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Latvian language basics

Zane Louw

The students will learn basic information about the Latvian language like:

  • Alphabet

  • Phonetics

  • Basic phrases

  • Basic grammar

  • Word spelling

Read more

The students will learn basic information about the Latvian language like:

  • Alphabet

  • Phonetics

  • Basic phrases

  • Basic grammar

  • Word spelling

This course consists of lessons on vocabulary and grammar. I made the first lessons as simple as possible for beginners to grasp the new language. One of them is with spelling out all alphabet letters. That's because some of the letters can sound different than in the English language, and also specific letters like č, which many students might not be familiar with in linguistics. I also included a lesson with basic phrases like please or good night.

To make the lesson process visually teachable, I'm using dolls and other objects like technology or toys. For example, the dolls I use are in both genders or amounts, and I use them to give word examples in singular and plural, feminine and masculine forms.

After any lesson, I added a small quiz so any student can test their knowledge of the new information they just learned.

So after this course, you will have a better understanding of the Latvian language and get the ability to read a text in Latvian. It can be not easy at first since the letter spelling is a little bit different from the English alphabet, but it's good to take up a challenge.

This course can inspire students to learn the Latvian language to the next level. For example, tsking the Latvian language from a basic language level to an intermediate and advanced one.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Latvian alphabet
  • Grammar
  • Phonetics
  • Basic phrases
  • Latvian vocabulary

Syllabus

Students will be able to say few phrases, and spell the alphabet and letters, numbers and nouns in Latvian language.

The 1st Lesson is learning basic phrases in Latvian language like how to greet, say goodbye. It will help to slowly start in learning basics of the language, and then easier to continue with the 2nd Lesson.

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This is a small quiz for the student to test his knowledge he gained in Lesson 1.

The 2nd Lesson is learning the Latvian alphabet. I will give one word in Latvian for each letter like ,A is for an apple' and add the words translation in English. This Lesson will help students to know how each letter is spelled in Latvian language so they can pronounce it themselves.

A short quiz for students to test their knowledge of Latvian alphabet

Lesson 3 is about learning numbers in Latvian. This Lesson will help students to spell numbers from 0 till 100 or a thousand etc.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge from Lesson 3.

Lesson 4 is about learning words in Latvian like parts of body (like hair, face, neck etc.), and colours (like red, pink, light & dark blue etc.).

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of words from Lesson 4.

Lesson 5 is about learning family members names (like father, cousin etc.), clothes, shoes, and accessories in Latvian language.

This is a small quiz for students to test their knowledge on Lesson 5.

Lesson 6 is about learning food (like dishes, vegetables, fruit) and drink names in Latvian. Also how to say meal time (breakfast, supper etc.) and kitchen objects like spoon, cup etc. in Latvian.

This is a small quiz for students to test their knowledge on Lesson 6.

Lesson 7 is about learning animal, like reptile, mammal, bird, insect, fish and amphibian names in Latvian. In Captions I wrote animal name in singular and plural so the students don't get confused on how to say the animals properly.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of Lesson 7.

Lesson 8 is about learning new words like how to say month names (January, March etc.), days in the week (Monday, Friday etc.) in Latvian.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of Lesson 8.

Lesson 9 is about learning new words like cardinal directions (north, east, west, south), continents and country names and nationality in Latvian.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of Lesson 9.

Lesson 10 is about learning new words like objects inside the house and nature, professions and buildings.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge about Lesson 10.

Students will be able to know basic grammar of Latvian language.

Lesson 11 is about learning verbs, by what factors they are conjugated and their conjugation forms with examples.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of Lesson 11

Lesson 12 is about learning nouns in feminine & masculine, singular & plural form, and how the noun endings change depending on their form.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge about Lesson 12.

Lesson 13 is about learning articles in Latvian language, and they are different from English language. I will give examples with 2 nouns in feminine & masculine form.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of Lesson 13.

Lesson 14 is about learning pronouns and grammatical cases in Latvian language. I will give some sentences as examples with the pronouns.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge about Lesson 14.

Lesson 15 is about learning about adjectives, which categories or types they have in the Latvian language. I will give sentences as examples with adjectives in plural & singular, feminine & masculine form.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge about Lesson 15.

Lesson 16 is about learning adverbs, and the 4 types of them in Latvian language. I will give some adverb examples from each group, and sentences.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge about Lesson 16.

Lesson 17 is about learning prepositions. I'm using props like a doll and a pillow, and give sentences as examples with prepositions to make learning easier.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge about Lesson 17.

Lesson 18 is about learning about negation in Latvian language. I will give examples of negation words and explain how to to form a negation words from verbs, and also give sentences as examples.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge about Lesson 18.

Lesson 18 is about on how to make a question, what type of words (like adverbs, particles etc.) can be put in front of the question, different types of questions etc. I will also give questions as examples.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of Lesson 19.

Lesson 20 is about sentences, which end with a dot & an exclamation dot. I will explain how they are different and what types are in Latvian language.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of Lesson 20.

Lesson 21 is about punctuation marks, which are often used in Latvian language like comma, dash, semicolon, colon and brackets. I will give sentences, where these punctuation marks are used.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge about Lesson 21.

This is a test for students to test their knowledge they learnt in Part 1: Learning words and Spelling.

Vocabulary

In this lesson I'm teaching how to say different shapes in Latvian language like circle, star, tetragon etc. Then give 2 sentence examples, where shape names are used.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of 2 Lesson 1.

In this lesson I'm teaching vocabulary of IT(information technology) gadgets and verbs. Then give 2 sentence examples, where new vocabulary is used.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of 2 Lesson 2.

In this lesson I'm teaching vocabulary of banking and finances. Like when a person goes to bank to open a bank account or get a bank card, or want to get a foreign currency.

I will also give a dialog example in Latvian using the new vocabulary.


This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of 2 Lesson 3.

In this lesson I'm teaching vocabulary related to health, for example, words describing the symptoms, types of doctors etc. Then will give a dialogue in Latvian using vocabulary learned in this Lesson.

This is a short quiz for students to test their skills on 2 Lesson 4.

In this lesson I'm teaching new vocabulary about shopping, for example, pricing, different types of shops. cash register etc. At the end of Lesson I'm going to give a dialogue in Latvian as an example using the new vocabulary.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of 2 Lesson 5.

In this lesson I'm teaching new vocabulary about toys, for example, 4 toy types and popular toy names. I will also give a dialogue as an example using the new vocabulary.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of 2 Lesson 6.

In this lesson I'm teaching new vocabulary about makeup and facial, hair care. I will also give a dialogue as an example using the new vocabulary.

This is a short quiz for student to test their knowledge on 2 Lesson 7.

In this lesson I'm teaching new vocabulary about studying, for example, name educational places(university, school etc.). I will also give a dialogue as an example using the new vocabulary.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of 2 Lesson 8.

In this lesson I'm teaching new vocabulary about fitness, for example, name sport types, clothes and inventory words in Latvian. I will also give a dialogue as an example using the new vocabulary.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge on 2 Lesson 9.

In this lesson I'm teaching new vocabulary about Tourism, for example, hotel, museum and different transport types in Latvian. I will also give a dialogue as an example using the new vocabulary.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of 2 Lesson 10.

In this lesson I'm teaching new vocabulary about Television, for example, international functions and types of programs on television in Latvian. I will also give a dialogue as an example using the new vocabulary.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of 2 Lesson 11.

In this lesson I'm teaching new vocabulary about Music, for example, genres and instrument types in Latvian. I will also give a dialogue as an example using the new vocabulary.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of 2 Lesson 12.

In this lesson I'm teaching new vocabulary about books, for example, different types of genres in Latvian. I will also give a dialogue as an example using the new vocabulary.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of 2 Lesson 13.

In this lesson I'm teaching new vocabulary about studying- a continuation from Lesson 8. I will teach new words about subjects in school or university and stationery in Latvian. I will also give a dialogue as an example using the new vocabulary.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge about 2 Lesson 14.

In this lesson I'm teaching new vocabulary about going to a restaurant and other places to eat in Latvian. I will also give a dialogue as an example using the new vocabulary.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge about 2 Lesson 15.

In this lesson I'm teaching new vocabulary about Algebra or mathematic signs used in formulas or equations in Latvian. I will also give a dialogue as an example using the new vocabulary.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of 2 Lesson 16

In this lesson I'm teaching new vocabulary about Zodiac in Latvian. I will also give a dialogue as an example using the new vocabulary.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge about 2 Lesson 17.

Understand Latvian language grammar better.

In this Lesson I'm teaching about adjectives, and how they come in superlative forms(basic form- comparative- superlative). I will give examples in masculine, feminine, singular and plural forms, and have sentences.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of 2 Lesson 18.

In this Lesson I'm teaching about antonyms or words with opposite meaning. I will give word pair examples and sentences.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of 2 Lesson 19.

In this Lesson I'm teaching about synonyms or words with the same meaning, and homonyms- words written the same way, but with different meanings. I will give word pair examples and sentences.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of 2 Lesson 20.

In this Lesson I'm recapping past-present-future verb conjugation from lesson 11(from 1st part of this course). I will give word pair examples in every conjugation with sentences, where the pairs are included.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of 2 Lesson 21.

In this Lesson I'm recapping past-present-future verb conjugation from lesson 11(from 1st part of this course), and previous Lesson(2 Lesson 21). I will teach about 3 verb conjugation types, and how can you indicate which conjugation type does the verb belong to. I will give word pair examples in every conjugation.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of 2 Lesson 22.

Test for Part 2
Understand geography of the world.

In this lesson I'm gonna give a short description about upcoming assignment and a short grammar lesson about personal pronoun.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of 3 Lesson 1.

In this Lesson I'm teaching names of northern, eastern & central European countries in Latvian. After that I'm giving sentence examples and a dialogue using new vocabulary.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of 3 Lesson 2.

In this Lesson I'm teaching names of western & eastern European countries in Latvian. After that I'm giving sentence examples and a dialogue using new vocabulary.

This is a short quiz for students to test their knowledge of 3 Lesson 3.

In this Lesson I'm teaching names of north & central American and Caribbean countries in Latvian. After that I'm giving sentence examples and a dialogue using new vocabulary.

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Uses dolls and other objects to visually teach vocabulary, which can be helpful for visual learners to understand singular and plural forms
Includes quizzes after each lesson, which allows learners to test their knowledge and reinforce learning immediately
Starts with basic phrases and the alphabet, which provides a solid foundation for further language learning
Covers a wide range of vocabulary topics, including family, food, animals, and professions, which is useful for everyday conversations
Teaches basic grammar concepts such as verbs, nouns, articles, and pronouns, which are essential for constructing sentences
Includes dialogues in Latvian using new vocabulary, which helps learners understand how to use the language in context

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Latvian language basics with these activities:
Review Latvian Alphabet and Phonetics
Strengthen your understanding of the Latvian alphabet and phonetics before starting the course. This will make it easier to grasp new vocabulary and grammar rules.
Show steps
  • Review the Latvian alphabet chart.
  • Practice pronouncing each letter aloud.
  • Listen to audio recordings of Latvian words and try to mimic the pronunciation.
Explore 'Colloquial Latvian: The Complete Course for Beginners'
Enhance your conversational skills with a beginner-friendly course book. This book will provide practical dialogues and exercises to improve your fluency.
View Putting Knowledge to Work on Amazon
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'Colloquial Latvian: The Complete Course for Beginners'.
  • Work through the lessons, focusing on the dialogues and exercises.
  • Practice speaking the dialogues with a partner or language exchange partner.
Read 'Latvian: An Essential Grammar'
Supplement your learning with a comprehensive grammar guide. This book will provide a deeper understanding of Latvian grammar rules and structures.
View Colloquial Latvian: The Complete Course for... on Amazon
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'Latvian: An Essential Grammar'.
  • Read the chapters relevant to the course syllabus.
  • Take notes on key grammar points.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Create Flashcards for Basic Latvian Phrases
Reinforce your understanding of basic Latvian phrases by creating flashcards. This will help you memorize common greetings and expressions.
Show steps
  • Identify 20-30 basic Latvian phrases from the course materials.
  • Create flashcards with the Latvian phrase on one side and the English translation on the other.
  • Use the flashcards to practice memorizing the phrases.
  • Test yourself regularly to reinforce learning.
Practice Latvian Pronunciation with Online Tools
Improve your pronunciation by practicing with online Latvian pronunciation tools. This will help you speak Latvian more clearly and confidently.
Show steps
  • Find online resources that offer Latvian pronunciation practice.
  • Listen to native speakers pronounce words and phrases.
  • Record yourself speaking Latvian and compare it to the native speaker's pronunciation.
  • Repeat the process until you are satisfied with your pronunciation.
Write a Short Story in Latvian
Solidify your understanding of Latvian grammar and vocabulary by writing a short story. This will challenge you to apply what you've learned in a creative way.
Show steps
  • Choose a simple topic for your story.
  • Write a draft of the story in Latvian, using vocabulary and grammar from the course.
  • Use online resources or a dictionary to look up any unfamiliar words or phrases.
  • Revise and edit your story for grammar and spelling errors.
Help other students in the discussion forums
Reinforce your understanding by helping other students. Explaining concepts to others solidifies your own knowledge.
Show steps
  • Regularly check the course discussion forums.
  • Answer questions from other students about the course material.
  • Explain concepts in your own words to ensure understanding.

Career center

Learners who complete Latvian language basics will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Translator
A translator converts written text from one language to another and this course in Latvian language basics provides a foundation for proficiency in Latvian. Understanding the nuances of grammar, spelling, and vocabulary, as taught in this course, is essential for a translator to accurately convey meaning. This course's lessons on basic phrases and vocabulary build a base for more advanced language acquisition, which would be needed for translation. The course systematically covers Latvian alphabet, phonetics, basic grammar, and word spelling, and therefore may be useful for those seeking to become a translator.
See salaries and explore the career path for Translator
Language Teacher
A language teacher instructs students in a specific language and this Latvian language basics course can help a future teacher of Latvian in several ways. By learning the fundamentals of Latvian language like the alphabet, phonetics, basic phrases, and grammar, a teacher builds a strong understanding of the material they will teach. The course's structured approach to language learning, using visual aids and quizzes, can provide an example for how to teach a language, too. The course's coverage of vocabulary can be helpful for those who wish to create lesson plans on this subject in particular. This course may be useful for an aspiring language teacher.
See salaries and explore the career path for Language Teacher
Localization Specialist
A localization specialist adapts content for a specific region or market and this course in Latvian language is a good starting point for those who wish to specialize in the Latvian market. This course imparts the basic knowledge necessary for translation and adaptation, such as the alphabet, phonetics, basic phrases, and grammar. This course's introduction to many Latvian words can help a specialist adapt product descriptions or user manuals. This course may be useful for a future localization specialist.
See salaries and explore the career path for Localization Specialist
Interpreter
An interpreter converts spoken language from one language to another and this course on Latvian language basics will be helpful for aspiring interpreters. The ability to understand the phonetics and grammar of Latvian, which this course covers, is crucial for accurate interpretation. Furthermore, this course, with its emphasis on vocabulary and basic phrases, lays the groundwork for more fluent communication in Latvian. The course's methodology, using dolls and objects for visual learning, may also be useful for those who like to use the same teaching approach. The course may be useful for a future interpreter.
See salaries and explore the career path for Interpreter
Bilingual Customer Service Representative
A bilingual customer service representative interacts with customers in multiple languages and this course in Latvian language basics can be helpful for a future representative who wants to interact with Latvian speakers. This course provides the essential building blocks for communication in Latvian, covering alphabet, pronunciation, basic grammar, and vocabulary. The course's focus on simple phrases and grammar rules would help develop confidence in using the language in a service setting. These basics can then be built upon to achieve conversational fluency. The course may be useful for those who work with the public as a representative.
See salaries and explore the career path for Bilingual Customer Service Representative
Foreign Language Journalist
A foreign language journalist reports news in a language other than their native tongue and this course in Latvian language basics is a necessary step for a journalist reporting in Latvian. The course teaches the alphabet, phonetics, basics of grammar, and word spelling which all help the journalist understand the core structure of Latvian. The course's focus on vocabulary is also critical, as it helps the journalist understand the nuances of language, which can be important in accurate reporting or interviewing. The course may be useful for a journalist.
See salaries and explore the career path for Foreign Language Journalist
Travel Guide
A travel guide assists tourists and this course in Latvian language basics can help a guide who may need to communicate effectively with Latvian speaking travelers. The course provides a foundation in the Latvian alphabet, phonetics, basic grammar, and vocabulary. The course's emphasis on simple phrases can help a guide communicate practical information, ask basic questions, and understand responses. This ability to speak Latvian would enhance the experience of travelers engaging with Latvia, and this course may be helpful for a future guide.
See salaries and explore the career path for Travel Guide
Linguist
A linguist studies the structure and development of language, and this course on the Latvian language is a good introduction for those interested in Latvian linguistics. This course provides foundational knowledge of Latvian language, including its alphabet, phonetics, basic phrases, and grammar. The systematic way in which this course introduces language may be useful to linguists who seek to understand how languages are constructed. This course may be useful for those interesting in the study of language.
See salaries and explore the career path for Linguist
Academic Researcher
An academic researcher conducts research at universities. This Latvian language basics course may be useful to an academic researcher who focuses on Latvian studies, history, culture, or linguistics. The course's focus on Latvian alphabet, phonetics, basic phrases, grammar, and vocabulary can help the researcher read texts and make basic communication with subject matter experts. This course may be useful for any academic researcher who works on topics related to Latvia. Typically, academic researchers hold a master's or PhD.
See salaries and explore the career path for Academic Researcher
Immigration Officer
An immigration officer processes applications and interviews people seeking to enter or stay in a country. This course in Latvian language basics may be useful for an officer who needs to communicate with Latvian-speaking individuals. Such an officer might use this course to learn basic conversational phrases, vocabulary, and grammar, which can help in basic communication. This course's lessons in phonetics can be essential to understanding different accents. This course may be useful for an aspiring immigration officer.
See salaries and explore the career path for Immigration Officer
Cultural Liaison
A cultural liaison facilitates communication between people of different cultural backgrounds and this course in Latvian language basics may be helpful for a liaison working with the Latvian community. This course helps build basic language skills like speaking, reading, and writing using the Latvian alphabet and basic grammar. Understanding the language helps to build rapport and understanding. This course may be useful for a future cultural liaison.
See salaries and explore the career path for Cultural Liaison
Foreign Correspondent
A foreign correspondent reports news from a specific country, and this course in Latvian language basics can help a correspondent based in Latvia. Understanding the Latvian alphabet, phonetics, basic grammar, and vocabulary, may help the correspondent navigate their surroundings. The course may be beneficial for further language studies. This course may be useful for a foreign correspondent.
See salaries and explore the career path for Foreign Correspondent
Foreign Service Officer
A foreign service officer represents their country in diplomatic missions abroad and this Latvian language basics course may be helpful for officers interested in working with or in Latvia. This course will impart basic Latvian language skills, including alphabet, phonetics, basic phrases, and grammar. This course helps lay a foundation for more advanced language studies, and build a respect for the culture. The course may be useful for a future foreign service officer.
See salaries and explore the career path for Foreign Service Officer
Market Research Analyst
A market research analyst studies market conditions and this course in Latvian language basics can provide a foundation for those working in the Latvian market. Basic knowledge of the language, as taught in this course, like alphabet, phonetics, basic phrases, grammar, and vocabulary, can help an analyst understand market dynamics and cultural nuances. This may be particularly helpful for surveys and focus groups. This course may be useful for a market research analyst.
See salaries and explore the career path for Market Research Analyst
Archivist
An archivist manages and preserves historical documents and records and this course in Latvian language basics may be helpful for archivists who work with Latvian materials. The course provides an understanding of the Latvian alphabet, basic grammar, and word spelling, which is crucial for reading and cataloging Latvian texts. This course may provide a good foundation for further study of the Latvian language. This course may be helpful for a future archivist.
See salaries and explore the career path for Archivist

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Latvian language basics.
Cover image
Putting Knowledge to Work
Save
Is designed for beginners and focuses on practical, everyday Latvian. It includes dialogues, grammar explanations, vocabulary lists, and exercises. It's particularly useful for learning conversational Latvian and building a solid foundation in the language. This book great resource for additional practice and reinforcement of the course material.
Putting Knowledge to Work
Paperback
Check
Putting Knowledge to Work
Kindle Edition
Check
Cover image
Colloquial Latvian
Save
Provides a comprehensive overview of Latvian grammar, covering topics such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. It useful reference for understanding the grammatical concepts introduced in the course. While it may be too detailed for absolute beginners, it serves as a valuable resource for those seeking a deeper understanding of Latvian grammar.
Colloquial Latvian: The Complete Course for...
Paperback
$$$
Colloquial Latvian: The Complete Course for...
Paperback
$$$
Colloquial Latvian: The Complete Course for...
Kindle Edition
$$$

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Effort
8.5 total hours
Via
Udemy
Instructor
Zane Louw
Language
English
Good to know
Uses dolls and other objects to visually teach vocabulary, which can be helpful for visual learners to understand singular and plural forms
Includes quizzes after each lesson, which allows learners to test their knowledge and reinforce learning immediately
Starts with basic phrases and the alphabet, which provides a solid foundation for further language learning
Covers a wide range of vocabulary topics, including family, food, animals, and professions, which is useful for everyday conversations
Teaches basic grammar concepts such as verbs, nouns, articles, and pronouns, which are essential for constructing sentences
Includes dialogues in Latvian using new vocabulary, which helps learners understand how to use the language in context
Share and help others discover this course.
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