How to Form Questions in Latvian for English Speakers

Understanding Question Formation in Latvian

Forming questions in Latvian involves specific structures and question words. Unlike English, Latvian often uses intonation and question particles to indicate a question. This article will guide English speakers through the basics of asking questions in Latvian.

Yes/No Questions in Latvian

Yes/no questions in Latvian can be formed by simply raising the intonation at the end of a statement, similar to English. Additionally, the particle vai is commonly used at the beginning of a sentence to indicate a yes/no question.

For example, the statement Tu runā latviski. means "You speak Latvian." To turn it into a question, you can say Vai tu runā latviski? which means "Do you speak Latvian?"

Using Question Words

Latvian uses specific question words to ask for information. These words usually appear at the beginning of the question.

• Kas – Who / What
• Kur – Where
• Kad – When
• Kāpēc – Why
• Kā – How
• Cik – How many / How much

Here are some examples of questions using these words:

Intonation and Word Order in Questions

In Latvian, the word order in questions is generally similar to statements, but intonation plays a key role in signaling a question, especially in yes/no questions without vai. However, when using question words, the question word typically comes first.

For example, the statement Tu lasi grāmatu. means "You are reading a book." To ask "Are you reading a book?" you can say Tu lasi grāmatu? with rising intonation or Vai tu lasi grāmatu?.

Forming Negative Questions

Negative questions in Latvian are formed by adding the negation ne before the verb and using vai at the beginning for yes/no questions.

Practice Examples

Try forming questions from these statements:

1. Tu mācies latviešu valodu. (You are learning Latvian.)
2. Viņi strādā birojā. (They work in an office.)
3. Mēs ēdam vakariņas. (We are eating dinner.)

Answers:

1. Vai tu mācies latviešu valodu? (Are you learning Latvian?)
2. Vai viņi strādā birojā? (Do they work in an office?)
3. Vai mēs ēdam vakariņas? (Are we eating dinner?)