mēdz + Infinitive

Usually Doing: Mēgt

Level 4

Mēgt + infinitive means "usually do" or "tend to do". Viņš mēdz nākt vēlu. (He tends to come late.)

How It Works

1. The forms. Mēgt is a first-conjugation verb, and its g becomes dz in most forms:

  • Present: es mēdzu, tu mēdz, viņš mēdz, mēs mēdzam, jūs mēdzat, viņi mēdz
  • Past: es mēdzu, tu mēdzi, viņš mēdza, mēs mēdzām, jūs mēdzāt, viņi mēdza

Notice that es mēdzu is both present and past. The context tells you which one is meant.

2. The second verb stays in the infinitive, just as after gribēt and varēt: Es mēdzu dzert kafiju bez cukura. (I usually drink coffee without sugar.)

3. Habits and tendencies. Mēgt describes something that happens again and again. It is never used for a single event.

  • A person's habit: Viņš mēdz nākt vēlu. (He tends to come late.)
  • What is often true: Ziemā mēdz būt auksti. (It is often cold in winter.)
  • A past habit, like English "used to": Bērnībā mēs mēdzām braukt pie vecmāmiņas. (As children we used to go to Grandma's.)
  • A fixed saying: Tā mēdz gadīties. (These things happen.)

4. A simpler choice. In everyday speech, parasti (usually) with an ordinary verb is also common: Es parasti dzeru kafiju bez cukura. Mēgt adds the idea of a habit or a tendency.

Examples (5)

  1. Viņš mēdz nākt vēlu.

    He tends to come late.

    Word by Word: He tends to-come late.

  2. Ziemā mēdz būt auksti.

    It is often cold in winter.

    Word by Word: In-winter tends to-be cold.

  3. Es mēdzu dzert kafiju bez cukura.

    I usually drink coffee without sugar.

    Word by Word: I tend to-drink coffee without sugar.

  4. Bērnībā mēs mēdzām braukt pie vecmāmiņas.

    As children we used to go to Grandma's.

    Word by Word: In-childhood we used to-go to grandmother.

    In the past tense, mēgt means "used to".

  5. Tā mēdz gadīties.

    These things happen.

    Word by Word: So tends to-happen.

Common Mistakes

  • Conjugating the second verb too.

    Viņš mēdz nāk vēlu.
    Viņš mēdz nākt vēlu.

    Only mēgt changes for the person. The second verb stays in the infinitive: nākt.

  • Using mēdz for es.

    Es mēdz dzert kafiju.
    Es mēdzu dzert kafiju.

    The form for es ends in -u: es mēdzu. Mēdz is the form for tu, viņš, viņa and viņi.

How It Connects

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

mēdz + InfinitiveLevel 4Usually Doing: Mēgt

Learn This First

Mēgt means usually do.

Words in This Pattern

mēgt