iet / braukt

Going on Foot or by Vehicle

Level 2

English go has two Latvian partners. Use iet when you walk and braukt when you ride in a car, bus or train or on a bike: Es eju uz veikalu (I am walking to the shop), Es braucu uz Rīgu (I am going to Riga).

How It Works

1. The forms.

  • iet: es eju, tu ej, viņš iet, mēs ejam, jūs ejat, viņi iet; past gāju
  • braukt: es braucu, tu brauc, viņš brauc, mēs braucam, jūs braucat, viņi brauc; past braucu, brauca

2. Choose by how you travel.

  • On foot: Es eju uz darbu kājām (I walk to work). Kājām means on foot.
  • By car, bus, train or tram, or on a bike: Viņa brauc uz darbu ar autobusu (She goes to work by bus), braukt ar velosipēdu (to ride a bike).
  • A vehicle itself brauc: Vilciens brauc uz Siguldu (The train goes to Sigulda).
  • By plane, you usually say lidot (to fly): Es lidoju uz Londonu (I am flying to London).

3. Iet in general. Iet also covers going when the way of travel does not matter, as in iet uz skolu (to go to school), and it appears in set phrases such as Kā iet? (How is it going?).

4. A neutral choice. Doties (to set off, to head) works for any kind of trip: Mēs dodamies uz Rīgu (We are heading to Riga).

Tip: braucu means both I go and I went. A time word such as vakar (yesterday) shows the past.

Examples (6)

  1. Es eju uz darbu kājām.

    I walk to work.

    Word by Word: I go to work on foot.

    Kājām (on foot) goes naturally with iet.

  2. Rīt mēs braucam uz Liepāju.

    Tomorrow we are going to Liepāja.

    A trip to another town means travelling by vehicle, so braukt.

  3. Viņa brauc uz darbu ar autobusu.

    She goes to work by bus.

    Ar autobusu names the vehicle.

  4. Kur tu ej?

    Where are you going?

    Asked of someone leaving on foot: iet.

  5. Es braucu uz veikalu ar velosipēdu.

    I am cycling to the shop.

    A bike is a vehicle too, so braukt.

  6. Vilciens brauc uz Siguldu.

    The train goes to Sigulda.

    When the subject is a vehicle, it brauc.

Common Mistakes

  • Using iet for a trip by train, bus or car.

    Es eju uz Rīgu ar vilcienu.
    Es braucu uz Rīgu ar vilcienu.

    Standard Latvian uses braukt for a trip by vehicle. Iet pictures you walking.

  • Using braukt for going on foot.

    Es braucu uz darbu kājām.
    Es eju uz darbu kājām.

    Braukt means riding in or on something, so it clashes with kājām (on foot).

How It Connects

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iet / brauktLevel 2Going on Foot or by Vehicle

Learn This First

Iet and braukt both take uz for the goal.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

braukt