Formal Nominal Style With -šana

Formal Nominal Style

Level 5

Official texts often name actions with -šana nouns instead of verbs. Iesniegt dokumentus (to submit documents) becomes dokumentu iesniegšana (the submission of documents).

How It Works

1. From verb to noun. Any verb can form a -šana noun (see -šana verbal nouns). In formal style, the whole verb phrase turns into a noun phrase:

  • pieņemt lēmumu (to make a decision) → lēmuma pieņemšana (the making of a decision)
  • iesniegt dokumentus (to submit documents) → dokumentu iesniegšana (the submission of documents)
  • parakstīt līgumu (to sign the contract) → līguma parakstīšana (the signing of the contract)

2. The object becomes a genitive. The accusative object of the verb becomes a genitive, and like every genitive describer it stands before the noun (see genitive before the noun): dokumentu iesniegšana, not iesniegšana dokumentu.

3. Where it is used. Rules, notices, forms and official letters are full of these phrases:

  • Dokumentu iesniegšana notiek līdz 1. martam. (Documents may be submitted until 1 March.)
  • Smēķēšana ēkā ir aizliegta. (Smoking in the building is prohibited.)
  • Pēc līguma parakstīšanas jūs saņemsiet rēķinu. (After the contract is signed, you will receive an invoice.)

4. Chains. A -šana phrase can itself describe another noun, which creates a chain of genitives: pieteikumu pieņemšanas termiņš (the deadline for accepting applications). See chains of genitives.

5. In everyday speech. A verb is clearer when you talk to people. Kad jūs parakstīsiet līgumu, jūs saņemsiet rēķinu says the same as example 3 in plain style. Recognise the nominal style when reading, and use it when writing formally.

Examples (6)

  1. Lēmuma pieņemšana aizņēma divas nedēļas.

    Making the decision took two weeks.

    Word by Word: Decision's taking took two weeks.

    From pieņemt lēmumu: the object lēmumu becomes the genitive lēmuma.

  2. Dokumentu iesniegšana notiek līdz 1. martam.

    Documents may be submitted until 1 March.

    Word by Word: Documents' submitting happens until 1st March.

  3. Smēķēšana ēkā ir aizliegta.

    Smoking in the building is prohibited.

    Word by Word: Smoking in-building is prohibited.

    A typical notice. Smēķēt has no object, so there is no genitive.

  4. Pēc līguma parakstīšanas jūs saņemsiet rēķinu.

    After the contract is signed, you will receive an invoice.

    Word by Word: After contract's signing you will-receive invoice.

    Pēc takes the genitive, so parakstīšana becomes parakstīšanas.

  5. Pieteikumu pieņemšanas termiņš ir 15. maijs.

    The deadline for accepting applications is 15 May.

    Word by Word: Applications' accepting's deadline is 15th May.

    A chain of two genitives before termiņš.

  6. Vairāk uzmanības jāpievērš ceļu uzturēšanai.

    More attention must be paid to the maintenance of roads.

    Word by Word: More of-attention must-turn roads' maintaining.

    The -šana noun is in the dative here, because pievērst uzmanību takes a dative.

Common Mistakes

  • Keeping the accusative object.

    Dokumentus iesniegšana notiek līdz 1. martam.
    Dokumentu iesniegšana notiek līdz 1. martam.

    Once the action is a noun, its object becomes a genitive: dokumentu, not dokumentus.

  • Putting the object after the -šana noun.

    Iesniegšana dokumentu notiek līdz 1. martam.
    Dokumentu iesniegšana notiek līdz 1. martam.

    A genitive describer stands before the noun it describes, so dokumentu comes first.

How It Connects

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Formal Nominal Style With -šanaLevel 5Formal Nominal Style

Learn This First

Formal style uses -šana nouns.

Words in This Pattern

-šana