Indeclinable Adjectives Like rozā
Adjectives That Never Change
rozā (pink), lillā (lilac), bordo (burgundy) and haki (khaki) never change: rozā kleita, rozā kurpes, ar rozā ziediem.
How It Works
1. The words. A small group of borrowed colour adjectives has no Latvian ending: rozā (pink), lillā (lilac, purple), bordo (burgundy), haki (khaki), indigo (indigo).
2. One form everywhere. Compare them with normal adjective agreement:
- zaļa kleita but rozā kleita (a pink dress)
- zaļas kurpes but rozā kurpes (pink shoes)
- ar zaļiem ziediem but ar rozā ziediem (with pink flowers)
- zaļā žaketē but bordo žaketē (in a burgundy jacket)
3. No definite ending. Because the form never changes, rozā kleita can mean "a pink dress" or "the pink dress" (compare definite adjective -ais -ā). Context tells you which.
4. Style. Dictionaries mark lillā as conversational, and the neutral word is violets. People also say bordo krāsas (of a burgundy colour): bordo krāsas velosipēds (a burgundy bike).
These words work like nouns that never change such as kino and radio.
Examples (6)
- Viņai ir rozā kleita.
She has a pink dress.
Word by Word: To-her is pink dress.
- Es nopirku rozā kurpes.
I bought pink shoes.
Word by Word: I bought pink shoes.
- Tā meitene ar rozā matiem ir mana māsa.
That girl with pink hair is my sister.
Word by Word: That girl with pink hairs is my sister.
Matiem is dative plural, and rozā stays the same.
- Bordo krāsa tev ļoti piestāv.
Burgundy really suits you.
Word by Word: Burgundy colour to-you very suits.
- Viņš ieradās bordo žaketē.
He arrived in a burgundy jacket.
Word by Word: He arrived in-burgundy jacket.
- Viņa nopirka lillā šalli.
She bought a lilac scarf.
Word by Word: She bought lilac scarf.
Lillā is conversational. Violets is the neutral word.
Common Mistakes
Adding a plural ending to rozā.
Es nopirku rozās kurpes.Es nopirku rozā kurpes.Rozā never changes. Only the noun kurpes shows the plural.
Adding a case ending to rozā.
Nopirku rozāju kleitu.Nopirku rozā kleitu.The noun kleitu shows the accusative. Rozā keeps its one form.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Some adjectives never change.
Related Patterns
- Adjective Agreement
Normal adjectives change to agree with the noun, but these do not.
Level 1 - Adjectives in Every Case
Other adjectives take case endings, while rozā keeps one form in every case.
Level 2 - Definite Adjectives -ais / -āDefinite Adjective Endings
Rozā has no definite form, so rozā kleita can mean a pink dress or the pink dress.
Level 3 - Adjective Suffixes -īgs, -isks, -ainsAdjective Suffixes
Latvian colour words made with suffixes, such as rožains, do change their endings.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice Indeclinable Adjectives Like rozā in Bubblegum
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