esmu + -is

The Present Perfect

Level 4

Present of būt + past participle: Esmu bijis Rīgā. (I have been to Riga.) Viņa ir izlasījusi grāmatu. (She has read the book.) It links a past event to now.

How It Works

1. The form. Būt changes for person; the participle changes for gender and number:

  • es esmu bijis / bijusi (I have been)
  • tu esi bijis / bijusi
  • viņš ir bijis, viņa ir bijusi
  • mēs esam bijuši / bijušas

Build the participle from the past tense: biju → bijis, lasīju → lasījis, gāju → gājis, ēdu → ēdis.

2. Experience. Use it for things you have done at some point in your life: Vai tu esi bijis Latvijā? (Have you been to Latvia?)

3. A result now. Use it when a past action explains the present: Es esmu pazaudējis atslēgas. (I have lost my keys — I do not have them now.) Vilciens jau ir aizgājis. (The train has already left.)

4. Negatives and "yet". Put ne- on būt: neesmu, neesi, nav. With vēl it means "not yet": Es vēl neesmu ēdis. (I have not eaten yet.) With nekad, the verb is negative too: Es nekad neesmu bijis Rīgā.

5. Simple past or perfect? For a finished event at a stated time, like vakar (yesterday), use the simple past: Vakar es biju Rīgā. (I was in Riga yesterday.) The perfect focuses on experience or on a result that still matters. Words like jau and tikko often go with it.

Examples (6)

  1. Es esmu bijis Rīgā.

    I have been to Riga.

    A man speaking. A woman says: Es esmu bijusi Rīgā.

  2. Viņa ir izlasījusi grāmatu.

    She has read the book.

    Izlasīt → izlasīju → izlasījis, izlasījusi. The feminine form agrees with viņa.

  3. Vai tu esi bijis Latvijā?

    Have you been to Latvia?

    Asking about experience at any time in your life.

  4. Es esmu pazaudējis atslēgas.

    I have lost my keys.

    A result that matters now: the keys are still missing.

  5. Vilciens jau ir aizgājis.

    The train has already left.

    Aiziet → aizgāju → aizgājis.

  6. Es vēl neesmu ēdis.

    I have not eaten yet.

    The negation goes on būt: neesmu.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a past tense form instead of the participle.

    Es esmu biju Rīgā.
    Es esmu bijis Rīgā.

    After esmu, use the participle (bijis, bijusi), not the past tense biju.

  • Forgetting to make the participle agree.

    Viņa ir izlasījis grāmatu.
    Viņa ir izlasījusi grāmatu.

    The participle agrees with the subject: -is for a man, -usi for a woman.

How It Connects

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esmu + -isLevel 4The Present Perfect

Learn This First

The present perfect uses esmu and a participle.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

būtesmuesatbijis