The First Declension (-s, -š)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Most masculine nouns ending in -s or -š belong to the first declension and follow a predictable pattern.
- Nouns ending in -s or -š are usually masculine: 'draugs' (friend).
- The nominative singular ends in -s or -š: 'brālis' (wait, that's 2nd declension, stick to 'galds').
- The genitive singular adds -a: 'galds' becomes 'galda'.
First Declension Singular
| Case | Ending | Example (draugs) |
|---|---|---|
|
Nominative
|
-s
|
draugs
|
|
Genitive
|
-a
|
drauga
|
|
Dative
|
-am
|
draugam
|
|
Accusative
|
-u
|
draugu
|
|
Instrumental
|
-u
|
ar draugu
|
|
Locative
|
-ā
|
draugā
|
Meanings
The first declension covers the majority of masculine nouns in Latvian. It is the primary way to categorize masculine objects and people.
Masculine Nouns
Standard masculine nouns ending in -s or -š.
“Tas ir galds.”
“Kur ir mans draugs?”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Subject + Verb
|
Draugs nāk.
|
|
Negative
|
Nē + Subject + Verb
|
Draugs nenāk.
|
|
Question
|
Verb + Subject?
|
Vai draugs nāk?
|
|
Genitive
|
Noun + -a
|
Drauga grāmata.
|
|
Plural
|
Noun + -i
|
Draugi.
|
|
Short Answer
|
Jā/Nē
|
Jā, draugs.
|
Formalitätsspektrum
Draugs ir ieradies. (Meeting someone)
Draugs ir šeit. (Meeting someone)
Draugs ir klāt. (Meeting someone)
Čoms ir te. (Meeting someone)
First Declension Map
Nominative
- draugs friend
Genitive
- drauga of the friend
Beispiele nach Niveau
Tas ir draugs.
That is a friend.
Kur ir galds?
Where is the table?
Viņš ir skolotājs.
He is a teacher.
Tas ir mans suns.
That is my dog.
Drauga māja ir liela.
The friend's house is big.
Es redzu galdu.
I see the table.
Skolotāja grāmata ir tur.
The teacher's book is there.
Suns skrien pa dārzu.
The dog runs in the garden.
Mēs runājām par drauga plāniem.
We talked about the friend's plans.
Galds ir izgatavots no koka.
The table is made of wood.
Skolotājs paskaidroja noteikumus.
The teacher explained the rules.
Suns gaida savu saimnieku.
The dog is waiting for its owner.
Drauga viedoklis man ir svarīgs.
The friend's opinion is important to me.
Galds tika novietots stūrī.
The table was placed in the corner.
Skolotājs uzsvēra gramatikas nozīmi.
The teacher emphasized the importance of grammar.
Suns ir uzticīgs draugs.
The dog is a loyal friend.
Drauga atbalsts bija izšķirošs.
The friend's support was decisive.
Galds, kas stāv istabas vidū, ir antikvārs.
The table standing in the middle of the room is antique.
Skolotājs, kurš māca vēsturi, ir ļoti zinošs.
The teacher who teaches history is very knowledgeable.
Suns, kurš rej, nekož.
The dog that barks does not bite.
Drauga rīcība liecināja par viņa raksturu.
The friend's actions testified to his character.
Galds, pie kura mēs sēdējām, bija klāts ar baltu galdautu.
The table at which we sat was covered with a white tablecloth.
Skolotājs, kura autoritāte ir neapstrīdama, runāja ilgi.
The teacher, whose authority is indisputable, spoke for a long time.
Suns, būdams uzticīgs pavadonis, sekoja saimniekam.
The dog, being a loyal companion, followed the owner.
Leicht verwechselbar
Both are masculine, but endings differ.
Learners mix up -s and -a.
Learners mix up -s and -i.
Häufige Fehler
draugis
draugs
galdsa
galda
skolotājsa
skolotāja
sunis
suns
draugu (as subject)
draugs
galdi (as singular)
galds
skolotāji (as singular)
skolotājs
draugam (as subject)
draugs
galda (as subject)
galds
sunam
sunim
draugā (as subject)
draugs
skolotājā (as subject)
skolotājs
galdā (as subject)
galds
Satzmuster
Tas ir ___.
___ māja ir liela.
Es redzu ___.
___ ir mans draugs.
Real World Usage
Mans draugs ir labākais!
Kur esi? Draugs gaida.
Mans skolotājs mani ieteica.
Kur ir galds?
Suns ēd.
Skolotājs runā.
Check the dictionary
Don't guess
Practice genitive
Use titles
Smart Tips
Always learn the nominative and genitive together.
Identify the subject first.
Look for the -a ending for possession.
Don't worry about perfection.
Aussprache
Final -s
Pronounced as a soft 's'.
Statement
Draugs ir šeit ↘
Falling intonation for statements.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Think of 'S' for 'Strong' masculine nouns.
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a strong wooden table (galds) with an 'S' carved into it.
Rhyme
Ending in S, it's the best, masculine nouns pass the test.
Story
My friend (draugs) sat at the table (galds). He was a teacher (skolotājs). They all belong to the first declension.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Write 5 sentences using 5 different first declension nouns.
Kulturelle Hinweise
Latvians value precision in language. Using the correct case is a sign of respect.
Derived from Proto-Indo-European o-stem nouns.
Gesprächseinstiege
Kas tas ir?
Kur ir tavs draugs?
Kāds ir tavs skolotājs?
Kāpēc galds ir salauzts?
Tagebuch-Impulse
Häufige Fehler
Test Yourself
Tas ir mans ___ (draugs).
___ (galds) kāja ir salauzta.
Find and fix the mistake:
Tas ir draugis.
draugs / ir / mans
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Genitive of galds?
Is 'brālis' 1st declension?
A: Kas tas ir? B: Tas ir ___.
Score: /8
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercisesTas ir mans ___ (draugs).
___ (galds) kāja ir salauzta.
Find and fix the mistake:
Tas ir draugis.
draugs / ir / mans
Match nominative to genitive.
Genitive of galds?
Is 'brālis' 1st declension?
A: Kas tas ir? B: Tas ir ___.
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
It ends in -s or -š and is masculine.
Almost all, but check the dictionary.
To show the noun's role in the sentence.
Yes, it is.
Use the genitive: 'mana drauga'.
It might sound confusing or incorrect.
Yes, some nouns are irregular.
Use flashcards and write sentences.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Masculine nouns
Latvian uses endings, German uses articles.
Masculine nouns
French relies on word order and prepositions.
Masculine nouns
Spanish lacks noun declension.
Particles
Latvian changes the word itself.
I'rab
Arabic is Semitic, Latvian is Indo-European.
None
Chinese has no inflection.
