Bedeutung
Very difficult and demanding physical work.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The 'Darba tikums' (work virtue) is a core part of Latvian identity. Children are taught from a young age that 'sūrs darbs' is the only way to earn respect and prosperity. In Latvian mythology, the Sky Father (Dievs) often tests people by seeing if they are willing to perform 'sūrs darbs' without complaining. Even in modern IT startups in Riga, the phrase is used to describe the 'hustle' culture, showing that the agrarian roots still influence modern work language. Similar concepts exist in Lithuania and Estonia, reflecting a shared history of difficult farming conditions and foreign occupation.
Use it for respect
If you want to show a Latvian that you respect their effort, use this phrase. It resonates with their cultural values.
Watch the 'ū'
If you say 'surs' (short u), it's not a word. Make sure to hold the 'ū' long.
Bedeutung
Very difficult and demanding physical work.
Use it for respect
If you want to show a Latvian that you respect their effort, use this phrase. It resonates with their cultural values.
Watch the 'ū'
If you say 'surs' (short u), it's not a word. Make sure to hold the 'ū' long.
The 'Bitter-Sweet' combo
Use the proverb 'Sūrs darbs, saldi augļi' to sound like a native speaker when discussing long-term goals.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the correct form of the adjective 'sūrs'.
Zemniekam ir ______ darbs uz lauka.
'Darbs' is masculine singular nominative, so 'sūrs' must match.
Which sentence best describes a long, difficult university degree?
Kā raksturot piecus gadus studiju?
'Sūrs darbs' is the only option that implies long-term effort and difficulty.
Match the Latvian phrase with its English equivalent.
Match the pairs:
These are the standard translations for these levels of effort.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Tu izskaties ļoti noguris. B: Jā, dārzā šodien bija ________.
'Sūrs darbs' fits the context of being tired from gardening.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenZemniekam ir ______ darbs uz lauka.
'Darbs' is masculine singular nominative, so 'sūrs' must match.
Kā raksturot piecus gadus studiju?
'Sūrs darbs' is the only option that implies long-term effort and difficulty.
Ordne jedem Element links seinen Partner rechts zu:
These are the standard translations for these levels of effort.
A: Tu izskaties ļoti noguris. B: Jā, dārzā šodien bija ________.
'Sūrs darbs' fits the context of being tired from gardening.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
5 FragenNo, it can be used for mental or emotional labor, like studying for a PhD or working on a relationship, though its roots are physical.
Not directly as 'Viņš ir sūrs darbs'. You should say 'Viņš nebaidās no sūra darba' (He is not afraid of hard work).
Yes, it is very common in news, literature, and daily conversation to emphasize effort.
'Smags' is 'heavy' (physical weight). 'Sūrs' is 'bitter' (emotional/physical hardship).
Yes, if you use it for something very easy (like opening a bag of chips), it sounds sarcastic and funny.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Sūri grūti
similarBitterly difficult
Darba rūķis
builds onWork gnome/busy bee
Sviedriem vaigā
synonymWith sweat on the brow
Vieglā maize
contrastEasy bread
