Verbs (darbības vārdi) express actions or states. Latvian verbs change for person, number, tense, and mood.
The dictionary form is the infinitive, which ends in -t (or -ties for reflexive verbs).
InfinitiveThe infinitive is the basic form of the verb. It ends in -t, and in -ties for reflexive verbs.ConjugationsLatvian verbs fall into three conjugations, distinguished by how the present tense is formed.PresentThe present tense (tagadne) describes what is happening now or in general.PastThe simple past tense (pagātne) describes a completed action. The endings are -u, -i, -a, -ām, -āt, -a.FutureThe future tense (nākotne) is formed regularly from the infinitive stem plus -š-/-s- and the endings -u, -i, -, -im, -iet, -.būt — to beThe verb būt (to be) is irregular and very common. It is also used as an auxiliary to form compound tenses.MoodsBesides the ordinary (indicative) mood, Latvian verbs have several other moods that change the attitude towards the action.ReflexiveReflexive verbs (atgriezeniskie darbības vārdi) describe an action directed back at the subject. Their infinitive ends in -ties.ParticiplesParticiples (divdabji) are verb forms that behave like adjectives or adverbs. Latvian is rich in participles; the main ones, formed from lasīt (to read), are:NegationA verb is negated by attaching the prefix ne- to it. The prefix is written together with the verb.