tikko

Just Now: Tikko

Level 3

Put tikko (just, a moment ago) before a past verb: Viņš tikko aizgāja. (He has just left.) Es tikko pamodos. (I have just woken up.)

How It Works

1. Just now. The main meaning of tikko is "a moment ago". It usually comes right before the verb:

  • Viņš tikko aizgāja. (He has just left.)
  • Es tikko runāju ar mammu. (I just talked to Mom.)
  • Vilciens ir tikko atbraucis. (The train has just arrived.)

Both the simple past and the present perfect are correct. The simple past is the everyday choice.

2. Only just, barely. Tikko can also mean that something happened at the last moment or only a little: Es tikko paspēju uz autobusu. (I only just caught the bus.) The doubled form tik tikko means "barely": Viņš tik tikko varēja paiet. (He could barely walk.)

3. With a negative verb: nearly. Tikko before a negative verb means that something almost happened but did not: Es tikko nenokritu! (I nearly fell!)

4. Not "only" and not "soon". For "only", use tikai: Man ir tikai viens brālis. For something that is about to happen, use tūlīt (right away): Es tūlīt nākšu. (I am coming right away.) To say "already", use jau.

5. As a linking word. At the start of a clause, tikko can also mean "as soon as", like tiklīdz. That use is less common in everyday speech.

Examples (6)

  1. Viņš tikko aizgāja.

    He has just left.

    Tikko + simple past: the usual way to say "has just".

  2. Es tikko pamodos.

    I have just woken up.

    Pamosties → pamodos (I woke up). Tikko places it a moment ago.

  3. Vilciens ir tikko atbraucis.

    The train has just arrived.

    With the present perfect, the result is in focus: the train is here now.

  4. Es tikko runāju ar mammu.

    I just talked to Mom.

    Runāju is the past form here: I talked a moment ago.

  5. Es tikko paspēju uz autobusu.

    I only just caught the bus.

    Here tikko means "at the last moment".

  6. Es tikko nenokritu!

    I nearly fell!

    Tikko before a negative verb: it almost happened, but did not.

Common Mistakes

  • Using tikko to mean "only".

    Man ir tikko viens brālis.
    Man ir tikai viens brālis.

    English "just" can mean "only", but tikko cannot. For "only", use tikai.

  • Using tikko for something that is about to happen.

    Es tikko iešu.
    Es tūlīt iešu.

    Tikko looks back to a moment ago. For "I am just about to go", use tūlīt (right away) with the future.

How It Connects

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

tikkoLevel 3Just Now: Tikko

Learn This First

Tikko means just now.

Words in This Pattern

tikko