Latviešu
Latvian
Baltic
Latvian is one of two surviving Baltic languages alongside Lithuanian (the closest living relatives within Indo-European). The official language of Latvia and an EU language with ~1.4M L1 speakers. Distinguished from Lithuanian by fixed initial stress and three syllabic intonations (level, falling, broken — the last rare among Indo-European languages, with a close parallel in Danish stød). Latin script with 11 diacritic letters (ā č ē ģ ī ķ ļ ņ š ū ž). Standardized orthography 1908; Latvian Awakening literary movement (1850s-1880s) and the Daina folk-song tradition (over 1.2M variants collected).
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Latvian
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Baltic
| Meaning | Latvian | Latgalian | Old Prussian | Samogitian | Lithuanian | Slovenian | Slovak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ūdens /uːdɛns/ | iudiņs /ˈiudʲinʲtsʲ/ | wundan /wundan/ | vondou /vɔndɔu/ | vanduo /vɐnˈduɔ/ | voda /ˈʋɔːda/ | voda /ˈvoda/ |
| Fire | uguns /uɡuns/ | guņs /ɡunʲtsʲ/ | panno /panːo/ | ognės /ɔɡneːs/ | ugnis /ʊˈɡnʲɪs/ | ogenj /ˈɔːɡən/ | oheň /ˈoɦeɲ/ |
| Sun | saule /saulɛ/ | saule /ˈsaulʲæ/ | saule /saule/ | saulė /sauleː/ | saulė /ˈsaʊlʲeː/ | sonce /ˈsoːntsɛ/ | slnko /ˈsl̩nko/ |
| Moon | mēness /meːnɛs/ | mienesnīks /ˈmʲienʲesnʲiːks/ | menins /menins/ | mienou /mʲeːnɔu/ | mėnulis /mʲeːˈnʊlʲɪs/ | luna /ˈluːna/ | mesiac /ˈmɛsɪats/ |
| Star | zvaigzne /ˈzvaiɡzne/ | zvaigzne /ˈzvai̯ɡʲzʲnʲæ/ | lauxnos /ˈlauksnos/ | žvaigždė /ʒvaɪɡʒdeː/ | žvaigždė /ʒvɐɪɡʒˈdʲeː/ | zvezda /ˈzʋeːzda/ | hviezda /ˈɦvjezda/ |
| Night | nakts /nakts/ | nakts /nakts/ | nacktin /naktin/ | naktis /ˈnaktʲɪs/ | naktis /nɐkˈtʲɪs/ | noč /noːtʃ/ | noc /nots/ |
| Rain | lietus /liɛtus/ | leits /lʲeits/ | aglo /aɡlo/ | lītos /liːtɔs/ | lietus /ˈlʲiɛtʊs/ | dež /dəʃ/ | dážď /daːʒc/ |
| Snow | sniegs /sniɛks/ | snīgs /sniːks/ | snaygis /snaiɡis/ | sniegs /snʲɛɡs/ | sniegas /ˈsʲnʲiɛɡɐs/ | sneg /sneːk/ | sneh /sɲɛx/ |
| Wind | vējš /ʋeːjʃ/ | viejs /vʲiejs/ | wetro /wetro/ | vies /vʲieːs/ | vėjas /ˈvʲeːjas/ | veter /ˈʋeːtər/ | vietor /ˈvjetor/ |
| Earth | zeme /ˈzɛme/ | zeme /ˈzʲæmʲæ/ | semmē /ˈsɛmmeː/ | žemė /ʒʲɛmʲeː/ | žemė /ˈʒʲæːmʲeː/ | zemlja /ˈzɛːmlja/ | zem /zɛm/ |
| Stone | akmens /ˈakmens/ | akmiņs /ˈakmiɲtsʲ/ | stabis /ˈstabis/ | akmou /ɐkˈmoː/ | akmuo /ɐkˈmuɔ/ | kamen /ˈkaːmən/ | kameň /ˈkamɛɲ/ |
| Mountain | kalns /kalns/ | kolns /kɔlnts/ | grabis /ɡrabis/ | kalns /kalns/ | kalnas /ˈkalnas/ | gora /ˈɡɔːra/ | hora /ˈɦɔra/ |
| Sea | jūra /ˈjuːra/ | jiura /ˈjiura/ | iūrin /ˈjuːrin/ | jūra /juːra/ | jūra /ˈjuːra/ | morje /ˈmoːrjɛ/ | more /ˈmɔre/ |
| Mother | māte /maːtɛ/ | muote /ˈmuotʲæ/ | mūti /muːti/ | mama /mama/ | motina /ˈmoːtʲɪnɐ/ | mati /ˈmaːti/ | matka /ˈmatka/ |
| Father | tēvs /teːvs/ | tāvs /taːvs/ | tāws /taːws/ | tievs /tʲieːvs/ | tėvas /ˈtʲeːvɐs/ | oče /ˈɔːtʃɛ/ | otec /ˈotɛts/ |
| Daughter | meita /meita/ | meita /ˈmʲæi̯ta/ | duckti /duktiː/ | doktie /dɔkˈtʲieː/ | dukra /dʊˈkrɐ/ | hči /xtʃiː/ | dcéra /ˈtseːra/ |
| I | es /æs/ | es /æs/ | as /as/ | aš /aʃ/ | aš /ɐʃ/ | jaz /jas/ | ja /ja/ |
| You | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ | tū /tuː/ | tŭ /tʊ/ | tu /tʊ/ | ti /tiː/ | ty /ti/ |
| We | mēs /meːs/ | mes /mæs/ | mes /mes/ | mes /mɛs/ | mes /mɛs/ | mi /miː/ | my /mi/ |
| Name | vārds /vaːrds/ | vuords /ˈvuorts/ | emnes /ˈemnes/ | vards /vards/ | vardas /ˈvɐrdɐs/ | ime /iˈmeː/ | meno /ˈmeno/ |
| Person | cilvēks /ˈtsilvɛːks/ | cylvāks /ˈtsɨlvaːks/ | smunents /ˈsmuːnents/ | žmuogos /ʒmuoɡos/ | žmogus /ʒmoːˈɡus/ | človek /ˈtʃlɔːʋɛk/ | človek /ˈtʃlovek/ |
| Head | galva /ˈɡalva/ | golva /ˈɡɔlva/ | gallū /ˈɡaluː/ | galva /ɡalva/ | galva /ɡɐlˈvɐ/ | glava /ˈɡlaːʋa/ | hlava /ˈɦlava/ |
| Eye | acs /ats/ | acs /atsʲ/ | ackis /akis/ | akės /akʲeːs/ | akis /ɐˈkʲɪs/ | oko /ɔˈkoː/ | oko /ˈoko/ |
| Ear | auss /au̯s/ | auss /au̯s/ | ausins /au̯sins/ | ausis /ˈau̯sɪs/ | ausis /ɒʊˈsʲɪs/ | uho /uˈxoː/ | ucho /ˈuxo/ |
| Nose | deguns /ˈdeɡuns/ | nuoss /nuos/ | nozy /ˈnoziː/ | nuosis /ˈnuosis/ | nosis /ˈnoːsʲɪs/ | nos /noːs/ | nos /nos/ |
| Mouth | mute /ˈmute/ | mute /ˈmutʲæ/ | austo /au̯sto/ | borna /bɔrna/ | burna /bʊrˈna/ | usta /ˈuːsta/ | ústa /ˈuːsta/ |
| Tooth | zobs /zuɔps/ | zūbs /zuːps/ | dantis /dantis/ | dontis /ˈdɔntɪs/ | dantis /dɐnˈtʲɪs/ | zob /zoːp/ | zub /zup/ |
| Tongue | mēle /ˈmeːle/ | mēle /ˈmʲæːlʲæ/ | insuwis /insuvis/ | lėižuvis /ˈlʲeːʒʊvɪs/ | liežuvis /lʲiɛˈʒʊvʲɪs/ | jezik /ˈjɛːzik/ | jazyk /ˈjazik/ |
| Hand | roka /ruɔka/ | rūka /ˈruːka/ | rancko /ranko/ | ronka /rɔŋka/ | ranka /rɐŋˈkɐ/ | roka /ˈrɔːka/ | ruka /ˈruka/ |
| Foot | kāja /kaːja/ | pāds /paːds/ | nagē /naɡeː/ | pieda /pʲieːda/ | pėda /pʲeːˈdɐ/ | stopalo /stɔˈpaːlɔ/ | noha /nɔɦa/ |
| Heart | sirds /sirds/ | sirds /sʲirtsʲ/ | sīran /siːran/ | šėrdės /ʃʲeːrdʲeːs/ | širdis /ʃʲɪrʲˈdʲɪs/ | srce /sərˈtseː/ | srdce /ˈsr̩tsɛ/ |
| Bone | kauls /kauls/ | kauls /ˈkauls/ | kaulan /ˈkaulan/ | kauls /kɐʊls/ | kaulas /ˈkɐʊlɐs/ | kost /koːst/ | kosť /kɔsc/ |
| Blood | asinis /ˈasinis/ | asnis /ˈasnis/ | krawian /ˈkrawjan/ | kraus /krɐʊs/ | kraujas /ˈkrɐʊjɐs/ | kri /kriː/ | krv /kr̩v/ |
| Poop | kaka /ˈkaka/ | — | — | šūds /ʃuːds/ | kaka /ˈkaka/ | kakec /ˈkaːkəts/ | kaka /ˈkaka/ |
| Love | mīlestība /miːlɛstiːba/ | mīleiba /ˈmʲiːlʲeiba/ | milīt /miliːt/ | meilė /mʲɛileː/ | meilė /ˈmʲɛɪlʲeː/ | ljubezen /ljuˈbeːzən/ | láska /ˈlaːska/ |
| Tree | koks /kuɔks/ | kūks /kuːks/ | garrin /ˈɡarin/ | medis /mʲɛdʲɪs/ | medis /ˈmʲæːdʲɪs/ | drevo /drɛˈʋoː/ | strom /strom/ |
| Dog | suns /suns/ | suņs /sunʲtsʲ/ | sunis /sunis/ | šou /ʃɔu/ | šuo /ʃuɔ/ | pes /pəs/ | pes /pɛs/ |
| Cat | kaķis /kacis/ | kačs /katʃs/ | katto /katːo/ | katė /katʲeː/ | katė /kɐˈtʲeː/ | mačka /ˈmaːtʃka/ | mačka /ˈmatʃka/ |
| Fish | zivs /zivs/ | zivs /zʲiwsʲ/ | suckis /ˈsukis/ | žovis /ʒoːvɪs/ | žuvis /ʒuˈvʲɪs/ | riba /ˈriːba/ | ryba /ˈrɪba/ |
| Bird | putns /ˈputns/ | putnys /ˈputnɨs/ | pippelis /ˈpipːelis/ | paukštis /paukʃtis/ | paukštis /ˈpɒʊkʃʲtʲɪs/ | ptica /ˈptiːtsa/ | vták /ftaːk/ |
| Butterfly | tauriņš /ˈtauriɲʃ/ | — | — | petelėškė /pʲɛtʲɛlʲeːʃkʲeː/ | drugelis /druˈɡʲæːlʲɪs/ | metulj /mɛˈtuːl/ | motýľ /ˈmotiːʎ/ |
| Egg | ola /ˈuɔla/ | ūla /ˈuːla/ | paute /ˈpaute/ | kiaušis /ˈkʲauʃɪs/ | kiaušinis /kʲɛʊˈʃʲɪnʲɪs/ | jajce /ˈjaːjtsɛ/ | vajce /ˈʋajtsɛ/ |
| Bear | lācis /ˈlaːtsis/ | luocs /luots/ | clokis /ˈklokis/ | meška /mʲɛʃka/ | lokys /loːˈkʲiːs/ | medved /ˈmɛːdʋɛt/ | medveď /ˈmɛdvɛc/ |
| Horse | zirgs /zirks/ | zyrgs /zɨrks/ | — | arklīs /ɐrˈkliːs/ | arklys /ɐrkˈlʲiːs/ | konj /kɔn/ | kôň /kwoːɲ/ |
| House | māja /maːja/ | sāta /ˈsaːta/ | butt /butː/ | noms /nɔms/ | namas /ˈnɑːmɐs/ | hiša /ˈxiːʃa/ | dom /dom/ |
| Milk | piens /piens/ | pīns /pʲiːnts/ | dadan /dadan/ | pėins /pʲeːins/ | pienas /ˈpʲiɛnɐs/ | mleko /ˈmleːkɔ/ | mlieko /ˈmlieko/ |
| Honey | medus /ˈmɛdus/ | mads /mads/ | meddo /medːo/ | medos /mʲædos/ | medus /mʲɛˈdʊs/ | med /meːt/ | med /mɛt/ |
| Salt | sāls /saːls/ | suoļs /suoʎs/ | sal /sal/ | druska /druska/ | druska /ˈdruskɐ/ | sol /soːʋ/ | soľ /soʎ/ |
| Wine | vīns /viːns/ | veins /veins/ | wīns /wiːns/ | vīns /viːns/ | vynas /ˈviːnɐs/ | vino /ˈʋiːnɔ/ | víno /ˈviːno/ |
| Rice | rīsi /ˈriːsi/ | — | — | rīžā /riːʒaː/ | ryžiai /ˈrʲiːʒʲɛi/ | riž /riːʃ/ | ryža /ˈriʒa/ |
| Chocolate | šokolāde /ʃɔkɔˈlaːde/ | šokolads /ˈʃɔkɔlats/ | — | čėkuolads /tʃʲeːkuoˈlads/ | šokoladas /ʃɔkɔˈlɑːdɐs/ | čokolada /tʃɔkɔˈlaːda/ | čokoláda /ˈtʃokolaːda/ |
| Iron | dzelzs /dzelzs/ | dzeļzs /dzʲeʎzs/ | gelso /ˈɡelso/ | gelžis /ˈɡʲɛlʒʲɪs/ | geležis /ɡʲɛlʲɛˈʒʲɪs/ | železo /ʒɛˈleːzɔ/ | železo /ˈʒɛlɛzo/ |
| Wheel | ritenis /ˈritenis/ | skrytuļs /ˈskrɨtuʎs/ | kelan /kelan/ | tekėnis /ˈtʲɛkʲeːnʲɪs/ | ratas /ˈrɑːtɐs/ | kolo /kɔˈloː/ | koleso /ˈkoleso/ |
| Silk | zīds /ziːds/ | — | — | šėlks /ʃʲeːlks/ | šilkas /ˈʃʲɪlkɐs/ | svila /ˈsʋiːla/ | hodváb /ˈɦɔdʋaːb/ |
| Book | grāmata /ˈɡraːmata/ | gruomota /ˈɡruomɔta/ | laiskas /ˈlaiskas/ | knīga /kniːɡa/ | knyga /knʲiːˈɡɐ/ | knjiga /ˈknjiːɡa/ | kniha /ˈkɲiɦa/ |
| Eat | ēst /eːst/ | ēst /æːsʲtʲ/ | īst /iːst/ | valgītė /valɡʲiːteː/ | valgyti /ˈvɐlɡʲiːtʲɪ/ | jesti /ˈjeːsti/ | jesť /jɛsc/ |
| Drink | dzert /dzɛrt/ | dzert /dzʲærtʲ/ | poūton /pouton/ | gertė /ɡʲɛrteː/ | gerti /ˈɡʲɛrtʲɪ/ | piti /ˈpiːti/ | piť /pɪc/ |
| Sleep | gulēt /ˈɡulʲeːt/ | gulēt /ˈɡulʲæːtʲ/ | meicte /meikte/ | miegotė /mʲɪɛɡoːteː/ | miegoti /mʲiɛˈɡoːtʲɪ/ | spati /ˈspaːti/ | spať /spac/ |
| One | viens /viɛns/ | vīns /ˈvʲiːnts/ | ains /ains/ | vins /vʲɪns/ | vienas /ˈvʲɪɛnɐs/ | eden /ˈɛːdən/ | jeden /ˈjɛdɛn/ |
| Two | divi /ˈdivi/ | divi /ˈdʲivʲi/ | dwai /dwai/ | du /dʊ/ | du /dʊ/ | dva /dʋaː/ | dva /dva/ |
| Three | trīs /triːs/ | treis /trejs/ | tīrjans /tiːrjans/ | trīs /triːs/ | trys /triːs/ | tri /triː/ | tri /trɪ/ |
| Four | četri /ˈtʃetri/ | četri /ˈtʃɛtri/ | keturjai /keturjai/ | keturi /kʲɛtʊrʲɪ/ | keturi /kʲɛtʊˈrʲi/ | štiri /ˈʃtiːri/ | štyri /ˈʃtiri/ |
| Five | pieci /ˈpiɛtsi/ | pīci /ˈpiːtsi/ | pēnkjāi /peːnkjaːi/ | pinki /pʲɪnkʲɪ/ | penki /pʲɛnˈkʲi/ | pet /peːt/ | päť /pɛc/ |
| Hundred | simts /simts/ | symts /sɨmts/ | — | šimts /ʃʲɪmts/ | šimtas /ˈʃʲɪmtɐs/ | sto /stoː/ | sto /sto/ |
| Hello | sveiki /svɛiki/ | vasals /ˈvasals/ | kaīls /kaiːls/ | labs /labs/ | labas /ˈlabɐs/ | živjo /ʒiʋjɔ/ | ahoj /ˈaɦoj/ |
| Thank you | paldies /paldiɛs/ | paļdis /ˈpalʲdʲis/ | dīnkun /diːnkun/ | ačiū /atʃuː/ | ačiū /ˈɑːtʃʲuː/ | hvala /ˈxʋaːla/ | ďakujem /ˈɟakujɛm/ |
| Good | labs /labs/ | lobs /lɔps/ | labs /labs/ | gers /ɡʲɛrs/ | geras /ˈɡʲæːrɐs/ | dober /ˈdoːbər/ | dobrý /ˈdobriː/ |
| New | jauns /jauns/ | jauns /jau̯nts/ | nauns /nauns/ | naus /nɐʊs/ | naujas /ˈnɐʊjɐs/ | nov /nɔʋ/ | nový /ˈnoviː/ |
| Red | sarkans /ˈsarkans/ | sorkons /ˈsɔrkons/ | wormyan /ˈwormjan/ | raudons /rɐʊˈdons/ | raudonas /rɐʊˈdoːnɐs/ | rdeč /ərˈdɛtʃ/ | červený /ˈtʃɛrvɛniː/ |
| White | balts /balts/ | bolts /bolts/ | gaylis /ɡajlis/ | balts /balts/ | baltas /ˈbaːltas/ | bel /beːʋ/ | biely /ˈbjeli/ |
| Black | melns /ˈmelns/ | malns /malnts/ | kirsnan /ˈkirsnan/ | jouds /jɔuds/ | juodas /ˈjuodɐs/ | črn /tʃərn/ | čierny /ˈtʃjerni/ |
| Green | zaļš /zaʎʃ/ | zaļš /zaʎʃ/ | saligan /saliɡan/ | žalis /ʒalʲɪs/ | žalias /ˈʒɑːlʲɛs/ | zelen /zɛˈlɛn/ | zelený /ˈzɛleniː/ |
| Blue | zils /zils/ | zyls /zɨls/ | galimban /ɡaˈlimban/ | mielīns /mʲɪɛˈliːns/ | mėlynas /ˈmʲeːlʲiːnɐs/ | moder /ˈmoːdər/ | modrý /ˈmɔdriː/ |
| Cuckoo | dzeguze /ˈdzɛɡuzɛ/ | dzagiuze /ˈdzaɡʲiuzʲæ/ | geguse /ɡɛˈɡuːzɛ/ | — | gegutė /ɡʲɛˈɡʊtʲeː/ | kukavica /ˈkuːkaʋitsa/ | kukučka /ˈkukutʃka/ |
| Woof | vau vau /vau vau/ | — | — | — | au au /ɐu ɐu/ | hov hov /xɔʋ xɔʋ/ | haf haf /ɦaf ɦaf/ |
| Cock-a-doodle-doo | kikerigū /ˈkikɛriɡuː/ | — | — | — | — | kikiriki /kikiriˈkiː/ | kikirikí /ˈkikirikiː/ |
| Computer | dators /ˈdatɔrs/ | dators /ˈdatɔrs/ | — | kuompioteris /kuomˈpʲɔtʲɛrʲɪs/ | kompiuteris /kɔmˈpʲutʲɛrʲɪs/ | računalnik /ratʃuˈnaːlnik/ | počítač /ˈpotʃiːtatʃ/ |
| Sushi | suši /ˈsuʃi/ | — | — | — | sušis /ˈsʊʃʲɪs/ | suši /ˈsuːʃi/ | suši /ˈsuʃi/ |
| Tea | tēja /ˈtɛːja/ | čajs /tʃajs/ | — | erbeta /ɛrbʲɛta/ | arbata /ɐrbɐˈtɐ/ | čaj /tʃaːj/ | čaj /tʃaj/ |
| Coffee | kafija /ˈkafija/ | kopejs /ˈkɔpʲɛjs/ | — | kava /kava/ | kava /kɐˈvɐ/ | kava /ˈkaːʋa/ | káva /ˈkaːva/ |
| Sugar | cukurs /ˈtsukurs/ | cukrys /ˈtsukrɨs/ | — | sokros /sɔkrɔs/ | cukrus /ˈtsʊkrʊs/ | sladkor /ˈslaːtkɔr/ | cukor /ˈtsukor/ |
| Orange | apelsīns /apɛlˈsiːns/ | apelsins /apelˈsins/ | — | — | apelsinas /ɐpʲɛlʲˈsʲɪnɐs/ | pomaranča /pɔmaˈraːntʃa/ | pomaranč /ˈpomarantʃ/ |
| Ninety-nine | deviņdesmit deviņi /ˈdeviɲdesmit ˈdeviɲi/ | — | — | — | devyniasdešimt devyni /dʲɛvʲɪnʲɛsˈdʲɛʃʲɪmt dʲɛˈvʲɪnʲi/ | devetindevetdeset /dɛˈʋeːtindɛˈʋeːddɛsɛt/ | deväťdesiat deväť /ˈdɛvɛcdɛsɪat ˈdɛvɛc/ |
| Dopamine | dofamīns /ˈdɔfamiːns/ | — | — | — | dopaminas /dɔpɐˈmʲinɐs/ | dopamin /dɔpaˈmiːn/ | dopamín /ˈdopamiːn/ |
| At sign | et /et/ | — | — | — | eta /ɛˈtaː/ | afna /ˈaːfna/ | zavináč /ˈzavɪnaːtʃ/ |
| Internet laughter | ha ha /xa xa/ | — | — | — | cha cha cha /xa xa xa/ | — | — |
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