Spelling Keeps the Word's Letters

Level 3

Write the word, not the sound. Labs (good) is said with a p sound, but it keeps its b because of laba and labi. Apgabals (region) is said with a b sound but keeps the p of the prefix ap-.

How It Works

1. Voiced becomes voiceless. Before a voiceless consonant such as s or t, the letters b, d, g, z are said as p, t, k, s:

  • labs (good) — said [laps], but laba, labi
  • zieds (flower) — said [ziets], but ziedi (flowers)
  • lūgt (to ask) — said [lūkt], but lūgums (a request)

2. Voiceless becomes voiced. Before a voiced consonant such as b or g, the letters p, t, k, s are said as b, d, g, z:

  • apgabals (region) — said [abgabals], with the prefix ap-
  • atbilde (answer) — said [adbilde], with the prefix at-
  • piecdesmit (fifty) — the c is voiced before d, but it stays c as in pieci (five)

3. Other changes. Before a consonant, v is said like u: tavs (your) sounds like [taus], but it keeps its v as in tava. Some clusters also simplify in speech: svešs (strange) ends in one long š sound, but it keeps both letters, as in sveša.

4. How to spell it. Find a form where the consonant stands before a vowel: labs → laba, tavs → tava, zieds → ziedi. Prefixes such as ap-, at-, iz- and bez- always keep their letters: izsaukt (to call out) is said with a long s but written with z.

This is different from consonant alternation, where a change such as brālis → brāļa is real and is written.

Examples (6)

  1. Tas ir labs piemērs.

    That is a good example.

    Labs is said with a p sound, but it is written with b, as in laba.

  2. Šis apgabals ir ļoti skaists.

    This region is very beautiful.

    Apgabals is said with a b sound, but the prefix ap- keeps its p.

  3. Tava atbilde ir pareiza.

    Your answer is correct.

    Atbilde is said with a d sound before b, but the prefix at- keeps its t.

  4. Kur ir tavs telefons?

    Where is your phone?

    Tavs sounds like taus, but it keeps its v, as in tava.

  5. Man ir piecdesmit eiro.

    I have fifty euros.

    Piecdesmit keeps the c of pieci (five), though it is voiced before d.

  6. Zieds ir sarkans.

    The flower is red.

    Zieds is said with a t sound, but it keeps its d, as in ziedi.

Common Mistakes

  • Spelling a word the way it sounds.

    Tas ir laps piemērs.
    Tas ir labs piemērs.

    Labs keeps its b in every form: labs, laba, labi. Check a form where the b stands before a vowel.

  • Changing the letters of a prefix.

    Tava adbilde ir pareiza.
    Tava atbilde ir pareiza.

    The prefix is at-, and it keeps its t even though you hear a d before b.

  • Writing v as u.

    Kur ir taus telefons?
    Kur ir tavs telefons?

    Tavs sounds like taus, but its other forms, tava and tavi, show the v.

How It Connects

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

Spelling Keeps the Word's LettersLevel 3

Learn This First

Spelling preserves root letters through pronunciation changes such as labs sounding like laps.