tā saucamais

So-Called: Tā Saucamais

Level 6

Tā saucamais means so-called: tā saucamā zaļā enerģija (so-called green energy), tā saucamie eksperti (the so-called experts).

How It Works

1. Literally "so called". Tā is the adverb so, thus, and saucamais comes from saukt (to call) with the -ams participle in its definite form. Together: the one that is called so.

2. Agreement. Saucamais takes the gender, number and case of the noun, like any definite adjective:

  • tā saucamais efekts (masculine singular)
  • tā saucamā reforma (feminine singular)
  • tā saucamie eksperti (masculine plural)
  • tā saucamajā klusajā centrā (locative: in the so-called Quiet Centre)
  • no tā saucamās sezonālās depresijas (genitive after no)

Tā does not change: it is never tās or to here.

3. Two uses.

  • Introducing a term: Ziemā daudzi cieš no tā saucamās sezonālās depresijas. (In winter many people suffer from so-called seasonal depression.) Nothing negative is meant.
  • Doubting a label: Tā saucamie eksperti neko nezināja. (The so-called experts knew nothing.) Here the speaker suggests the name does not fit.

4. Tā sauktais. The past participle tā sauktais is an equal alternative; language advisers accept both. In writing both can be shortened to t. s.

5. No commas. Tā saucamais is part of the noun phrase, so it is not set off with commas: tā saucamā zaļā enerģija.

Examples (5)

  1. Tā saucamā zaļā enerģija ne vienmēr ir lēta.

    So-called green energy is not always cheap.

    Word by Word: So called green energy not always is cheap.

  2. Viņš dzīvo tā saucamajā klusajā centrā.

    He lives in the so-called Quiet Centre.

    Word by Word: He lives so called-in quiet-in centre-in.

    Saucamajā is locative to match centrā. The Quiet Centre is a district of Riga.

  3. Ziemā daudzi cieš no tā saucamās sezonālās depresijas.

    In winter many people suffer from so-called seasonal depression.

    Word by Word: In-winter many suffer from so called seasonal depression.

    A neutral term. Saucamās is genitive after no.

  4. Tā saucamie eksperti neko nezināja.

    The so-called experts knew nothing.

    Word by Word: So called experts nothing not-knew.

    A doubtful label.

  5. Pēc tā sauktās reformas rindas kļuva garākas.

    After the so-called reform, the queues got longer.

    Word by Word: After so called reform queues became longer.

    Tā sauktais is an equal alternative to tā saucamais.

Common Mistakes

  • Changing tā to match the noun.

    No tās saucamās sezonālās depresijas cieš daudzi.
    No tā saucamās sezonālās depresijas cieš daudzi.

    Tā here is the adverb so, not the pronoun that. Only saucamais changes its ending; tā stays the same.

  • Leaving saucamais in the masculine before a feminine noun.

    tā saucamais zaļā enerģija
    tā saucamā zaļā enerģija

    Saucamais agrees with enerģija, which is feminine, so it becomes saucamā.

  • Leaving saucamais in the nominative after a preposition or in the locative.

    Viņš dzīvo tā saucamais klusajā centrā.
    Viņš dzīvo tā saucamajā klusajā centrā.

    The whole phrase is in the locative, so saucamais must be locative too: saucamajā.

How It Connects

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

tā saucamaisLevel 6So-Called: Tā Saucamais

Learn This First

Tā saucamais means so-called.

Words in This Pattern

saukt