Adjective Suffixes -īgs, -isks, -ains
Adjective Suffixes
Add a suffix to a noun to make an adjective: -īgs (laime → laimīgs, happy), -isks (vēsture → vēsturisks, historic) and -ains (saule → saulains, sunny).
How It Works
1. -īgs: having or showing something.
- laime → laimīgs (happiness → happy)
- miers → mierīgs (peace → calm)
- māja → mājīgs (home → cozy)
- spēks → spēcīgs (strength → strong)
- draugs → draudzīgs (friend → friendly)
Before -īgs, k becomes c and g becomes dz. This is a different change from the consonant changes before case endings.
2. -isks: typical of or like something.
- latvisks (typically Latvian, in the Latvian style)
- vēsture → vēsturisks (history → historic)
- daba → dabisks (nature → natural)
- cilvēks → cilvēcisks (person → human, humane)
3. -ains: full of or covered with something.
- saule → saulains (sun → sunny), mākonis → mākoņains (cloud → cloudy)
- vējš → vējains (wind → windy), lietus → lietains (rain → rainy)
- kalns → kalnains (hill → hilly), akmens → akmeņains (stone → stony)
- svītra → svītrains (stripe → striped)
4. Latvian language, Latvian style. To say that something belongs to Latvians, such as the language or the people, Latvian uses the genitive plural latviešu: latviešu valoda (the Latvian language). Latvisks describes style or character: latviska māja (a house in the Latvian style).
The opposite of many -īgs words starts with ne-: laimīgs → nelaimīgs (unhappy).
Examples (6)
- Šodien ir saulaina diena.
Today is a sunny day.
Word by Word: Today is sunny day.
- Rīt būs mākoņains un vējains laiks.
Tomorrow the weather will be cloudy and windy.
Word by Word: Tomorrow will-be cloudy and windy weather.
- Viņa izskatās ļoti laimīga.
She looks very happy.
Word by Word: She looks very happy.
- Mūsu kaimiņš ir draudzīgs cilvēks.
Our neighbor is a friendly person.
Word by Word: Our neighbor is friendly person.
Draudzīgs comes from draugs (friend). The g changes to dz.
- Šī ir ļoti latviska tradīcija.
This is a very Latvian tradition.
Word by Word: This is very Latvian tradition.
- Vecrīgā ir daudz vēsturisku ēku.
There are many historic buildings in Old Riga.
Word by Word: In-Old-Riga is many historic buildings.
Common Mistakes
Using latvisks to name the Latvian language.
Es mācos latvisku valodu.Es mācos latviešu valodu.The language of the Latvians is latviešu valoda, with the genitive plural latviešu. Latvisks means in the Latvian style.
Keeping k before -īgs.
Viņš ir ļoti spēkīgs.Viņš ir ļoti spēcīgs.Before -īgs, k becomes c: spēks → spēcīgs.
Forgetting that the new adjective agrees with its noun.
Šodien ir saulains diena.Šodien ir saulaina diena.Diena is feminine, so saulains takes the feminine ending -a.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Adjective suffixes build adjectives.
Related Patterns
- Adjective Agreement
Adjectives made with these suffixes agree with their noun like any other adjective.
Level 1 - Consonant Changes Before Endings
That entry covers consonant changes before case endings. Before -īgs a different change happens: k becomes c and g becomes dz, as in spēcīgs and draudzīgs.
Level 2 - -ība / -umsAbstract Nouns: -ība and -ums
Many -īgs adjectives have a partner noun in -ība: atbildīgs and atbildība.
Level 4 - Opposites With ne-
Ne- makes opposites of these adjectives: laimīgs → nelaimīgs.
Level 4 - Talking About the Weather
Saulains, mākoņains and vējains are common in talk about the weather.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice Adjective Suffixes -īgs, -isks, -ains in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Latvian lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
