When talking about time in Latvian, vakar is your go-to word for 'yesterday'. It's an adverb, which means it tells you more about an action or a state of being.
You'll often see it used at the beginning of a sentence to set the timeframe, or after the verb. There are no tricky endings to remember for 'vakar' – it stays the same no matter who or what you're talking about. Just plug it in and you're good to go!
When talking about time in Latvian, especially in the past, you'll often encounter the adverb vakar, meaning "yesterday."
It's straightforward to use, much like its English equivalent. For instance, if you want to say "yesterday I went to the shop," you'd say vakar es gāju uz veikalu.
Remember that Latvian doesn't typically use prepositions with vakar when it functions as an adverb of time.
It always refers to the day before today, and you'll find it incredibly useful for simple past tense constructions.
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short and simple word
straightforward spelling
easy to pronounce
distinct sound
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Beispiele nach Niveau
Vakar es apmeklēju izstādi, kas bija ļoti interesanta un iedvesmojoša.
Yesterday I visited an exhibition that was very interesting and inspiring.
Apmeklēju (I visited) is in the past tense. Izstāde (exhibition) is in the accusative case.
Mēs runājām ar viņu vakar par plāniem nākamajai nedēļai, un viss šķita sakārtots.
We talked to him yesterday about the plans for next week, and everything seemed to be in order.
Runājām (we talked) is in the past tense. Viņu (him/her) is in the accusative case. Nākamajai nedēļai (for next week) is in the dative case.
Viņa atzina, ka vakar vakarā jutās nedaudz nogurusi pēc garās darba dienas.
She admitted that yesterday evening she felt a little tired after the long workday.
Atzina (she admitted) and jutās (she felt) are in the past tense. Vakar vakarā (yesterday evening) is a common collocation. Nogurusi (tired) agrees in gender with viņa (she).
Svarīgs dokuments tika parakstīts vakar, kas iezīmē jaunu posmu mūsu sadarbībā.
An important document was signed yesterday, marking a new stage in our cooperation.
Tika parakstīts (was signed) is in the passive voice, past tense. Svarīgs dokuments (important document) is in the nominative case.
Lai gan bija brīvdiena, daudzi cilvēki vakar strādāja, lai pabeigtu steidzamus projektus.
Although it was a holiday, many people worked yesterday to finish urgent projects.
Strādāja (worked) is in the past tense. Steidzamus projektus (urgent projects) is in the accusative case.
Viņi nolēma vakar atcelt pasākumu, jo laika prognoze nebija labvēlīga.
They decided yesterday to cancel the event because the weather forecast was not favorable.
Nolēma (they decided) and atcelt (to cancel) are verbs. Laika prognoze (weather forecast) is in the nominative case.
Interesants raksts par klimata pārmaiņām tika publicēts vakar kādā tiešsaistes žurnālā.
An interesting article about climate change was published yesterday in an online journal.
Tika publicēts (was published) is in the passive voice, past tense. Raksts (article) is in the nominative case.
Mēs centāmies sazināties ar viņu vakar, bet viņš nebija sasniedzams.
We tried to contact him yesterday, but he was unreachable.
Centāmies (we tried) and nebija sasniedzams (was unreachable) are in the past tense. Sazināties (to contact) is an infinitive.
Pēc ilgas un saspringtas darba dienas, kas beidzās pavisam vēlu vakarā, es jutos pilnīgi izsmelts un vienīgais, ko vēlējos, bija vienkārši atpūsties savā mājīgajā gultā, lai atjaunotu spēkus nākamajai dienai.
After a long and stressful workday, which ended quite late yesterday evening, I felt completely exhausted and the only thing I wanted was to simply rest in my cozy bed to regain strength for the next day.
Vakar notikušajā sanāksmē tika pieņemti vairāki stratēģiski svarīgi lēmumi par uzņēmuma nākotnes attīstību, kas, iespējams, ietekmēs mūsu darbību turpmākos gados, tādēļ ir būtiski ar tiem iepazīties detalizēti.
At the meeting held yesterday, several strategically important decisions were made regarding the company's future development, which may affect our operations in the coming years, so it is essential to familiarize ourselves with them in detail.
Viņa vakar izteiktās domas par globālo klimata pārmaiņu ietekmi uz Arktikas reģionu izraisīja plašas diskusijas zinātnieku aprindās, un daudzi kolēģi atzina viņas pētījuma nozīmīgumu šajā jomā.
Her thoughts expressed yesterday about the impact of global climate change on the Arctic region sparked widespread discussions among scientists, and many colleagues acknowledged the significance of her research in this field.
Neraugoties uz to, ka vakar visu dienu lija lietus un laika apstākļi bija diezgan nepatīkami, mēs tomēr nolēmām doties pārgājienā uz kalniem, lai izbaudītu dabas skaistumu un svaigu gaisu.
Despite the fact that it rained all day yesterday and the weather was quite unpleasant, we still decided to go hiking in the mountains to enjoy the beauty of nature and fresh air.
Es vakar pamanīju, ka kaimiņu mājā ir iedegtas gaismas neparasti ilgi, kas mani nedaudz satrauca, jo parasti viņi dodas gulēt jau agrāk, tādēļ nolēmu piezvanīt, lai pārliecinātos, vai viss ir kārtībā.
I noticed yesterday that the lights in the neighbor's house were on unusually long, which worried me a bit, as they usually go to bed earlier, so I decided to call to make sure everything was alright.
Vakaras koncerts, kurā uzstājās pasaulslavenais pianists, bija patiesi neaizmirstams notikums, kas atstāja dziļu iespaidu uz visiem klātesošajiem un saņēma stāvovācijas no publikas.
Yesterday's concert, featuring the world-renowned pianist, was a truly unforgettable event that left a deep impression on everyone present and received a standing ovation from the audience.
Mēs vakar beidzot saņēmām apstiprinājumu par mūsu projekta finansējumu no Eiropas Savienības, kas paver jaunas iespējas un ļauj mums virzīties uz priekšu ar iecerētajiem plāniem.
We finally received confirmation yesterday for our project funding from the European Union, which opens up new opportunities and allows us to move forward with our planned initiatives.
Viņa vakar telefonsarunā minēja, ka ir pabeigusi grāmatas manuskriptu un drīzumā plāno to iesniegt izdevniecībai, cerot uz pozitīvu atbildi un publicēšanas iespējām.
She mentioned yesterday in a phone call that she had completed the book manuscript and soon plans to submit it to the publisher, hoping for a positive response and publication opportunities.
Wird oft verwechselt mit
Means 'in the evening'. While related to 'vakar' (yesterday), 'vakarā' refers to a specific time of day, whereas 'vakar' refers to the entire previous day. 'Vakarā' can also be used for the evening of the current day.
This phrasing is not standard Latvian for 'the day before yesterday'. The correct phrase for 'the day before yesterday' is 'aizvakar'.
Means 'every evening'. This refers to a recurring event, not a specific past day. 'Vakar' is a specific past day.
Grammatikmuster
Leicht verwechselbar
Refers to the morning time. Can be confused with 'tomorrow' due to similar sound structure and association with a new day.
Rīts means morning. Rīt means tomorrow.
Labs rīts! (Good morning!)
Means today. Often confused with 'pēcpusdienā' (in the afternoon) or 'vakar' (yesterday) if the context isn't fully understood as referring to the current day.
Šodien refers to the entire current day. Pēcpusdienā is a specific part of the day, and vakar is a different day.
Ko tu darīsi šodien? (What will you do today?)
Means tomorrow. Can be confused with 'rīts' (morning) due to the similar spelling and pronunciation, especially for new learners.
Rīt is the adverb for tomorrow. Rīts is the noun for morning.
Mēs tiksimies rīt. (We will meet tomorrow.)
Means tonight. Can be confused with 'vakar' (yesterday) or 'šodien' (today) if not clearly understood as 'this evening/night'.
Šovakar specifically refers to the evening/night of the current day. Vakar is yesterday, and šodien is the entire current day.
Ko mēs darīsim šovakar? (What will we do tonight?)
Means last night. Can be confused with 'vakar' (yesterday) as both refer to a past time, but 'pagājušajā naktī' is more specific to the night period.
Pagājušajā naktī refers specifically to the night that has just passed. Vakar refers to the entire previous day.
Es labi gulēju pagājušajā naktī. (I slept well last night.)
Satzmuster
Vakar es {verb past tense}.
Vakar es lasīju grāmatu. (Yesterday I read a book.)
Ko tu darīji vakar?
Ko tu darīji vakar? (What did you do yesterday?)
Vakar bija {day of week/weather}.
Vakar bija pirmdiena. (Yesterday was Monday.)
Es redzēju {person/thing} vakar.
Es redzēju viņu vakar. (I saw him/her yesterday.)
{Time expression} vakar.
Vakar vakarā es gāju gulēt. (Yesterday evening I went to sleep.)
Vakar mēs {verb past tense} kopā.
Vakar mēs ēdām kopā. (Yesterday we ate together.)
Vai tu {verb past tense} vakar?
Vai tu strādāji vakar? (Did you work yesterday?)
Man patika vakar {activity}.
Man patika vakar staigāt. (I liked walking yesterday.)
So verwendest du es
Use vakar to refer to the day before today. It's a common adverb of time. For example, Es redzēju viņu vakar (I saw him yesterday).
A common mistake is confusing vakar (yesterday) with vakars (evening). While they share a similar sound, their meanings are distinct. Another mistake is trying to decline vakar; as an adverb, it does not decline.
Teste dich selbst 60 Fragen
Choose the correct translation for 'yesterday'.
'Vakar' means 'yesterday' in Latvian.
Which word completes the sentence correctly: 'Es redzēju viņu ___.' (I saw him ____.)
The sentence uses the past tense verb 'redzēju' (saw), so 'vakar' (yesterday) is the appropriate adverb.
What is the opposite of 'vakar' (yesterday)?
'Rīt' means 'tomorrow', which is the opposite of 'vakar' (yesterday).
The word 'vakar' refers to a day in the past.
'Vakar' means 'yesterday', which is indeed a day in the past.
You would use 'vakar' to talk about something happening right now.
'Vakar' means 'yesterday', referring to the past. To talk about something happening right now, you would use 'tagad' (now).
If you say 'Es strādāju vakar', it means 'I work tomorrow'.
'Es strādāju vakar' means 'I worked yesterday'. 'Strādāju' is the past tense form of 'strādāt' (to work).
Mēs redzējām filmu ___.
The sentence indicates a past action ('redzējām' - saw), so 'vakar' (yesterday) is the correct adverb.
Ko tu darīji ___?
The verb 'darīji' (did) implies a past action. 'Vakar' (yesterday) fits this context.
Viņa gāja uz veikalu ___.
The verb 'gāja' (went) is in the past tense. 'Vakar' (yesterday) is the appropriate adverb.
Es lasīju grāmatu ___.
The verb 'lasīju' (read) indicates a past action. 'Vakar' (yesterday) correctly places the action in the past.
Vai tu zvanīji man ___?
The verb 'zvanīji' (called) is in the past tense, making 'vakar' (yesterday) the correct choice.
Mēs ēdām picu ___.
The verb 'ēdām' (ate) is in the past tense, so 'vakar' (yesterday) accurately completes the sentence.
Which sentence correctly uses 'vakar'?
'Vakar' can be placed flexibly in a sentence, often at the beginning or after the subject.
Choose the best translation for: 'We met yesterday.'
'Tikāmies' is the correct past tense form for 'we met'. 'Satikāmies' is also correct, but 'tikāmies' is a more direct translation of 'met'.
What is the opposite of 'vakar'?
'Rīt' means tomorrow, which is the direct opposite of yesterday.
You can use 'vakar' to talk about events happening in the future.
'Vakar' specifically refers to the day before today, so it is used for past events.
The sentence 'Viņa vakar strādāja' means 'She worked yesterday'.
The sentence correctly combines 'vakar' with the past tense verb 'strādāja' (worked).
In Latvian, 'vakar' can also mean 'evening'.
While 'vakars' (with an 's') means 'evening', 'vakar' (without an 's') specifically means 'yesterday' when used as an adverb.
The typical sentence structure in Latvian places the subject, then the adverb, then the verb, and finally the rest of the sentence. 'Es' (I) is the subject, 'vakar' (yesterday) is the adverb, 'gāju' (went) is the verb, and 'uz veikalu' (to the store) is the prepositional phrase.
Follows the common Latvian sentence structure: subject ('Viņa' - She), adverb ('vakar' - yesterday), verb ('lasīja' - read), and object ('grāmatu' - book).
Standard sentence order: subject ('Mēs' - We), adverb ('vakar' - yesterday), verb ('tikāmies' - met), and location ('kafejnīcā' - in the cafe).
What did you do yesterday?
I was at the store yesterday.
It rained all day yesterday.
Read this aloud:
Vakar es strādāju līdz vēlam vakaram.
Focus: va-kar es stra-dā-ju līdz vē-lam va-ka-ram
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Read this aloud:
Vai tu vakar biji mājās?
Focus: vai tu va-kar bi-ji mā-jās
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Read this aloud:
Vakar mēs gājām uz kino.
Focus: va-kar mēs gā-jām uz ki-no
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Focus on understanding the location and the people mentioned.
Listen for when she arrived and why.
Try to grasp what happened yesterday and its significance.
Read this aloud:
Vakar es ilgi sarunājos ar savu draugu par nākotnes plāniem.
Focus: sarunājos
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Read this aloud:
Vai tu vakar biji pasākumā, par kuru mēs runājām?
Focus: biji
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Read this aloud:
Es vakar pabeidzu lasīt ļoti interesantu grāmatu.
Focus: pabeidzu
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Imagine you had a very eventful day yesterday. Write a short paragraph describing three things you did using the word 'vakar'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Vakar es apmeklēju jaunu izstādi mākslas muzejā. Pēc tam es satiku draugus uz kafiju. Vakarā mēs kopīgi pagatavojām gardas vakariņas.
You are writing an email to a friend. Tell them about something surprising or unexpected that happened to you yesterday. Use 'vakar' at least once.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Sveiks! Es ceru, ka Tev viss labi. Vakar ar mani notika kaut kas diezgan dīvains. Ejot mājās, es nejauši sastapu savu senu skolasbiedru, kuru nebiju redzējis gadiem! Tas bija patiešām negaidīti.
Describe a memory you have from 'vakar' that made you feel a strong emotion (e.g., happy, sad, angry).
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Vakar es jutos ļoti priecīgs, jo beidzot pabeidzu to sarežģīto projektu. Atceros, ka vakarā es svinēju kopā ar savu komandu, un tas bija ļoti apmierinoši.
Ko Anna un Jānis darīja vakar?
Read this passage:
Anna un Jānis vakar devās uz jaunu restorānu pilsētas centrā. Viņi pasūtīja dažādus ēdienus un bija patīkami pārsteigti par garšu. Pēc vakariņām viņi staigāja pa vecpilsētas ielām un baudīja vakara atmosfēru. Tas bija lielisks veids, kā pavadīt vakaru.
Ko Anna un Jānis darīja vakar?
Tekstā teikts: 'Anna un Jānis vakar devās uz jaunu restorānu pilsētas centrā... Pēc vakariņām viņi staigāja pa vecpilsētas ielām.'
Tekstā teikts: 'Anna un Jānis vakar devās uz jaunu restorānu pilsētas centrā... Pēc vakariņām viņi staigāja pa vecpilsētas ielām.'
Ko autors uzzināja vakar?
Read this passage:
Es vakar lasīju ļoti interesantu grāmatu par vēsturi. Tā bija tik aizraujoša, ka es nevarēju to nolikt, kamēr nebiju izlasījis pēdējo lapu. Grāmatā bija daudz jaunu faktu, ko es iepriekš nezināju. Tagad es jūtos daudz zinošāks par šo periodu.
Ko autors uzzināja vakar?
Tekstā teikts: 'Grāmatā bija daudz jaunu faktu, ko es iepriekš nezināju. Tagad es jūtos daudz zinošāks par šo periodu.'
Tekstā teikts: 'Grāmatā bija daudz jaunu faktu, ko es iepriekš nezināju. Tagad es jūtos daudz zinošāks par šo periodu.'
Ko kaimiņiene plāno darīt?
Read this passage:
Mana kaimiņiene vakar man pastāstīja, ka viņa plāno doties garā ceļojumā. Viņa teica, ka sapņo par šo ceļojumu jau daudzus gadus. Viņa vēl nav izlēmusi galamērķi, bet vēlas apmeklēt vietas, kuras ir bagātas ar kultūru un vēsturi. Esmu priecīgs par viņu.
Ko kaimiņiene plāno darīt?
Tekstā teikts: 'Mana kaimiņiene vakar man pastāstīja, ka viņa plāno doties garā ceļojumā.'
Tekstā teikts: 'Mana kaimiņiene vakar man pastāstīja, ka viņa plāno doties garā ceļojumā.'
What was the topic of conversation yesterday?
What happened yesterday regarding economic reforms?
How did she feel yesterday about the decisions made?
Read this aloud:
Vai jūs vakar pabeidzāt to sarežģīto uzdevumu, ko jums uzticēja?
Focus: sarežģīto, uzticēja
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Read this aloud:
Mēs vakar ilgi diskutējām par jaunajiem tiesību aktiem un to ietekmi uz sabiedrību.
Focus: diskutējām, tiesību, ietekmi
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
Viņa vakar prezentēja savu pētījumu par ilgtspējīgas attīstības stratēģijām.
Focus: prezentēja, pētījumu, ilgtspējīgas
Du hast gesagt:
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Think about personal development.
The speaker is talking about a vision for sustainable development.
Consider the impact of the talks on the geopolitical landscape.
Read this aloud:
Lūdzu, apraksti, kā tu vakar risināji sarežģītu dilemmu, ņemot vērā visas ētiskās un morālās nianses.
Focus: dilemmu, nianses
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Read this aloud:
Kādas ir tavas pārdomas par to, cik lielā mērā vakar pieņemtie lēmumi ietekmēs sabiedrības kopējo labklājību?
Focus: pārdomas, labklājību
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Read this aloud:
Izskaidro, kāpēc, tavuprāt, vakar prezentētais projekts neatbilst mūsdienu inovāciju standartiem un kā to varētu uzlabot.
Focus: prezentētais, inovāciju
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The correct order is Subject (Viņa) + Verb (ziņoja) + Prepositional Phrase (par notikumiem) + Adverb of Time (vakar).
The sentence starts with the adverb of time (Vakar), followed by the verb (dzirdēju) and a subordinate clause (ka viesnīcā bija liela ballīte).
The sentence begins with the adverb of time (Vakar), then the subject (valsts prezidenti), the verb (tikās), and finally the purpose clause (lai risinātu krīzi).
/ 60 correct
Perfect score!
