vai Questions

Yes-No Questions with Vai

Level 1

Vai + an ordinary sentence + ? = a yes-no question. Tā ir tava soma. → Vai tā ir tava soma?

How It Works

The rule. Start with a statement: Tu runā latviski. Put vai in front: Vai tu runā latviski? Nothing else changes: no extra word like English "do", and the subject and verb stay where they were. Vai itself is not translated.

Without vai. In conversation, a rising voice can turn a statement into a question: Tu esi no Rīgas? In writing and in careful speech, vai is the usual choice.

Not with question words. A question that starts with kas, kur, kad, kā, kāpēc or cik does not take vai: Kur tu dzīvo? See question words.

Polite questions. With a stranger, use jūs and the plural verb: Vai jūs runājat angliski? See informal tu and polite jūs.

Answering. Answer with jā or nē, or repeat the verb: Vai tu runā latviski? — Jā, runāju. See yes and no.

Other jobs of vai. Between two options, vai means "or": tēja vai kafija (see and, but and or). At the end of a sentence, vai ne? asks for agreement (see tag questions). Later you will also meet vai as "whether" in reported questions.

Examples (6)

  1. Vai tu runā latviski?

    Do you speak Latvian?

    Vai goes in front; the rest is the statement Tu runā latviski.

  2. Vai tā ir tava soma?

    Is that your bag?

  3. Vai jums ir brīvs galds?

    Do you have a free table?

    A polite question in a café or restaurant.

  4. Vai viņš šodien strādā?

    Is he working today?

  5. Vai šeit ir aptieka?

    Is there a pharmacy here?

  6. Tu esi no Rīgas?

    Are you from Riga?

    Without vai, only the rising voice shows that this is a question.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding vai to a question that already has a question word.

    Vai kur tu dzīvo?
    Kur tu dzīvo?

    Vai is only for yes-no questions. A question word like kur already makes the sentence a question.

  • Using the infinitive, as if copying English "do you speak".

    Vai tu runāt latviski?
    Vai tu runā latviski?

    The verb keeps its normal tu form, runā, exactly as in the statement.

  • Using a singular verb with polite jūs.

    Vai jūs runā angliski?
    Vai jūs runājat angliski?

    Jūs always takes the plural verb form, even when you ask one person politely.

How It Connects

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vai QuestionsLevel 1Yes-No Questions with Vai

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Vai questions start with simple sentences with ir.

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