tak / nu
Tak and Nu in Relaxed Speech
Two little words make Latvian sound relaxed: tak, a short form of taču (Tu tak zini! You know that!), and nu, which urges or fills a pause (Nu, ejam! Come on, let's go!).
How It Works
1. Tak. Tak is the spoken short form of taču. It says that something should be obvious:
- Tu tak zini! (You know that, after all!)
- Es tak teicu, ka būs lietus. (I told you it would rain.)
In this meaning it comes after the first word or two, where taču would stand. With a command, tak adds urging, just like taču: Nāc tak! (Come on, come!) In neutral writing, use taču.
2. Nu to urge. At the start, nu means come on: Nu, ejam! (Come on, let's go!) Nu, nāc! (Come on!) See let's.
3. Nu to think or give in. Nu also fills a pause, like English well: Nu, es nezinu ... (Well, I don't know ...) In nu labi (well, OK) and nu jā (well, yes) it softens an answer.
4. Nu as now. In neutral and literary texts, nu can also mean now: Nu viss ir kārtībā. (Now everything is fine.)
5. Fixed phrases. Nu is also part of vai nu ..., vai (either ... or) and kur nu vēl (let alone).
Commas. When nu stands alone as a call or a pause, a comma follows it. In short set phrases like nu labi, it is often written without one.
Examples (6)
- Tu tak zini!
You know that, after all!
Word by Word: You after-all know!
- Es tak teicu, ka būs lietus.
I told you it would rain.
Word by Word: I after-all said that will-be rain.
- Nu, ejam!
Come on, let's go!
- Nu, es nezinu...
Well, I don't know...
- Nu labi, lai notiek.
Well, OK, let it be.
- Nu viss ir kārtībā.
Now everything is fine.
Here nu means now. This use is neutral, not only casual.
Common Mistakes
Using tak for tā (like this, so).
Dari tak!Dari tā!The intended meaning is do it like this. That word is tā. Dari tak! means something else: come on, just do it.
Using nu for no (from).
Es esmu nu Rīgas.Es esmu no Rīgas.The preposition from is no, followed by the genitive. Nu is a particle and cannot take a noun.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Tak and nu belong to relaxed speech.
Related Patterns
- vai nu ... vaiEither ... or
Nu is part of the pair vai nu ..., vai.
Level 4 - kur nu vēlLet Alone: Kur Nu Vēl
Nu is part of the phrase kur nu vēl (let alone).
Level 6 - Let's: -simLet's Do It
Nu often comes before let's forms such as ejam and iesim.
Level 3 - gan jauIt Will Be Fine: Gan Jau
Gan jau is another relaxed phrase for reassuring someone.
Level 5 - tadThen: Tad
Tad nu labi is a common relaxed way to agree.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice tak / nu in Bubblegum
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