Do you have an upcoming trip to Latvia? Maybe you’re freaking out because you don’t know much about this Baltic language. We’ve got you covered!
If your trip is coming up soon, my tip would be to learn conversational Latvian phrases instead of learning Latvian from scratch. This way, you can focus on frequently used sentences and learn basic words and phrases in Latvian that are used every day.
In this article, you will learn many Latvian common phrases related to daily life, from small talk to shopping. So let’s get started!
Must-Know Conversational Latvian Phrases
Below, I have gathered the Latvian language phrases that you may need during your trip. In summary, you will learn how to greet people, introduce yourself, make hotel reservations, buy transportation tickets, and speak with the salesperson when shopping in Latvia.
On the other hand, a useful tool to have for learning a foreign language is the Ling app, which you can easily download from the App Store or Play Store.
Greetings And Small Talk
When you’re in Latvia, the first thing you’re going to do is say hi and engage in short Latvian conversations. So, let’s start from the beginning with phrases related to Latvian greetings and small talk.
| English | Latvian | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello. | Sveiki. | |
| How are you? | Kā jums klājas? | |
| I’m fine, how are you? (Formal) | Man klājas labi, kā jums klājas? | |
| I’m fine, how are you? (Informal) | Man klājas labi, kā tev klājas? | |
| It’s nice to meet you (formal). | Priecājos ar Jums iepazīties | |
| It’s nice to meet you (informal). | Priecājos ar Tevi iepazīties | |
| Good morning. | Labrīt. | |
| Good afternoon. | Labdien. | |
| Good evening. | Labvakar. | |
| Goodbye. | Ar labunakti. | |
| Have a nice day. | Lai jums laba diena. | |
| I understand. | Es saprotu. | |
| I don’t understand. | Es nesaprotu. | |
| Yes. | Jā. | |
| No. | Nē. |
Introducing Yourself
The most exciting part of traveling is meeting new people! That’s why you need to know how to introduce yourself in Latvian.
| English | Latvian | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| What’s your name? | Kā Jūs sauc? | |
| My name is… | Mani sauc… | |
| Where are you from? | No kurienes Jūs esat? | |
| I’m from… | Es esmu no… | |
| How old are you? | Cik tev gadu? | |
| I’m … years old. | Es esmu … gadus vecs. | |
| Do you speak English? | Vai Jūs runājat angļu valodā? | |
| What do you do for a living? | Ko Jūs darāt dzīvošanai? | |
| I work as a … | Es strādāju kā … | |
| I love traveling. | Man patīk ceļot. |
Making A Hotel Reservation
Even though making hotel reservations is easy when the receptionist speaks English, sometimes that may not be the case. Therefore, you should know how to make a reservation in the Latvian language just in case.
| English | Latvian | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel reservation. | Viesnīcas rezervācija. | |
| I already have a reservation. | Man jau ir rezervācija. | |
| I don’t have a reservation. | Man nav rezervēts. | |
| Are there any available rooms? | Vai ir kādi brīvi numuriņi? | |
| Can I see the room first? | Vai es varu vispirms redzēt numuriņu? | |
| What’s included in the price? | Kas iekļauts cenā? | |
| Can I have a room with a double bed? | Vai es varu saņemt numuriņu ar divvietīgu gultu? | |
| Is breakfast included? | Vai brokastis iekļautas? | |
| Do you offer airport shuttle service? | Vai jūs piedāvājat lidostas transfēra pakalpojumu? | |
| How much does it cost per night? | Cik tas maksā par nakti? | |
| We’ll stay for two weeks | Mēs paliksim divas nedēļas. |
Dining
My favorite thing when traveling is tasting delicious local dishes. Not every restaurant has English-speaking staff, so you should know how to order Latvian food in the country’s language.
| English | Latvian | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Could we have a table by the window? | Vai mēs varam dabūt galdiņu pie loga? | |
| What are today’s specials? | Kādi ir šodienas īpašie piedāvājumi? | |
| What kind of soup do you have today? | Kādas zupas jums ir šodien? | |
| Could I have the vegetarian menu, please? | Vai es varu dabūt veģetāro ēdienkarti, lūdzu? | |
| What would you recommend for a light meal? | Ko jūs ieteiktu vieglai maltītei? | |
| Could I have the dessert menu? | Vai es varu dabūt desertu ēdienkarti? | |
| What types of fish do you offer? | Kādas zivju šķirnes jūs piedāvājat? | |
| I’m allergic to nuts. Are there any dishes I should avoid? | Man ir alerģija pret riekstiem. Vai ir kādi ēdieni, no kuriem man vajadzētu izvairīties? | |
| Could we have some bread with our meal? | Vai mēs varam dabūt maizi pie maltītes? | |
| Can we order some drinks first? | Vai mēs varam vispirms pasūtīt dzērienus? |
Transportation
Transportation is one of the most important things for a foreign traveler. There are a lot of places to see in Latvia, so you might want to use the correct public transportation and know how to buy a ticket.
| English | Latvian | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Could you tell me the fare to the city center? | Vai jūs varētu pateikt cenu līdz centram? | |
| I seem to have misplaced my ticket. | Šķiet, esmu pazaudējis savu biļeti. | |
| Are monthly passes available here? | Vai šeit ir pieejamas mēneša abonementu kartes? | |
| Is this the right bus for the museum? | Vai šis ir pareizais autobuss uz muzeju? | |
| How often do the trams run to the main square? | Cik bieži tramvaji kursē uz galveno laukumu? | |
| Is there a stop near the central market? | Vai ir pietura pie centrālā tirgus? | |
| Can you help me with the tram schedule? | Vai jūs varat man palīdzēt ar tramvaja sarakstu? | |
| What time is the last bus to the city center? | Cikos ir pēdējais autobuss uz centru? | |
| Does this train stop at the next station? | Vai šis vilciens apstājas pie nākamās stacijas? | |
| Can I use the ticket for the return journey? | Vai es varu izmantot biļeti atpakaļceļam? |
Shopping
Leaving a foreign country without shopping? Never! If you want to buy little presents for yourself or your friends and family back home, make sure to learn shopping phrases in the Latvian language.
| English | Latvian | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Open. | Atvērts. | |
| Closed. | Slēgts. | |
| I’m heading out to shop. | Es došos uz veikalu. | |
| Which way to the nearest mall? | Kur ir tuvākais tirdzniecības centrs? | |
| Can you recommend a good store? | Vai jūs varat ieteikt labu veikalu? | |
| I need to buy some gifts. | Man jānopērk dažas dāvanas. | |
| Where can I find souvenirs? | Kur es varu atrast suvenīrus? | |
| What time do the shops open? | Cikos veikali atveras? | |
| I’m just browsing, thank you. | Es tikai aplūkoju, paldies. | |
| I like this one, how much is it? | Man patīk šis, cik tas maksā? | |
| I don’t like it. | Man tas nepatīk. | |
| I will buy it. | Es to pirkšu. | |
| Do you have …? | Vai jums ir …? |
Wrapping Up
By reading this article, you have learned conversational Latvian phrases that will help you get by if this is a rare language for you. All you have to do now is focus on learning this basic vocabulary and sentences, so the average native speaker can understand you!
