Latvian Verbs App redesigned

Arnis Gross | 

What comes to mind when you hear the words “Latvian verbs”? For most, it’s plain and boring grammatical tables you needed to memorise at Latvian school.

As a 16-year-old, attending Latvian school in Melbourne, and having to look at these tables every week, I was convinced that this challenging part of Latvian grammar could be digitalised to run on computers. That was thirty years ago when personal desktop computers first began to appear in schools, and I longed for the day to try out my new idea – even if it meant sneaking into the computer room after classes.

Fast forward to April, 2021 and the latest version of Latvian Verbs for iPhones and iPads is now available. It is a major upgrade after a 5-year hiatus – completely redesigned and redeveloped! The valuable feedback received from our users worldwide means that it is now even easier and friendlier to use.

Overview of the new Latvian Verbs App (30 secs)

To help illustrate how Latvian Verbs works, let’s look at the verb nopirkt (to buy) in the past tense:

The prefix is no, the verb stem is pirk with the suffix t. Depending upon the person (es, tu, viņš.. viņas) the suffix changes quite predictably and is shown highlighted in red.

Changing to the future tense, we can see a similar pattern: prefix, stem and endings highlighted in red.

In the present tense, it becomes trickier. In our example, the verb stem has changed from pirk to pērk, in the 2nd person singular, the stem ending changes from k -> c and there is no longer a vowel suffix.

If you tap on nopirkt you will get additional useful information about this verb. The classification provides hints on which conjugation rules to apply. The 1st conjugation refers to all verbs where the verb stem is only one syllable (there are also 2nd and 3rd conjugation verbs that end in -āt, -īt, -ēt, -ot, -ūt and have two or more syllables). The 1st conjugation is the most complex and is further divided into 5 groups – nopirkt belongs to the 2nd group and other similar verbs are listed as a reference. The prefixes section shows the most popular prefixes that can be used with the base verb pirkt. Changing a prefix will often change the overall verb meaning as well.

If you need help with the pronunciation of the verb forms, tap on the share icon, select the Izrunā ar Tildes Balsi option (this is a free App download from the AppStore) and listen to the audio. Alternatively, you can share the verb with others as well as mark it as a favourite for future reference.

The Lists section provides the top 50 and top 100 Latvian verbs and, as with all languages, there are also exceptions with additional notes that you can study further.

For more advanced learners, tap on the settings icon and choose the palatalised r and open/closed e options. The compound tense and passive voice (beginners should avoid the passive voice) are off by default. Switching these on reveals the complexity of Latvian verbs.

Advanced users can also choose from indicative, relative, conditional, debitive and imperative moods to further explore the many different Latvian verb forms.

All of the above works well on iPads in portrait as well as landscape modes.

To download Latvian Verbs from the AppStore just search for “Latvian Verbs”. If you would like to provide feedback or have any questions on Latvian Verbs, please use the contact link through the App or post on the Latvian Verbs Facebook page.

Celebrating 25 years, Radio Klasika release 25 digital album collection

Egils Kaljo | 

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Latvijas Radio 3 “Klasika”, the Latvian radio station dedicated to classical and academic music, the Latvian national music label Skani, overseen by the Latvian Music Information Centre, is releasing a 25 digital album series containing some of the best performances from the Latvian Radio archives.

Each album contains the works of one Latvian composer, and the composers selected include a broad range of eras and styles. The series features early Latvian composers such as Pēteris Barisons, Jāzeps Mediņš, and Alfrēds Kalniņš, 20th century composers such as Jānis Ivanovs, Marģeris Zariņš, and Artūrs Grīnups, as well as modern composers such as Ēriks Ešenvalds, Pēteris Vasks, and Andris Dzenītis. There will also be releases that spotlight the work of exiled/diaspora composers like Tālivaldis Ķeniņš, Imants Mežaraups, and Gundaris Pone. Recordings were made between 1963 and 2018.

The albums are available via multiple streaming services.

For further information, please visit the Skani website and the Latvijas Radio 3 “Klasika” website

Egils Kaljo is an American-born Latvian from the New York area . Kaljo began listening to Latvian music as soon as he was able to put a record on a record player, and still has old Bellacord 78 rpm records lying around somewhere.

Latvian Chargé d’Affaires a.i. begins work in Australia

Arlietu ministrija | 

On 12 April 2021, the Latvian Chargé d’Affaires ad interim to the Commonwealth of Australia, Ieva Apine, begins her work in Canberra.  She will be making arrangements for the opening of the new Embassy of Latvia. Building close contacts with the Latvian diaspora organisations represented in Australia is of special importance. 

Opening of the new embassy shall ensure that Latvia’s interests are more effectively supported in this strategic Indo-Pacific region. The mission will in fact be regional in its reach, with initial accreditation covering Australia and New Zealand. The Embassy will offer assistance of various kinds to the diaspora, facilitate a more active development of bilateral relations, including through fostering economic cooperation, as well as opening new opportunities for contacts with countries in Oceania in the context of Latvia’s candidacy for the UN Security Council.

The Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., will also be involved in providing consular assistance to Latvian nationals who have travelled to Australia on short visits and find themselves in situations where they require urgent assistance, for example, when their passport has been lost, they have been detained, or have fallen victim to a crime. Such consular assistance will be provided in close cooperation with the Consular Department of the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Latvia’s honorary consuls, and missions of other European Union Member States in Australia.

The provision of consular services (passports, eIDs, certifications, etc.) at the embassy will begin as soon as technical arrangements are in place. Until further notification, consular services can be received as before, with the help of Latvian honorary consuls in Australia, at any Latvian embassy across the globe, or remotely, as an e-service. 

A resident Ambassador of Latvia to Australia is to be accredited in the second half of 2021.

Australia became home for a considerable number of Latvians in the wake of World War II, which today is reflected in a large and dynamic diaspora, over 20,000 strong. The main diaspora organisation is the Latvian Federation in Australia and New Zealand, which brings together more than 40 Latvian organisations, communities, congregations and centres and their active social life that contributes so much to fostering and preserving Latvian identity and connectedness with Latvian roots and culture.

Five Honorary Consuls currently represent Latvia in Australia – in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.

The Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs still advises against travelling abroad unless absolutely necessary. See the link to current travel advice concerning the Commonwealth of Australia.

In order to contact the Embassy of Latvia in Australia, write an e-mail to Embassy.Australia@mfa.gov.lv

Photo: the Chief of Protocol for the Australian Government, Ian McConville, presents a document confirming the establishment of the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia in the Commonwealth of Australia and on the Charge d’Affaires a.i. of the Republic of Latvia, Ieva Apine, taking up her duties