viens otru / cits citu
Each Other
Viens otru and cits citu mean each other or one another: Viņi mīl viens otru (They love each other), Mēs palīdzam cits citam (We help one another).
How It Works
1. The second word changes.
- accusative: Viņi mīl viens otru. (They love each other.)
- dative: Mēs palīdzam cits citam. (We help one another.) Palīdzēt takes the dative (see verbs with dative objects).
- locative: viens otrā, cits citā
2. The first word follows the subject. For women and girls, use the feminine: Māsas bieži zvana viena otrai. (The sisters often call each other.) A mixed group uses the masculine: viens otru.
3. Prepositions go in the middle. Viņi runāja viens par otru. (They talked about each other.) Kolēģi cits ar citu runā latviski. (The colleagues speak Latvian with one another.) Blakus follows the pair: Bērni sēdēja cits citam blakus. (The children sat next to one another.)
4. Viens otru or cits citu. Both mean each other. Viens otru (one ... the other) fits two people especially well, and cits citu (one ... another) fits a larger group, but speakers often use them interchangeably.
5. Not sevi. Sevi means oneself: Viņi mīl sevi means they love themselves. For a mutual action, use viens otru, or a reciprocal -ties verb where one exists: Viņi satikās.
Examples (6)
- Viņi mīl viens otru.
They love each other.
Word by Word: They love one other.
Mīlēt takes the accusative, so the second word is otru.
- Mēs palīdzam cits citam.
We help one another.
Palīdzēt takes the dative: citam.
- Māsas bieži zvana viena otrai.
The sisters often call each other.
Feminine forms for women: viena otrai.
- Viņi runāja viens par otru.
They talked about each other.
The preposition par goes between the two words.
- Kolēģi cits ar citu runā latviski.
The colleagues speak Latvian with one another.
- Bērni sēdēja cits citam blakus.
The children sat next to one another.
Blakus takes the dative and follows the pair.
Common Mistakes
Giving the second word the wrong case.
Viņi mīl viens otram.Viņi mīl viens otru.Mīlēt takes the accusative, so the second word is otru. Use otram only with a verb that takes the dative, such as palīdzēt.
Using masculine forms for a group of women.
Māsas palīdz viens otrai.Māsas palīdz viena otrai.The first word agrees with the subject. Māsas is feminine, so it is viena.
Using sevi for each other. Intended meaning: they love each other.
Viņi mīl sevi.Viņi mīl viens otru.Sevi means themselves. Each other is viens otru or cits citu.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Viens otru means each other.
Related Patterns
- sevi / sev / sevisThe Reflexive Pronoun Sevi
The reflexive pronoun for oneself, not each other.
Level 3 - palīdzēt / zvanīt / ticēt + DativeVerbs with Dative Objects
Verbs that put the second word in the dative: cits citam.
Level 2 - blakus / pretī / apkārt / garām + DativeNext to, Opposite and Around
Place words that follow the pair: cits citam blakus.
Level 3 - Adjective Agreement
The first word agrees in gender like an adjective.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice viens otru / cits citu in Bubblegum
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