Adjective Agreement
The adjective copies the noun: liels galds · liela māja · lieli galdi · lielas mājas.
How It Works
The basic endings. These are the indefinite endings, used for "a big ..." and after ir:
- masculine singular -s or -š: liels galds (a big table), zaļš koks (a green tree)
- feminine singular -a: liela māja (a big house), zaļa kleita (a green dress)
- masculine plural -i: lieli galdi (big tables)
- feminine plural -as: lielas mājas (big houses)
Follow the noun's gender. Look at the gender, not only the last letter. Ūdens (water) is masculine, so it is auksts ūdens. Nakts (night) ends in -s but is feminine, so it is gara nakts (a long night). A few nouns in -a are masculine: mazs puika (a little boy). See masculine and feminine nouns and masculine nouns in -a and -e.
After ir. An adjective after ir still agrees with the subject: Māja ir liela. (The house is big.) Āboli ir garšīgi. (The apples are tasty.)
Case. The adjective changes case together with its noun. As a singular object, both genders end in -u: Es gribu mazu kūku. (I want a small cake.) The other cases are in adjectives in every case.
Definite endings. For something already known, Latvian has a second set of endings, -ais and -ā: lielais galds (the big table). See definite adjective endings. To say how someone does something, use an adverb instead: labi, ātri.
Examples (6)
- Man ir liels suns.
I have a big dog.
Word by Word: To-me is big dog.
Suns is masculine, so the adjective is liels.
- Šī ir laba kafija.
This is good coffee.
Word by Word: This is good coffee.
- Kafija ir karsta.
The coffee is hot.
Word by Word: Coffee is hot.
After ir the adjective still agrees: karsta.
- Tirgū ir lieli āboli.
There are big apples at the market.
Word by Word: At-market are big apples.
- Es gribu mazu kūku.
I want a small cake.
Word by Word: I want small cake.
As an object, the noun and the adjective both end in -u.
- Ūdens ir auksts.
The water is cold.
Word by Word: Water is cold.
Ūdens is masculine.
Common Mistakes
Using the masculine form with a feminine noun.
Man ir liels ģimene.Man ir liela ģimene.Ģimene is feminine, so the adjective ends in -a: liela.
Forgetting agreement after ir.
Mana ģimene ir liels.Mana ģimene ir liela.An adjective after ir agrees with the subject too. Ģimene is feminine, so it is liela.
Guessing the gender from the ending alone.
Nakts ir auksts.Nakts ir auksta.Nakts ends in -s like many masculine nouns, but it is feminine, so the adjective is auksta.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Adjectives agree with the noun's gender and number.
Related Patterns
- Masculine and Feminine Nouns
The noun's gender decides the adjective ending.
Level 1 - Adjectives in Every Case
The adjective endings for every case.
Level 2 - Definite Adjectives -ais / -āDefinite Adjective Endings
The second set of endings, for something already known.
Level 3 - Adverbs in -iAdverbs Ending in -i
The -i form describes a verb instead of a noun.
Level 1 - Masculine Nouns in -a and -e
Nouns like puika take masculine adjectives.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
- Sveiks / Sveika / SveikiHello That AgreesLevel 1
- kurš / kuraWhich: Kurš and KuraLevel 2
- nekas / neviens / nekur / nekadNobody, Nothing and NeverLevel 2
- Numbers That AgreeLevel 2
- Comparative -āksComparing: -āksLevel 3
- Nouns Used Only in the PluralLevel 3
- vajadzīgsNeeded: VajadzīgsLevel 3
- -is / -usi / -uši / -ušasPast Participle AgreementLevel 4
And 1 more in the full list.
Practice Adjective Agreement in Bubblegum
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