vaļā / ciet
Open and Closed: Vaļā and Ciet
Use vaļā (open) and ciet (closed) after būt: Veikals ir vaļā (The shop is open), Aptieka ir ciet (The pharmacy is closed). After other verbs they show the result: taisīt durvis ciet (to close the door).
How It Works
1. With būt. Vai banka šodien ir vaļā? (Is the bank open today?) Svētdienās pasts ir ciet (The post office is closed on Sundays). The same words work for doors, windows, eyes and mouths: Viņa acis ir ciet (Her eyes are closed).
2. With other verbs. In everyday speech, taisīt vaļā means to open and taisīt ciet means to close: Taisi logu vaļā! (Open the window!) With a prefixed verb they add emphasis: atvērt vaļā, aizvērt ciet.
3. Other meanings.
- vaļā can mean loose or untied: Tev kurpju šņore ir vaļā (Your shoelace is untied).
- laist vaļā means to let go, and tikt vaļā no means to get rid of: Es gribu tikt vaļā no vecajām mēbelēm (I want to get rid of the old furniture).
- ciet can mean held or caught: turēt ciet (to hold tight), ķert ciet (to catch).
4. Before a noun. To describe a noun directly, use an adjective or participle instead: vaļējs logs or atvērts logs (an open window), aizvērtas durvis (a closed door).
Examples (5)
- Veikals ir vaļā līdz deviņiem vakarā.
The shop is open until nine in the evening.
- Svētdienās banka ir ciet.
The bank is closed on Sundays.
- Kāpēc durvis ir vaļā?
Why is the door open?
Durvis is plural, but vaļā does not change.
- Lūdzu, taisi logu ciet!
Please close the window!
Taisīt ... ciet is the everyday way to say close.
- Tev kurpju šņore ir vaļā.
Your shoelace is untied.
Here vaļā means loose or untied.
Common Mistakes
Adding an ending to vaļā to match a plural noun.
Durvis ir vaļās.Durvis ir vaļā.Vaļā is an adverb and never changes, whatever the noun.
Confusing ciet with the adjective ciets.
Veikals ir ciets.Veikals ir ciet.Ciets is an adjective that means hard, so the first sentence says the shop is hard. Closed is ciet, with no ending.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Vaļā and ciet are like the direction words.
Related Patterns
- Present of būt
Vaļā and ciet usually follow a form of būt: ir vaļā, ir ciet.
Level 1 - -ts / -ta Participles as AdjectivesParticiples Like Atvērts
Atvērts and slēgts, the participles you see on signs.
Level 4 - aiz- / at-Away and Here: Aiz- and at-
The prefixes of aizvērt (to close) and atvērt (to open), which ciet and vaļā can strengthen.
Level 4 - Indeclinable Adjectives Like rozāAdjectives That Never Change
Another group of words that never change their endings.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice vaļā / ciet in Bubblegum
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