-ība / -ums
Abstract Nouns: -ība and -ums
Add -ība or -ums to a stem to name a quality or a state: brīvs → brīvība (free → freedom), skaists → skaistums (beautiful → beauty). Words in -ība are feminine, and words in -ums are masculine.
How It Works
1. -ība (feminine). Many -ība nouns come from adjectives:
- brīvs → brīvība (free → freedom)
- vesels → veselība (healthy → health)
- bagāts → bagātība (rich → wealth)
- draugs → draudzība (friend → friendship). The g changes to dz before ī. This is a different change from the consonant changes before case endings.
Adjectives in -īgs often have a partner noun in -ība: uzmanīgs (careful) and uzmanība (attention), atbildīgs (responsible) and atbildība (responsibility).
2. -ums (masculine). Many -ums nouns name a quality or a size:
- skaists → skaistums (beautiful → beauty)
- silts → siltums (warm → warmth)
- garš → garums (long → length), augsts → augstums (high → height), ātrs → ātrums (fast → speed)
- labs → labums (good → benefit), vecs → vecums (old → age)
Some -ums nouns come from verbs and name a result: pirkt → pirkums (to buy → a purchase), sākt → sākums (to begin → the beginning), nogurt → nogurums (to get tired → tiredness).
3. Endings and agreement. The suffix decides the gender, so adjectives agree with it: laba veselība (good health), patīkams siltums (pleasant warmth). The cases follow the usual patterns: veselībai, brīvībā; skaistuma, siltumā. Nouns in -ums that name things you can count have plurals in -umi: pirkumi (purchases).
4. Not every quality uses them. Some qualities have other nouns: happiness is laime, and sadness is skumjas. Activities use -šana instead: lasīšana (reading).
Examples (6)
- Brīvība ir svarīga.
Freedom is important.
Word by Word: Freedom is important.
Brīvība is feminine, so svarīga has the feminine ending.
- Mūsu draudzība ilgst jau desmit gadus.
Our friendship has lasted ten years already.
Word by Word: Our friendship lasts already ten years.
- Veselība ir svarīgāka par naudu.
Health is more important than money.
Word by Word: Health is more-important than money.
- Man patīk šīs pilsētas skaistums.
I like the beauty of this city.
Word by Word: To-me pleases this city's beauty.
- Kāds ir šī galda garums?
How long is this table?
Word by Word: What-kind is this table's length?
Garums is masculine, so the question word is kāds.
- Istabā ir patīkams siltums.
The room is pleasantly warm.
Word by Word: In-room is pleasant warmth.
Common Mistakes
Using a masculine adjective with an -ība noun.
Brīvība ir svarīgs.Brīvība ir svarīga.Every noun in -ība is feminine, so an adjective that describes it takes a feminine ending.
Using a feminine adjective with an -ums noun.
Istabā ir patīkama siltums.Istabā ir patīkams siltums.Every noun in -ums is masculine, so an adjective that describes it takes a masculine ending.
How It Connects
Learn This First
-ība and -ums make abstract nouns.
Related Patterns
- Adjective Suffixes -īgs, -isks, -ainsAdjective Suffixes
Many -īgs adjectives have a partner noun in -ība: uzmanīgs and uzmanība.
Level 4 - Fourth Declension: -aFourth Declension: Nouns in -a
Nouns in -ība follow the fourth declension: brīvība, brīvības, brīvībā.
Level 1 - First Declension: -s, -šFirst Declension: Masculine -s and -š
Nouns in -ums follow the first declension: siltums, siltuma, siltumā.
Level 1 - Consonant Changes Before Endings
That entry covers consonant changes before case endings. Before -ība a different change happens: g becomes dz, so draugs gives draudzība.
Level 2 - -nīca / -tavaPlaces: -nīca and -tava
Another pair of noun suffixes. They make nouns for places.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice -ība / -ums in Bubblegum
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