Adjectives

Adjectives (īpašības vārdi) describe a quality of a noun. In Latvian they agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.

Each adjective has two parallel sets of forms: the indefinite (nenoteiktā) and the definite (noteiktā). Adjectives also form degrees of comparison.

AgreementAn adjective takes the gender, number, and case of the noun it describes. The adjective usually comes before the noun.IndefiniteThe indefinite form (nenoteiktā galotne) is used when the quality is mentioned for the first time or in a general way — much like the English indefinite article ‘a’.DefiniteThe definite form (noteiktā galotne) points to a specific, already known thing — much like the English definite article ‘the’.DeclensionIndefinite adjectives decline like nouns of the I declension (masculine) and the IV declension (feminine). An adjective always uses these two patterns — no matter which declension its noun belongs to — so a single set of endings fits every noun. The example below uses labs / laba (good).ComparisonAdjectives have three degrees: the positive (pamata pakāpe), the comparative (pārākā pakāpe), and the superlative (vispārākā pakāpe).