; Watch for the _____. : Skaties, kur ir _____. (''...'')
; Watch for the _____. : Skaties, kur ir _____. (''...'')
; intersection : krustojums (''...'')
; intersection : krustojums (''...'')
−
; north : ziemeļi (''...'')
+
; north : ziemeļi (''ZYEH-meh-lyih'')
; south : dienvidi (''DYEHN-vih-dih'')
; south : dienvidi (''DYEHN-vih-dih'')
; east : austrumi (''OWS-troo-mih'')
; east : austrumi (''OWS-troo-mih'')
Revision as of 13:53, 15 December 2010
Latvian is the official language in the Republic of Latvia, spoken natively by approximately 60% of the residents of Latvia, approximately 1,250,000 people. Worldwide it is estimated to be spoken by 1,504,880 people, a 2009 estimate from Ethnologue. It is an Indo-European language that shares its own Baltic language group with Lithuanian, New Curonian, Old Prussian, and Semigallian. The Baltic languages show closest relationship with the Slavic languages, and are commonly reconstructed to have passed through common Proto-Balto-Slavic stage, during which numerous Common Balto-Slavic lexical, phonological, morphological and accentological isoglosses developed. It is a relatively new language, its first written accounts date to 1530 A.D.
Written Latvian is based on the Latin alphabet and uses 33 letters:
Aa, Āā, Bb, Cc, Čč, Dd, Ee, Ēē, Ff, Gg, Ģģ, Hh, Ii, Īī, Jj, Kk, Ķķ, Ll, Ļļ, Mm, Nn, Ņņ, Oo, Pp, Rr, Ss, Šš, Tt, Uu, Ūū, Vv, Zz, Žž.
The 24-hour clock is used in Latvia. You may find that Latvians also use it when speaking. The easiest way to tell time in Latvian is to say the hour and then the minutes, e.g. ' three-twenty '.
Vai jūs to varētu man parādīt uz kartes? (vai yoos taw VAH-rehh-too mahn PAH-rahh-deet ooz KAHR-tehs?)
street
iela (IH-eh-lah)
road
ceļu (TSEH-lyoo)
avenue
avēnija (AH-veh-nyah)
boulevard
bulvāris (BOOL-vahh-rihs)
highway
automaģistrāle (...)
Turn left.
Pagriezties pa kreisi. (...)
Turn right.
Pagriezties pa labi. (...)
left
pa kreisi (...)
right
pa labi (...)
straight ahead
tieši uz priekšu (...)
towards the _____
pret _____ (...)
past the _____
aiz _____ (...)
before the _____
pirms _____ (...)
Watch for the _____.
Skaties, kur ir _____. (...)
intersection
krustojums (...)
north
ziemeļi (ZYEH-meh-lyih)
south
dienvidi (DYEHN-vih-dih)
east
austrumi (OWS-troo-mih)
west
rietumi (RYEH-too-mih)
uphill
kalnup (KAHL-noop)
downhill
lejup (LAY-oop)
Taxi
Taxi.
Taksometrs. (TAHK-soh-mehtrs)
Take me to _____, please.
Aizvediet mani uz _____, lūdzu. (AYZ-veh-dyeht MAH-nih uhz...,LOO-dzuh)
How much does it cost to get to _____?
Cik maksā brauciens līdz _____? (...)
Take me there, please.
Aizvediet mani uz turieni, lūdzu. (...)
Lodging
Hotel
Viesnīca (VYEHS-nee-tsah)
Do you have any rooms available?
Vai jums ir kāda brīva istaba? (vay yuhms ihr KAH-dah BREE-vah IHS-tah-bah?)
Does the room come with...
Vai šajā istabā ir...
...bedsheets?
...palagi?
...a bathroom?
...vannas istaba?
...a telephone?
...telefons?
...a TV?
...televizors?
How much is a room for one person/two people?
Cik maksā istaba vienai personai/divām personām?
May I see the room first?
Vai es varētu vispirms apskatīt istabu?
OK, I'll take it.
Labi, es ņemšu.
I will stay for _____ night(s).
Es palikšu ___ nakti(s).
Do you have a safe?
Vai jums ir seifs?
Is breakfast/supper included?
Vai brokastis/vakariņas ir iekļautas cenā?
Money
Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars?
Vai jūs pieņemat Amerikas/Austrālijas/Kanādas dolāru? (vai yoos PYEH-nyeh-mah AMEH-rih-kahs/OWS-trahh-lyahs/KAH-nahh-dahs DOH-lahh-ruh?)
Do you accept British pounds?
Do you accept British pounds? (...)
Do you accept credit cards?
Do you accept credit cards? (...)
Can you change money for me?
Can you change money for me? (...)
Where can I get money changed?
Where can I get money changed? (...)
Can you change a traveler's check for me?
Can you change a traveler's check for me? (...)
Where can I get a traveler's check changed?
Where can I get a traveler's check changed? (...)
What is the exchange rate?
What is the exchange rate? (...)
Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?
Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? (...)
Eating
A table for one person/two people, please.
Tabula vienai personai/diviem cilvēkiem, lūdzu. (TAH-buh-lah VYEH-nai PEHR-soh-nai/DIH-vyehm TSIHL-vehh-kyehm, LOO-dzuh)
Can I look at the menu, please?
Can I look at the menu, please? (...)
Can I look in the kitchen?
Can I look in the kitchen? (...)
Is there a house specialty?
Is there a house specialty? (...)
Is there a local specialty?
Is there a local specialty? (...)
I'm a vegetarian.
I'm a vegetarian. (...)
I don't eat pork.
I don't eat pork. (...)
I don't eat beef.
I don't eat beef. (...)
I only eat kosher food.
I only eat kosher food. (...)
Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard)
Can you make it "lite", please? (...)
fixed-price meal
fixed-price meal (...)
a la carte
a la carte (...)
breakfast
breakfast (...)
lunch
lunch (...)
tea (meal)
tea (...)
supper
supper (...)
I want _____.
I want _____. (...)
I want a dish containing _____.
I want a dish containing _____. (...)
chicken
chicken (...)
beef
beef (...)
fish
fish (...)
ham
ham (...)
sausage
sausage (...)
cheese
cheese (...)
eggs
eggs (...)
salad
salad (...)
(fresh) vegetables
(fresh) vegetables (...)
(fresh) fruit
(fresh) fruit (...)
bread
bread (...)
toast
toast (...)
noodles
noodles (...)
rice
rice (...)
beans
beans (...)
May I have a glass of _____?
May I have a glass of _____? (...)
May I have a cup of _____?
May I have a cup of _____? (...)
May I have a bottle of _____?
May I have a bottle of _____? (...)
coffee
coffee (...)
tea (drink)
tea (...)
juice
juice (...)
(bubbly) water
water (...)
water
water (...)
beer
beer (...)
red/white wine
red/white wine (...)
May I have some _____?
May I have some _____? (...)
salt
salt (...)
black pepper
black pepper (...)
butter
butter (...)
Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)
Excuse me, waiter? (...)
I'm finished.
I'm finished. (...)
It was delicious.
It was delicious. (...)
Please clear the plates.
Please clear the plates. (...)
The check, please.
The check, please. (...)
Bars
Do you serve alcohol?
Vai jums ir alkohols? (vai yuhms ihr AHL-koh-hohls?)
Is there table service?
Is there table service? (...)
A beer/two beers, please.
A beer/two beers, please. (...)
A glass of red/white wine, please.
A glass of red/white wine, please. (...)
A pint, please.
A pint, please. (...)
A bottle, please.
A bottle, please. (...)
_____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please.
_____ and _____, please. (...)
whiskey
viskijs (VIHS-kihls)
vodka
degvīns (DAHG-veens)
rum
rum (...)
water
water (...)
club soda
club soda (...)
tonic water
tonic water (...)
orange juice
orange juice (...)
Coke (soda)
Coke (...)
Do you have any bar snacks?
Do you have any bar snacks? (...)
One more, please.
One more, please. (...)
Another round, please.
Another round, please. (...)
When is closing time?
When is closing time? (...)
Cheers!
Cheers! (...)
Shopping
Do you have this in my size?
Jums ir mans izmērs? (yooms ihr mahns IHZ-mehhrs?)
How much is this?
Cik tas maksā?
That's too expensive.
Tas ir pārāk dārgi.
Would you take _____?
Jūs pieņemat _____?
expensive
dārgi
cheap
lēti
I can't afford it.
Es to nevaru atļauties.
I don't want it.
Es to nevēlos.
You're cheating me.
Jūs mani krāpjat.
I'm not interested.
Mani tas neinteresē.
OK, I'll take it.
Labi, es to ņemšu.
I need...
Man vajag/vajadzētu...
...toothpaste.
...zobu pastu.
...a toothbrush.
...zobu birsti.
...tampons.
...tamponus.
...soap.
...ziepes.
...shampoo.
...šampūnu.
...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen)
...atsāpinošas tabletes.
...cold medicine.
...zāles pret saaukstēšanos.
...an umbrella.
...lietussargu.
...postage stamps.
...pastmarkas.
...batteries.
...baterijas.
...a pen.
...pildspalvu.
...English-language books.
...grāmatas angļu valodā.
Driving
I want to rent a car.
Es gribu iznomāt automašīnu. (ehs GRIH-buh IHZ-noh-mahht OW-toh-mah-shee-noo)
Can I get insurance?
Can I get insurance? (...)
stop (on a street sign)
stop (...)
one way
one way (...)
yield
yield (...)
no parking
no parking (...)
speed limit
speed limit (...)
gas (petrol) station
gas station (...)
petrol
petrol (...)
diesel
diesel (...)
Authority
I haven't done anything wrong.
Es neesmu darījis[male]/darījusi[female] neko sliktu.
It was a misunderstanding.
Ir radies pārpratums.
Where are you taking me?
Uz kurieni jūs mani vedat?
Am I under arrest?
Vai es esmu arestēts[male]/arestēta[female]?
I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen.
Es esmu Amerikas/Austrālijas/Lielbritānijas/Kanādas pilsonis[male]/pilsone[female].
I want to talk to a lawyer.
Es gribu runāt ar advokātu.
Can I just pay a fine now?
Vai varu samaksāt sodu tagad? (vai VAH-ruh SAH-mahk-sahht SOH-duh TAH-gahd?)
Emergencies
Help!
Palīdzība! (PAH-leed-zee-bah)
Look out!
Fire!
Go away!
Thief!
Stop thief!
Call the police!
Where is the police station?
Can you help me please?
Could I use your telephone/mobil/cell phone?
There's been an accident!
Call a
...doctor!
...an ambulance!
I need medical attention!
I'm ill.
I'm lost.
I've been raped!
Where are the toilets?
Kur ir tualetes? (koor ihr TWAH-leh-tehs?)
This is a usable phrasebook. It explains pronunciation and the bare essentials of travel communication. An adventurous person could use it to get by, but please plunge forward and help it grow!
