Module 06 · Adjectives and adverbs · Īpašības un apstākļa vārdi · Level A2

Definite Endings: -ais / -ā

Noteiktās galotnes

Latvian adjectives have two forms — indefinite (liels) and definite (lielais). Think of it as the difference between English "a" and "the," built right into the adjective itself. There's no separate article in Latvian — the distinction lives inside the adjective's ending, which is why it takes some getting used to for an English speaker.

When to use the definite form

1. A known, specific thing: Kur ir lielā grāmata? — where is the big book (the one we both know, "the big book"). Dod man sarkano somu. — give me the red bag.
2. After demonstrative and possessive pronouns: šis jaunais dators, mans labais draugs, tas vecais cilvēks.
3. Ordinal numerals and the superlative degree — always: pirmais, otrā, labākais, visskaistākā.
4. Names and fixed expressions: Lielais Kristaps, Melnā jūra (the Black Sea), Baltais nams (the White House), Jaunais gads (New Year).
5. Direct address and "the one who": Mīļo mammu! Cienījamie viesi!
6. Substantivized forms (adjective used as a noun): mazie (the little ones), vecie (the elderly), labākais (the best).

Table: labais / labā

Tell-tale signs: -ais/-ā in the nominative, -o in the accusative (both genders!), -aj- before the dative and locative endings.

Compare

Es pērku jaunu mašīnu. — I'm buying a new car (some new car, unspecified — like "a"). Es pērku jauno mašīnu. — I'm buying the new car (the specific one we discussed — like "the").

Man patīk zaļa krāsa. — I like green (the color in general — "a" sense). Man patīk zaļais krekls. — I like that green sweater (the specific one — "the" sense).

Exercise

Choose the form: 1) Tas ir (labs / labais) draugs — just a good friend. 2) Kur ir (mans jauns / mans jaunais) telefons? 3) Šodien ir (pirmā / pirma) diena. 4) Es gribu (lielu / lielo) kafiju — any big one, unspecified.

Open the lesson in the trainer — with exercises and a “done” mark →Module test 06