-ts / -ta Participles as Adjectives

Participles Like Atvērts

Level 4

Put a -ts / -ta participle before a noun and it works like an adjective: atvērts logs (an open window), vārīta ola (a boiled egg), aizmirsta lieta (a forgotten thing).

How It Works

1. From verb to describing word. The form is the same participle as in the passive with būt: atvērt → atvērts, vārīt → vārīts, aizmirst → aizmirsts, salauzt → salauzts, cept → cepts. Instead of following ir, it stands before the noun.

2. Agreement in every case.

  • vārīta ola → Es ēdu vārītu olu. (I eat a boiled egg.)
  • cepti kartupeļi → Mums garšo cepti kartupeļi. (We like fried potatoes.)
  • atvērts logs → pa atvērtu logu (through an open window)

3. Definite forms. For something already known, use the definite ending: atvērtais logs (the open window), Salauzto krēslu mēs izmetām (We threw out the broken chair).

4. Not and other words. Ne- is written joined to the participle: neatvērta vēstule (an unopened letter), neizlasīta grāmata (an unread book). An adverb goes before it: sen aizmirsta dziesma (a long-forgotten song).

5. Done to it, or did it. A -ts participle describes something that had the action done to it. Something that did the action itself takes an -is participle, taught at Level 5 (participles like nokritis): nokritusi lapa (a fallen leaf) but aizmirsta lieta (a forgotten thing).

Examples (6)

  1. Istabā bija atvērts logs.

    There was an open window in the room.

    Logs is masculine, so the participle is atvērts.

  2. Brokastīs es ēdu vārītu olu.

    For breakfast I eat a boiled egg.

    Ola is in the accusative (olu), so the participle is too: vārītu.

  3. Šī ir sen aizmirsta dziesma.

    This is a long-forgotten song.

    The adverb sen comes before the participle.

  4. Salauzto krēslu mēs izmetām.

    We threw out the broken chair.

    Definite accusative: salauzto krēslu, a chair we already know about.

  5. Uz galda gulēja neatvērta vēstule.

    An unopened letter lay on the table.

    Ne- joins the participle: neatvērta.

  6. Mums garšo cepti kartupeļi.

    We like fried potatoes.

    Masculine plural: cepti kartupeļi.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting gender agreement.

    Tā ir vārīts ola.
    Tā ir vārīta ola.

    Ola is feminine, so the participle ends in -a: vārīta.

  • Leaving the participle in the nominative.

    Es ēdu vārīta ola.
    Es ēdu vārītu olu.

    Both the noun and its participle change case together: vārītu olu.

  • Using the active participle for something that had the action done to it.

    Tā ir aizmirsusi lieta.
    Tā ir aizmirsta lieta.

    Aizmirsusi means a woman who has forgotten. A thing that was forgotten is aizmirsta.

How It Connects

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-ts / -ta Participles as AdjectivesLevel 4Participles Like Atvērts

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Participles like atvērts act as adjectives.

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Patterns that build on this one.