pat / tieši
Even and Exactly
Pat means even and tieši means exactly. Each one goes right before the word it focuses on: Pat bērni to zina (Even children know it).
How It Works
1. Pat: even. Pat goes before the surprising part:
- Pat bērni to zina. (Even children know it.)
- Viņš strādā pat svētdienās. (He works even on Sundays.)
Before a negative verb it means not even: Viņš pat neatvadījās. (He did not even say goodbye.)
2. Tieši: exactly. Tieši points to one thing, time or place and no other:
- Mēs tiekamies tieši pulksten piecos. (We are meeting at exactly five o'clock.) See telling the time.
- Kāpēc tieši tagad? (Why right now?)
- Tieši tā! (Exactly! That's right!)
Tieši is also the adverb of tiešs (direct), so it can mean directly: Šis vilciens brauc tieši uz Rīgu (This train goes directly to Riga).
3. Word order matters. Both words focus on what comes right after them. Pat bērni to zina means even children know it. Bērni pat to zina means children even know that.
Do not confuse pat with pats (himself, oneself), which agrees with a noun. Pat never changes its form.
Examples (6)
- Pat bērni to zina.
Even children know it.
Word by Word: Even children it know.
- Viņš strādā pat svētdienās.
He works even on Sundays.
- Viņš pat neatvadījās.
He did not even say goodbye.
Pat before a negative verb means not even.
- Tieši tā!
Exactly! That's right!
Word by Word: Exactly so!
- Mēs tiekamies tieši pulksten piecos.
We are meeting at exactly five o'clock.
- Kāpēc tieši tagad?
Why right now?
Word by Word: Why exactly now?
Common Mistakes
Putting pat after the word it should focus on.
Bērni pat to zina.Pat bērni to zina.The sentence is meant to say Even children know it. Bērni pat to zina is correct Latvian, but it means Children even know that. Pat focuses on the word right after it, so put it before bērni.
Using pats (oneself) instead of pat (even).
Pats bērni to zina.Pat bērni to zina.Pats means himself or oneself and must agree with its noun. The word for even is pat, which never changes.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Pat and tieši add emphasis.
Related Patterns
- arīAlso: Arī
Arī (also) adds to a list; pat adds something surprising.
Level 1 - pats / patiMyself and Yourself: Pats
Pats (oneself) looks like pat but is a different word that agrees with its noun.
Level 3 - Telling the Time
Tieši is often used with clock times: tieši pulksten piecos.
Level 2 - vai tad / vai tiešāmSurprised Questions
Tiešām (really, truly) looks like tieši, but it confirms that something is true rather than pointing to one exact thing.
Level 4
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice pat / tieši in Bubblegum
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