In January and in the Evening

Level 2

To say when, put a month, season or part of the day in the locative, with no preposition: janvārī (in January), vasarā (in summer), vakarā (in the evening). The one to remember is no rīta (in the morning).

How It Works

1. Months. Months in -is end in -ī; the others end in -ā:

  • janvārī, februārī, aprīlī, septembrī, oktobrī, novembrī, decembrī
  • martā, maijā, jūnijā, jūlijā, augustā

Months are written with a small letter. For exact dates, see saying the date.

2. Seasons. pavasaris → pavasarī (in spring), vasara → vasarā (in summer), rudens → rudenī (in autumn), ziema → ziemā (in winter).

3. Parts of the day.

  • no rīta: in the morning
  • dienā: in the daytime
  • pusdienlaikā: at lunchtime
  • pēcpusdienā: in the afternoon
  • vakarā: in the evening
  • naktī: at night

No rīta uses no with the genitive. With a describing word, the locative rītā is used: tajā rītā (that morning), svētdienas rītā (on Sunday morning). Dienā also means per day: trīs reizes dienā (three times a day). See how long and how often.

4. This, next and last. Add a describing word in the locative: šajā vasarā (this summer), nākamajā mēnesī (next month), pagājušajā ziemā (last winter). See next week and last year. Some have a one-word form: šovasar (this summer), šoziem (this winter), šorīt (this morning), šovakar (this evening).

5. Days are different. A day of the week uses a short form instead: pirmdien (on Monday). See days of the week. For clock times, see telling the time.

Examples (6)

  1. Janvārī Latvijā bieži snieg.

    In January it often snows in Latvia.

    Janvāris → janvārī.

  2. Vasarā mēs braucam uz laukiem.

    In summer we go to the countryside.

    Vasara → vasarā.

  3. Rudenī sākas skola.

    School starts in autumn.

    Rudens → rudenī.

  4. Vakarā es lasu grāmatu.

    In the evening I read a book.

    Vakars → vakarā.

  5. No rīta es dzeru kafiju.

    In the morning I drink coffee.

    Morning uses no rīta instead of the locative.

  6. Naktī bija ļoti auksti.

    It was very cold at night.

    Nakts → naktī.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving the month in the nominative.

    Es dzimu marts.
    Es dzimu martā.

    To say in a month, use the locative with no preposition: marts → martā.

  • Giving a month in -is the ending -ā.

    Es braukšu uz Rīgu janvārā.
    Es braukšu uz Rīgu janvārī.

    Janvāris, like other months in -is, has the locative -ī: janvārī, septembrī, aprīlī.

  • Giving nakts the ending -ā.

    Es strādāju naktā.
    Es strādāju naktī.

    Nakts is a feminine noun in -s, and its locative is naktī.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

In January and in the EveningLevel 2

Learn This First

Time with the locative builds on days and the locative.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

no rītavakarā