latvia. It is an Indo-European language that shares its own Baltic language group with Lithuanian, and is not a slavic, nor germanic language, therefore having nothing in common with Russian or German, except the fact that they are all Indo-European languages. Baltic languages are the most ancient of them.

Pronunciation guide

Written Latvian is based on the Latin alphabet and uses 33 letters: Aa, ??, Bb, Cc, ??, Dd, Ee, ??, Ff, Gg, ??, Hh, Ii, ??, Jj, Kk, ??, Ll, ??, Mm, Nn, ??, Oo, Pp, Rr, Ss, ??, Tt, Uu, ??, Vv, Zz, ??.

Vowels

; a : as in 'u' in "cup" ; ? : as in 'a' in "another" long sound

; e : as in 'e' in "pet" and 'a' in "fat" ; ? : as in 'ai' in "fair" and 'a' in "spar" but longer ; i : as in 'i' in "pin" ; ? : as in 'ee' in "speed" long sound ; o : as in 'o' in "pot" and 'oa' in "oats" ; u : as in 'u' in "pull" ; ? : as in 'oo' in "pool" long sound

Consonants

; b : as 'b' in "ball" ; c : as 'ts' in "bits" ; ? : as 'ch' in "chest" ; d : as 'd' in "dog" ; dz : as 'ds' in "beds" ; d? : as 'j' in "job" ; f : as 'f' in "fish" ; g : as 'g' in "grass" [hard g sound] ; ? : as 'ju' in "judge" ; h : as 'h' in "hot" ; j : as 'y' in "yes" ; k : as 'k' in "kite" ; ? : as 'c' in "cute" ; l : as 'l' in "lid" ; ? : as 'li' in "million" ; m : as 'm' in "money" ; n : as 'n' in "noise" ; ? : as 'ny' in "new" ; p : as 'p' in "pet" ; r : trilled as spanish 'r' ; s : as 's' in "sand" ; ? : as 'sh' in "ship" ; t : as 't' in "top" ; v : as 'v' in "vest" ; z : as z' in "zebra" ; ? : 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](''SVYEH-kah'') ; Hello. : Sveiks! [m] (''SVEH-eeks'') ; How are you? : K? jums kl?jas?(''kaah yooms KLAA-yuhs?'') ; Fine, thank you. : Labi, paldies. (''LAH-bee, PUHL-dyehs'') ; What is your name? : K? j?s sauc? (''kaah yoos sowts?'') ; My name is ______ . : Mani sauc______ . (''MAH-nee sowts_____ .'') ; I'm pleased to meet you. : Prieks iepaz?ties. (''pryehks EA-puh-zee-tyehs'') ; Please : L?dzu. (''LOO-dzoo'') ; Thank you : Paldies. (''PUHL-dyehs'') ; You're welcome. : L?dzu. (''LOO-dzoo'') ; Yes. : J?.(''yaa'') ; No. : N?. (''neh'') ; Excuse me. : Atvainojiet. (''AHT-vay-noh-yeht'') ; I'm sorry. : Piedodiet.(''pyeh-DOH-dyeht'') ; Goodbye : Uz redz??anos. (''ooz REHD-zehh-shuh-nohs'') ; Goodbye (''informal'') : At?. (''UH-taah'') ; I can't speak ''Latvian'' [well]. : Es nem?ku latvie?u valodu [labi]. (''ehs neh-MAA-koo luht-VYEH-shoo vuh-LOH-doo [luh-bee]'') ; Do you speak English? : Vai j?s run?jat angliski? (''VUH-ee yoos ROO-nyaaht UHN-glys-kee?'') ; Is there someone here who speaks English? : Vai te ir k?ds, kas m?k ang?u valodu? (''VUH-ee teh eer kaads, kuhs maak AHN-glyoo VUH-loh-doo?'') ; Help! : Pal?g?! (''PUH-lee-gaah!'') ; Look out! : Uzmanies! (''OOZ-mah-nyehs!'') ; Good morning : Labr?t (''luh-BREET'') ; Good day : Labdien (''luhb-DYEHN'') ; Good evening : Labvakar (''luhd-VUH-kuhr'') ; Good night (''to sleep'') : Ar labu nakti. (''uhr LUH-boo NUHK-tee'') ; I don't understand. : Es nesaprotu. (''ehs NEH-suh-proh-too'') ; Where is the toilet? : Kur ir tualete? (''koor eer TWAH-leh-teh?'')

Problems

; Leave me alone. : Ej prom. (''ey prohm'') ; Don't touch me! : Neaizskar mani! (''neh-AYZS-kahr MAH-nee'') ; I'll call the police. : Es izsauk?u policiju. (''ehs EEZ-sowk-shoo poh-LEE-tsyoo'') ; Police! : Policija! (''poh-LEE-tsyah'') ; Stop! Thief! : ?eriet zagli! (''KYEH-ryeht ZAH-glee'') ; I need your help. : Man vajag j?su pal?dz?bu. (''mahn VAY-ahg YOO-soo pah-LEE-jee-boo'') ; It's an emergency. : Ir av?rijas situ?cija. (''ihr ah-VAA-ryahs see-TWAA-tsyah'') ; I'm lost. : Esmu apmald?jies (male)/apmald?jusies (female). (''EHS-moo ahp-MAHL-dee-yehs/ ahp-MAHL-dee-yoo-syehs'') ; I lost my bag. : Es pazaud?ju savu somu. (''ehs pah-ZOW-dehh-yoo SAH-voo SOH-moo'') ; I lost my wallet. : Es pazaud?ju savu maku. (''ehs pah-ZOW-dehh-yoo SAH-voo MAH-koo'') ; I'm sick. : Esmu slims (male)/slima (female). (''EHS-moo sleems/ SLEE-mah'') ; I've been injured. : Es esmu ievainots. (''ehs EHS-moo ie-VAI-nohts'') ; I need a doctor. : Man vajag ?rstu. (''mahn VAI-ahg AARS-too'') ; Can I use your phone? : Vai es dr?kstu izmantot j?su telefonu? (''vai ehs DREEKS-too eez-MAHN-toht YOO-soo teh-leh-FOH-noo?'')

Numbers

; 0 : nulle (''NOOL-leh'') ; 1 : viens (''vyehns'') ; 2 : divi (''DIH-vih'') ; 3 : tr?s (''trees'') ; 4 : ?etri (''CHEH-trih'') ; 5 : pieci (''PYEH-tsih'') ; 6 : se?i (''SEH-shih'') ; 7 : septi?i (''SEHP-tih-nyih'') ; 8 : asto?i (''UHS-toa-nyih'') ; 9 : devi?i (''DEH-vee-nyih'') ; 10 : desmit (''DEHS-miht'') ; 11 : vienpadsmit (''VYEH-puhds-miht'') ; 12 : divpadsmit (''DIHV-puhds-miht'') ; 13 : tr?spadsmit (''TREES-puhds-miht'') ; 14 : ?etrpadsmit (''CHEHTR-puhds-miht'') ; 15 : piecpadsmit (''PYEHTS-puhds-miht'') ; 16 : se?padsmit (''SEHSH-puhds-miht'') ; 17 : septi?padsmit (''SEHP-tihny-puhds-miht'') ; 18 : asto?padsmit (''UHS-tawny-puhds-miht'') ; 19 : devi?padsmit (''DEH-vihny-puhds-miht'') ; 20 : divdesmit (''DIHV-dehs-miht'') ; 21 : divdesmit viens (''DIHV-dehs-miht vyehns'') ; 22 : divdesmit divi (''DIHV-dehs-miht DIH-vih'') ; 23 : divdesmit tr?s (''DIHV-dehs-miht trees'') ; 30 : tr?sdesmit (''TREES-dehs-miht'') ; 40 : ?etrdesmit (''CHEHTR-dehs-miht'') ; 50 : piecdesmit (''PYEHTS-dehs-miht'') ; 60 : se?desmit (''SEHSH-dehs-miht'') ; 70 : septi?desmit (''SEHP-teeny-dehs-miht'') ; 80 : asto?desmit (''UHS-tohny-dehs-miht'') ; 90 : devi?desmit (''DEH-veeny-dehs-miht'') ; 100 : simts (''sihmts'') ; 200 : divi simti (''DIH-vih SIHM-tih'') ; 300 : tr?s simti (''trees SIHM-tih'') ; 1000 : t?kstots (''TOOKS-tohts'') ; 1,000,000 : miljons (''MIH-lyohns') ; 1,000,000,000 : miljards (''MIH-lyahrds'') ; 1,000,000,000,000 : biljons (''BIH-lyohns'') ; number _____ (''train, bus, etc.'') : numurs _____ (''NOO-moors'') ; half : pus (''poos'') ; less : maz?k (''MUH-zahk'') ; more : vair?k (''VAY-rahk'')

Time

The 24 hour clock is used in Latvia.

; What time is it? : Cik ir pulkstenis? (''tsihk ihr PUHLKS-teh-nihs'') ; What time? : Cikos? (''TSIH-kohs'') ; When?: Kad? (''kahd'') ; now : tagad (''TAH-gahd'') ; later : v?l?k (''VAA-lahk'') ; second: sekunde (''SEH-koon-deh'') ; minute : min?te (''MIH-noo-teh'') ; half an hour : pusstunda (''PUHSS-tuhn-duh'') ; hour : stunda (''STUHN-duh'') ; morning : r?ts (''reet'') ; in the morning : no r?ta (''naw reetah'') ; evening : vakars (''VUH-kuhrs'') ; in the evening: vakar? (''VUH-kuh-rah'') ; night : nakts (''nuhkts'')

Clock time

; one o'clock : pulkstens viens (''...'') ; two o'clock : pulkstens divi (''...'') ; three o'clock : pulkstens tr?s (''...'') ; four o'clock : pulkstens ?etri (''...'') ; five o'clock : pulkstens pieci (''...'') ; six o'clock : pulkstens se?i (''...'') ; seven o'clock : pulkstens septi?i (''...'') ; eight o'clock : pulkstens asto?i (''...'') ; nine o'clock : pulkstens devi?i (''...'') ; ten o'clock : pulkstens desmit (''...'') ; eleven o'clock : pulkstens vienpadsmit (''...'') ; twelve o'clock : pulkstens divpadsmit (''...'')

; quarter to seven, <nowiki>17:45</nowiki> : bez piecpadsmit min?t?m se?i ; quarter past seven, <nowiki>18:15</nowiki> : piecpadsmit min?tes p?ri se?iem ; half past seven, <nowiki>18:30</nowiki> : pussepti?i

Duration

; _____ minute(s) : _____ min?te(s) (''...'') ; _____ hour(s) : _____ stunda(s) (''...'') ; _____ day(s) : _____ diena(s) (''...'') ; _____ week(s) : _____ ned??a(s) (''...'') ; _____ month(s) : _____ m?nesis(m?ne?i) (''...'') ; _____ year(s) : _____ gads(gadi) (''...'')

Days

; today : ?odien (''SHAW-dyehn'') ; yesterday : vakar (''VUH-kuhr'') ; tomorrow : r?t (''reet'') ; this week : ?o ned??u (''shaw NEH-deh-lyoo'') ; last week : pag?ju?a ned??u (''PUH-gah-yoo-shah NEH-deh-lyoo'') ; next week : n?kam ned??u (''NAH-kuhm NEH-deh-lyoo'')

; Monday : pirmdiena (''PIHRM-dyeh-nuh'') ; Tuesday : otrdiena (''AWTR-dyeh-nuh'') ; Wednesday : tre?diena (''TREHSH-dyeh-nuh'') ; Thursday : ceturtdiena (''TSAH-tuhrt-dyeh-nuh'') ; Friday : piektdiena (''PYEHKT-dyeh-nuh'') ; Saturday : sestdiena (''SAHST-dyeh-nuh'') ; Sunday : sv?tdiena (''SVEHT-dyeh-nuh'')

Months

; January : janv?ris (''...'') ; February : febru?ris (''...'') ; March : marts (''...'') ; April : apr?lis (''...'') ; May : maijs (''...'') ; June : j?nijs (''...'') ; July : j?lijs (''...'') ; August : augusts (''...'') ; September : septembris (''...'') ; October : oktobris (''...'') ; November : novembris (''...'') ; December : decembris (''...'')

Writing time and date

Colors

; black : melns (''...'') ; white : balts (''...'') ; gray : pel?ks (''...'') ; red : sarkans (''...'') ; blue : zils (''...'') ; yellow : dzeltens (''...'') ; green : za?? (''...'') ; orange : oran?s (''...'') ; purple : violets/lill? (''...'') ; brown : br?ns (''...'')

Transportation

Bus and train

; How much is a ticket to _____? : Cik maks? bi?ete uz _____? (''...'') ; One ticket to _____, please. : Vienu bi?eti uz _____, l?dzu. (''...'') ; Where does this train/bus go? : Uz kurieni/kurp dodas ?is vilciens/autobuss? (''...'') ; Where is the train/bus to _____? : Kur ir vilciens/autobuss, kas brauc uz _____? (''...'') ; Does this train/bus stop in _____? : Vai vilciens/autobuss pietur _____? (''...'') ; When does the train/bus for _____ leave? : Kad atiet vilciens/autobuss uz _____? (''...'') ; When will this train/bus arrive in _____? : Kad vilciens/autobuss b?s _____? (''...'')

Directions

; How do I get to _____ ? : K? lai es tieku uz _____ ? (''...'') ; ...the train station? : ...vilcienu staciju? (''...'') ; ...the bus station? : ...autoostu? (''...'') ; ...the airport? : ...lidostu? (''...'') ; ...downtown? : ...centra virzien?? (''...'') ; ...the youth hostel? : ...jaunie?u viesn?cu? (''...'') ; ...the _____ hotel? : ..._____ viesn?cu? (''...'') ; ...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? : ...Amerikas/Kan?das/Austr?lijas/Lielbrit?nijas konsul?tu? (''...'') ; Where are there a lot of... : Kur te ir daudz... (''...'') ; ...hotels? : ...viesn?cu? (''...'') ; ...restaurants? : ...restor?nu? (''...'') ; ...bars? : ...b?ru? (''...'') ; ...sites to see? : ...apskates vietu? (''...'') ; Can you show me on the map? : Vai j?s to var?tu man par?d?t uz kartes? (''...'') ; street : iela (''...'') ; Turn left. : Pagriezties pa kreisi. (''...'') ; Turn right. : Pagriezties pa labi. (''...'') ; left : pa kreisi (''...'') ; right : pa labi (''...'') ; straight ahead : tie?i uz priek?u (''...'') ; towards the _____ : pret _____ (''...'') ; past the _____ : aiz _____ (''...'') ; before the _____ : pirms _____ (''...'') ; Watch for the _____. : Skaties, kur ir _____. (''...'') ; intersection : krustojums (''...'') ; north : zieme?i (''...'') ; south : dienvidi (''...'') ; east : austrumi (''...'') ; west : rietumi (''...'') ; uphill : kalnup (''...'') ; downhill : lejup (''...'')

Taxi

; Taxi. : Taksometrs. (''...'') ; Take me to _____, please. : Aizvediet mani uz _____, l?dzu. (''...'') ; How much does it cost to get to _____? : Cik maks? brauciens l?dz _____? (''...'') ; Take me there, please. : Aizvediet mani uz turieni, l?dzu. (''...'')

Lodging

; Hotel : Viesn?ca ; Do you have any rooms available? : Vai jums ir k?da br?va istaba? ; Does the room come with... : Vai ?aj? istab? ir... ; ...bedsheets? : ...palagi? ; ...a bathroom? : ...vannas istaba? ; ...a telephone? : ...telefons? ; ...a TV? : ...televizors? ; How much is a room for one person/two people? : Cik maks? istaba vienai personai/div?m person?m? ; May I see the room first? : Vai es var?tu vispirms apskat?t istabu? ; OK, I'll take it. : Labi, es ?em?u. ; I will stay for _____ night(s). : Es palik?u ___ nakti(s). ; Do you have a safe? : Vai jums ir seifs? ; Is breakfast/supper included? : Vai brokastis/vakari?as ir iek?autas cen??

Money

Eating

; Breakfast : Brokastis ; Dinner : Pusdienas ; Supper : Vakari?as

Bars

; Beer : Alus

Shopping

; Do you have this in my size? : Jums ir mans izm?rs? ; How much is this? : Cik tas maks?? ; That's too expensive. : Tas ir p?r?k d?rgi. ; Would you take _____? : J?s pie?emat _____? ; expensive : d?rgi ; cheap : l?ti ; I can't afford it. : Es to nevaru at?auties. ; I don't want it. : Es to nev?los. ; You're cheating me. : J?s mani kr?pjat. ; I'm not interested. : Mani tas neinteres?. ; OK, I'll take it. : Labi, es to ?em?u. ; I need... : Man vajag/vajadz?tu... ; ...toothpaste. : ...zobu pastu. ; ...a toothbrush. : ...zobu birsti. ; ...tampons. : ...tamponus. ; ...soap. : ...ziepes. ; ...shampoo. : ...?amp?nu. ; ...pain reliever. (''e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen'') : ...ats?pino?as tabletes. ; ...cold medicine. : ...z?les pret saaukst??anos. ; ...an umbrella. : ...lietussargu. ; ...postage stamps. : ...pastmarkas. ; ...batteries. : ...baterijas. ; ...a pen. : ...pildspalvu. ; ...English-language books. : ...gr?matas ang?u valod?.

Driving

Authority

; I haven't done anything wrong. : Es neesmu dar?jis[male]/dar?jusi[female] neko sliktu. ; It was a misunderstanding. : Ir radies p?rpratums. ; Where are you taking me? : Uz kurieni j?s mani vedat? ; Am I under arrest? : Vai es esmu arest?ts[male]/arest?ta[female]? ; I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. : Es esmu Amerikas/Austr?lijas/Lielbrit?nijas/Kan?das pilsonis[male]/pilsone[female]. ; I want to talk to a lawyer. : Es gribu run?t ar advok?tu. ; Can I just pay a fine now? : Vai varu samaks?t sodu tagad?