nav ko + Infinitive
Nothing to Do
Nav ko darīt. (There is nothing to do.) Nav kur iet. (There is nowhere to go.) Use nav + a question word + an infinitive.
How It Works
1. The pattern. Nav + a question word + an infinitive:
- ko: Nav ko darīt. (There is nothing to do.)
- kur: Nav kur iet. (There is nowhere to go.)
- kam: Nav kam jautāt. (There is no one to ask.)
- ar ko: Nav ar ko runāt. (There is no one to talk to.)
2. The question word fits the infinitive. Use the form that the verb needs (see ko kam kā). Ēst takes an object, so it is ko ēst. Jautāt takes a dative, so it is kam jautāt. Runāt ar takes a preposition, so it is ar ko runāt.
3. The person in the dative. Like man ir, the person goes in the dative: Man nav ko vilkt mugurā. (I have nothing to wear.) Viņam nav ar ko runāt. (He has no one to talk to.)
4. Other tenses. Change nav to nebija (past) or nebūs (future): Vakar nebija ko ēst. (There was nothing to eat yesterday.)
5. "No need to." With a feeling verb the pattern often means that there is no reason to do something: Nav ko uztraukties! (There's no need to worry!)
6. The positive side. Ir ko says there is something, often plenty: Rīgā ir ko redzēt. (There is a lot to see in Riga.)
Examples (6)
- Nav ko darīt.
There is nothing to do.
Word by Word: Is-not what to-do.
- Nav kur iet.
There is nowhere to go.
Word by Word: Is-not where to-go.
- Man nav ko vilkt mugurā.
I have nothing to wear.
Word by Word: To-me is-not what to-pull on-back.
- Viņam nav ar ko runāt.
He has no one to talk to.
Word by Word: To-him is-not with whom to-talk.
- Vakar nebija ko ēst.
There was nothing to eat yesterday.
Word by Word: Yesterday was-not what to-eat.
- Nav ko uztraukties!
There's no need to worry!
Word by Word: Is-not what to-worry!
Here the pattern means there is no reason to do something.
Common Mistakes
Putting the person in the nominative.
Es nav ko darīt.Man nav ko darīt.Nav does not agree with a subject here. The person who has nothing goes in the dative, as with man ir.
Using kas when the infinitive needs an object.
Man nav kas ēst.Man nav ko ēst.Ēst takes an object in the accusative, so the question word is ko.
Keeping nav in a past-time sentence.
Vakar nav ko ēst.Vakar nebija ko ēst.For the past, change nav to nebija. For the future, use nebūs.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Nav ko + infinitive means nothing to do.
Related Patterns
- man irHaving: Man Ir
The person goes in the dative, as in man ir: Man nav ko ēst.
Level 1 - kas / kur / kad / kā / kāpēc / cikQuestion Words
Question words such as ko, kam and kur start this pattern: Nav kur iet.
Level 1 - nekas / neviens / nekur / nekadNobody, Nothing and Never
Nekas and nekur also say nothing and nowhere, but in a full sentence: Es neko nedaru.
Level 2 - What Is to Be Done?
Both patterns put an infinitive after a question word.
Level 5
Words in This Pattern
Practice nav ko + Infinitive in Bubblegum
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