Language/Standard-latvian/Grammar/The-accusative-case-and-direct-objects

Standard Latvian Grammar → The accusative case and indirect objects → The accusative case and direct objects

Introduction

In this lesson, we will learn about the accusative case and how to use it with direct objects in Latvian sentences. This is an important aspect of the language and mastering it will allow you to express yourself more accurately and effectively.

Before we dive deeper into the accusative case, let's review some basic Latvian sentence structure. In Latvian, the word order is generally subject-verb-object, just like in English. Let's look at an example:

"Es lasu grāmatu." (I am reading a book.)

Here, "Es" (I) is the subject, "lasu" (am reading) is the verb, and "grāmatu" (book) is the direct object.

In order to correctly form sentences with direct objects, we need to use the accusative case. Let's see how it works.

What is the accusative case?

The accusative case is used to indicate a direct object in a sentence. In other words, if the subject of the sentence is doing something to something or someone else, that something or someone else will be in the accusative case.

In Latvian, the accusative case is most commonly formed by adding "-u" to the end of a masculine noun, or "-u/-i" to the end of a feminine noun. Let's look at some examples:

Standard Latvian	Pronunciation	English
Zēns	[ze:ns]	boy
Dators	[da:tors]	computer
Skola	[skola]	school
Māja	[ma:ja]	house

To form the accusative case of these nouns, we simply add "-u" or "-i" to the end, depending on the gender:

Standard Latvian	Pronunciation	English
Zēnu	[ze:nu]	boy (accusative)
Datoru	[da:toru]	computer (accusative)
Skolu	[skolu]	school (accusative)
Māju	[ma:ju]	house (accusative)

As you can see, the accusative case is indicated by the ending of the noun, not by its position in the sentence. Let's look at some examples of how to use the accusative case.

Using the accusative case with direct objects

In the sentence "Es lasu grāmatu." (I am reading a book.), "grāmatu" (book) is the direct object. To indicate this, we use the accusative case by adding "-u" to the end of the word, which becomes "grāmatu" in this case.

Here are some more examples:

• Es redzu zēnu. (I see a boy.) - "zēnu" (boy) is in the accusative case.
• Viņš lasa ziņas. (He's reading the news.) - "ziņas" (news) is in the accusative case.
• Māte cep maizi. (Mother is baking bread.) - "maizi" (bread) is in the accusative case.

Note that the accusative case does not apply to feminine nouns in the plural form. In this case, the ending "-as" is simply replaced by "-as" or "-us" depending on the vowel. For example:

• Meitenes ēd saldējumu. (The girls are eating ice cream.) - "saldējumu" (ice cream) is in the accusative case.

Exceptions to accusative formation

There are some nouns that do not follow the typical accusative case formation. Some of the most common exceptions are:

• Nouns ending in "-s" - in this case, the accusative ending is "-u/-i", but the "-s" is dropped. For example, "viens solis" (one step) becomes "vienu soli" in the accusative case.
• Nouns ending in "-š" - in this case, the accusative ending is "-u/-i", but the "-š" is replaced by "-i". For example, "mežs" (forest) becomes "mežu" in the accusative case.
• Nouns ending in "-is" - in this case, the accusative ending is "-u/-i", but the "-is" is replaced by "-i". For example, "galds" (table) becomes "galdu" in the accusative case.
• Nouns ending in "-us" - in this case, the accusative ending is simply "-u". For example, "alus" (beer) becomes "alu" in the accusative case.

It's important to note that there are many exceptions to these exceptions, so it's always a good idea to check a Latvian grammar book or online resource if you're not sure about a particular word.

Using the accusative case with pronouns

In addition to nouns, pronouns can also take the accusative case when used as direct objects. To form the accusative case of pronouns, we simply add "-u" (for masculine and feminine), or "-i" (for neuter) to the end. Here are some examples:

Standard Latvian	Pronunciation	English
Es	[es]	I
Tu	[tu]	You (singular)
Viņš	[vi:ns]	He
Viņa	[vi:na]	She
Mēs	[me:s]	We
Jūs	[ju:s]	You (plural)
Viņi	[vi:ni]	They (masculine or mixed gender)
Viņas	[vi:nas]	They (feminine)
Tas	[tas]	It (neuter)

To form the accusative case of these pronouns, we simply add "-u" or "-i" to the end, depending on the gender:

Standard Latvian	Pronunciation	English
Mani	[ma:ni]	Me (accusative)
Tevi	[te:vi]	You (singular, accusative)
Viņu	[vi:nu]	Him (accusative)
Viņu	[vi:nu]	Her (accusative)
Mūs	[mu:s]	Us (accusative)
Jūs	[ju:s]	You (plural, accusative)
Viņus	[vi:nus]	Them (masculine or mixed gender, accusative)
Viņas	[vi:nas]	Them (feminine, accusative)
To	[to]	It (neuter, accusative)

Here are some examples of how to use the accusative case with pronouns:

• Es tevi redzu. (I see you.) - "tevi" (you) is in the accusative case.
• Viņas iegādājas rotaļlietas. (She's buying toys.) - "rotaļlietas" (toys) is in the accusative case.

It's worth noting that Latvian frequently omits the subject pronoun altogether when it is clear from the context who is doing the action. This is similar to how Spanish and other languages work.

Conclusion

In this lesson, we have learned about the accusative case and how to use it to indicate direct objects in Latvian sentences. We have seen how

Table of Contents - Standard Latvian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Latvian grammar

• Nouns and their declensions
• The verb "to be" and basic sentence structure
• Adjectives and their agreement with nouns

  ---

Daily life and routines

• Greetings and introductions
• Numbers and time
• Family and relationships

  ---

Latvian traditions and customs

• Latvian holidays and celebrations
• Latvian cuisine
• Latvian folklore and crafts

  ---

Verbs and tenses

• Latvian verb conjugation in the present tense
• The past tense and other verb forms

  ---

Going shopping and using public transport

• Buying groceries and household items
• Using public transport

  ---

Latvian geography and landmarks

• Latvian cities and regions
• Latvian nature and national parks

  ---

Adverbs and prepositions

• Adverbs of time and location
• Prepositions and their cases

  ---

Leisure activities and hobbies

• Free time activities and sports
• Music, films and books

  ---

Latvian arts and museums

• Latvian art and architecture
• Latvian museums and exhibitions

  ---

The accusative case and indirect objects

• The accusative case and direct objects
• Indirect objects and the dative case

  ---

Education and employment

• School subjects and degrees
• Jobs and professions

  ---

Latvian history and politics

• Major historical events and figures
• Modern politics and society

  ---

Conditional and subjunctive mood

• The conditional mood and hypothetical situations
• The subjunctive mood and wishes

  ---

Travel and tourism

• Means of transport and directions
• Accommodation and booking

  ---

Latvian culture and identity

• Latvian language and literature
• Latvian music and dance traditions

  ---

The genitive and possessive forms

• The genitive case and possession
• The possessive forms and characteristics

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Health and wellness

• Body parts and basic health issues
• Healthy living and habits

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Latvian sports and outdoor activities

• Popular sports and events
• Nature and outdoor recreation

Related Lessons

• Adverbs of time and location
• Conditional Mood
• The past tense and other verb forms
• Nouns and their declensions
• The subjunctive mood and wishes
• The genitive case and possession
• Give your Opinion
• Pronouns
• Future Tense