vajadzīgs

Needed: Vajadzīgs

Level 3

To say you need something, put yourself in the dative and let vajadzīgs agree with the thing: Man ir vajadzīga palīdzība (I need help), literally help is needed to me.

How It Works

1. The pattern. dative person + ir + vajadzīgs + nominative thing:

  • Man ir vajadzīgs dators (I need a computer) — masculine singular
  • Tev ir vajadzīga vīza (You need a visa) — feminine singular
  • Viņam ir vajadzīgi jauni cimdi (He needs new gloves) — masculine plural
  • Viņai ir vajadzīgas brilles (She needs glasses) — feminine plural

In speech ir is often left out: Man vajadzīga palīdzība. A question with kas uses the masculine: Kas tev vajadzīgs? (What do you need?)

2. Other tenses. Change only būt: Man bija vajadzīgs ārsts (I needed a doctor), Mums būs vajadzīga mašīna (We will need a car).

3. Not needed. Man nav vajadzīga palīdzība (I do not need help). Tas nav vajadzīgs (That is not necessary). The opposite adjective is nevajadzīgs (unnecessary).

4. Without a person. Vai ir vajadzīga vīza? (Is a visa needed?) Job adverts often start with Vajadzīgs pavārs (Cook wanted). Kam tas vajadzīgs? asks who needs that, or what it is for.

5. Vajadzīgs and vajag. Vajag is a verb. It is the usual way to say you need to do something: Man vajag strādāt. With a noun you will also hear it: Man vajag naudu or Man vajag naudas (I need money). Vajadzīgs is the adjective way to say that you need a thing.

Examples (6)

  1. Man ir vajadzīga palīdzība.

    I need help.

    Word by Word: To-me is needed help.

    Palīdzība is feminine singular, so vajadzīga is too. Man is dative.

  2. Vai tev ir vajadzīgs dators?

    Do you need a computer?

    Dators is masculine singular, so vajadzīgs.

  3. Bērnam būs vajadzīgas jaunas kurpes.

    The child will need new shoes.

    Kurpes is feminine plural, so vajadzīgas. Only būt changes for the future.

  4. Kas jums vajadzīgs?

    What do you need?

    Ir is left out, as is common in speech.

  5. Vai uz Kanādu ir vajadzīga vīza?

    Is a visa needed for Canada?

    No person is named, so there is no dative.

  6. Tas nav vajadzīgs.

    That is not necessary.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting the person in the nominative, as in English "I need".

    Es vajadzīgs datoru.
    Man ir vajadzīgs dators.

    The person who needs something is dative (man), and the thing needed is the nominative subject (dators).

  • Putting the needed thing in the accusative.

    Man ir vajadzīga palīdzību.
    Man ir vajadzīga palīdzība.

    With vajadzīgs, the thing needed is the subject, so it stays in the nominative.

  • Not matching vajadzīgs to the gender of the thing.

    Man ir vajadzīgs vīza.
    Man ir vajadzīga vīza.

    Vīza is feminine, so the adjective must be vajadzīga.

How It Connects

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

vajadzīgsLevel 3Needed: Vajadzīgs

Learn This First

Vajadzīgs is an adjective for needed.

Words in This Pattern

vajadzīgs