Module 09 · Moods and participles · Izteiksmes un divdabji · Level A2
Debitive Mood (necessity, jā-)
Vajadzības izteiksme
A unique Latvian construction: "I need to do" is expressed with the prefix jā- on the verb in its 3rd-person form, while the person who must do it stands in the dative. The object of the action stands in the nominative.
Pattern
who (dative) + [ir] + jā- + verb in the viņš form + what (nominative)
| Tense | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| present | Man jāstrādā. | I need to work. |
| past | Man bija jāstrādā. | I needed to work. |
| future | Man būs jāstrādā. | I will need to work. |
| conditional | Man būtu jāstrādā. | I would need to work. |
ir is usually dropped in the present: Man jāiet (= Man ir jāiet).
The object stays in the nominative!
Man jāizlasa šī grāmata. — I need to read this book (not grāmatu, the accusative!). Tev jānopērk maize. Only personal pronouns stay in the accusative: Man tevi jāsatiek. (I need to meet you.)
jā- forms of various verbs
Take the viņš (he/she) present-tense form: iet → jāiet, ēst → jāēd, saprast → jāsaprot, mācīties → jāmācās, celties → jāceļas, būt → jābūt, darīt → jādara, zvanīt → jāzvana.
Negation
Man nav jāstrādā. — I don't need to work. Man nebija jāiet. (I didn't need to go.) The negation attaches to būt, not to jā-.
Other ways to say "need to"
- vajag / vajadzēja / vajadzēs + infinitive or genitive: Man vajag strādāt. (I need to work.) Man vajag naudu. (I need money.) — softer, "it is needed."
- jā- — obligation, necessity: Man jāstrādā.
- vajadzētu — advice: Tev vajadzētu atpūsties. (You should rest.)
- drīkst — may (permitted): Vai drīkst? (May I?)
- var — can (possible): Var iet. (One can go.)
Exercise
1) I need to go. 2) You needed to call. 3) We will need to buy tickets. 4) She doesn't need to work tomorrow.
Answers
1) Man jāiet. 2) Tev bija jāpiezvana. 3) Mums būs jānopērk biļetes. 4) Viņai rīt nav jāstrādā.Open the lesson in the trainer — with exercises and a “done” mark →Module test 09