pa + Dative (One by One)

One by One: Pa with the Dative

Level 5

Pa + dative means one portion at a time: Nāciet iekšā pa vienam! (Come in one at a time!), pa diviem (two at a time, in pairs), soli pa solim (step by step).

How It Works

1. People in groups.

  • pa vienam (one at a time), pa diviem (two at a time), pa trim (three at a time).
  • For women or feminine nouns: pa vienai, pa divām: Meitenes ienāca pa vienai.

2. Things in portions. pa gabalam or pa gabaliņam (piece by piece), pa daļām (in parts, in instalments), pa druskai (bit by bit).

3. Step by step. A noun repeated around pa shows a steady sequence: soli pa solim (step by step).

4. Pa with two cases.

  • Accusative (see pa + accusative): place and route, iet pa ielu (to walk along the street).
  • Dative: division and manner, nākt pa vienam.

The case changes the meaning: pa gabalam means piece by piece, but pa gabalu means from a distance.

Watch out: the case difference shows only in the singular. In the plural every preposition takes the dative, so pa ielām (through the streets) and pa daļām (in parts) look alike; the meaning tells them apart. For people or things following each other, see also cits pēc cita.

Examples (6)

  1. Lūdzu, nāciet iekšā pa vienam.

    Please come in one at a time.

    Word by Word: Please, come inside by one.

  2. Bērni gāja pa diviem.

    The children walked in pairs.

    Word by Word: Children walked by two.

  3. Meitenes ienāca pa vienai.

    The girls came in one by one.

    Word by Word: Girls came-in by one (fem.).

    Vienai is feminine because it counts meitenes.

  4. Viņa ēda šokolādi pa gabaliņam.

    She ate the chocolate piece by piece.

    Word by Word: She ate chocolate by little-piece.

  5. Mēs maksājam par dzīvokli pa daļām.

    We pay for the apartment in instalments.

    Word by Word: We pay for apartment by parts.

  6. Soli pa solim tu iemācīsies.

    Step by step, you will learn.

    Word by Word: Step by step you will-learn.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the accusative for one at a time.

    Nāciet iekšā pa vienu.
    Nāciet iekšā pa vienam.

    One at a time needs pa with the dative: pa vienam. Pa with the accusative gives a path instead, as in pa ielu.

  • Saying pa gabalu for piece by piece.

    Viņa ēda šokolādi pa gabalu.
    Viņa ēda šokolādi pa gabalam.

    Pa gabalu means from a distance. Piece by piece is pa gabalam, with the dative.

How It Connects

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

pa + Dative (One by One)Level 5One by One: Pa with the Dative

Learn This First

Pa with the dative means one by one.

Words in This Pattern