tad

Then: Tad

Level 2

Tad = then. Use it for the next step: Vispirms brokastis, tad darbs. (First breakfast, then work.)

How It Works

1. The next step. Vispirms es dzeru kafiju, tad eju uz darbu. (First I drink coffee, then I go to work.) Pēc tam (after that) works the same way.

2. At that time. Tad points to a time that is already clear from the conversation: Kad es biju mazs, es dzīvoju laukos. Tad mums bija suns. (When I was little, I lived in the countryside. We had a dog then.) For the distant past, toreiz (back then) is also common.

3. In that case. At the start of a reply, tad draws a conclusion from what the other person said: Līst? Tad es ņemu lietussargu. (It's raining? Then I'll take an umbrella.) Tu esi gatavs? Tad ejam! (Are you ready? Then let's go!)

4. After kad and ja. Tad can open the main clause after a clause with kad (when) or ja (if). It is optional: Ja līst, tad es braucu ar autobusu. (If it rains, then I take the bus.) The same happens after tā kā.

5. In questions. In a question, tad adds interest or surprise, like English then or so: Kas tad tas? (What's that, then?) See surprised questions.

Tad or tagad? Tagad means now. Tad means another time, or the next step.

Examples (6)

  1. Vispirms brokastis, tad darbs.

    First breakfast, then work.

  2. Vispirms es dzeru kafiju, tad eju uz darbu.

    First I drink coffee, then I go to work.

    Word by Word: First I drink coffee, then go to work.

  3. Kad es biju mazs, es dzīvoju laukos. Tad mums bija suns.

    When I was little, I lived in the countryside. We had a dog then.

    Tad points back to the time already named: when I was little.

  4. Tu esi gatavs? Tad ejam!

    Are you ready? Then let's go!

    Word by Word: You are ready? Then we-go!

    At the start of a reply, tad means in that case. Ejam is the everyday way to say let's go.

  5. Ja līst, tad es braucu ar autobusu.

    If it rains, then I take the bus.

    Tad is optional here: Ja līst, es braucu ar autobusu means the same.

  6. Kas tad tas?

    What's that, then?

    Word by Word: What then that?

Common Mistakes

  • Using tad to mean now.

    Tad es dzīvoju Rīgā, bet agrāk es dzīvoju Cēsīs.
    Tagad es dzīvoju Rīgā, bet agrāk es dzīvoju Cēsīs.

    The speaker means now, and now is tagad. Tad points to another time or to the next step, so it cannot contrast the present with agrāk (before).

  • Using tad for than in a comparison.

    Rīga ir lielāka tad Cēsis.
    Rīga ir lielāka nekā Cēsis.

    English then and than sound alike, but Latvian compares with nekā (or par). Tad never means than.

How It Connects

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

tadLevel 2Then: Tad

Learn This First

Tad marks the next step.

Words in This Pattern