When you're first starting out with Latvian, one of the most useful verbs to learn is pirkt, meaning 'to buy'. It's a regular verb, which makes it easier to conjugate. You'll use it all the time, whether you're shopping for groceries, clothes, or souvenirs.
It's important to remember that Latvian uses different endings for verbs depending on who is doing the action. For 'pirkt', some common forms you'll encounter are es pērku (I buy), tu pērc (you buy, singular informal), and viņš/viņa pērk (he/she buys). Pay attention to these changes as you practice!
§ Basic Sentence Structure with 'Pirkt'
The verb 'pirkt' (to buy) is pretty straightforward. Like in English, you'll generally have a subject (who is buying) and an object (what is being bought). In Latvian, the object will be in the accusative case (ko? 'what?').
Es pirku maizi.
Translation hint: I bought bread. (Es - I, maizi - bread [accusative])
Viņa pērk jaunu kleitu.
Translation hint: She is buying a new dress. (Viņa - She, jaunu kleitu - a new dress [accusative])
§ Conjugation of 'Pirkt'
'Pirkt' is a regular verb. Here's how it conjugates in the present, past, and future tenses for common pronouns. Focus on learning the present and past first, as they are used most often.
- Present Tense
- Es pērku (I buy)
- Tu pērc (You [singular informal] buy)
- Viņš/Viņa pērk (He/She buys)
- Mēs pērkam (We buy)
- Jūs pērkat (You [plural/formal] buy)
- Viņi/Viņas pērk (They buy)
- Past Tense
- Es pirku (I bought)
- Tu pirki (You [singular informal] bought)
- Viņš/Viņa pirka (He/She bought)
- Mēs pirkām (We bought)
- Jūs pirkāt (You [plural/formal] bought)
- Viņi/Viņas pirka (They bought)
- Future Tense
- Es pirkšu (I will buy)
- Tu pirksi (You [singular informal] will buy)
- Viņš/Viņa pirkš (He/She will buy)
- Mēs pirksim (We will buy)
- Jūs pirsiet (You [plural/formal] will buy)
- Viņi/Viņas pirkš (They will buy)
§ Using Prepositions with 'Pirkt'
When you're talking about buying something *for* someone, you'll use the dative case (kam? 'to whom?'). The most common preposition here is not always explicit; often, the dative case itself signals 'for whom'.
Es pirku
Translation hint: I bought a gift for Mom. (dāvanu - gift [accusative], mammai - for Mom [dative])
If you want to say where you bought something, you'll use locative case (kur? 'where?') or prepositions like 'veikalā' (in the store) or 'tirgū' (at the market).
Mēs pērkam
Translation hint: We buy fruits at the market. (augļus - fruits [accusative], tirgū - at the market [locative])
§ Common Phrases with 'Pirkt'
Here are some useful phrases to get you started:
- Ko tu pērc? (What are you buying?)
- Es gribu pirkt... (I want to buy...)
- Vai jūs pērkat to? (Are you buying that?)
- Cik maksā pirkt...? (How much does it cost to buy...?) - Though 'cik maksā?' is more common.
Dato curioso
The root of 'pirkt' is also found in Lithuanian 'pirkti' (to buy) and Old Prussian 'pīrkt' (to sell), showing a shared ancient linguistic heritage.
Guía de pronunciación
- pronouncing 'i' too long
- not rolling the 'r'
Gramática que debes saber
The infinitive form of Latvian verbs often ends in -t or -ties. 'Pirkt' is an example of a verb ending in -t.
Es gribu **pirkt** jaunu grāmatu. (I want **to buy** a new book.)
In the present tense, first person singular (es - I), verbs ending in -t often drop the -t and add -u. So, 'pirkt' becomes 'pērku'.
Es **pērku** maizi katru dienu. (I **buy** bread every day.)
In the present tense, third person singular/plural (viņš/viņa/viņi/viņas - he/she/they), verbs like 'pirkt' change to 'pērk'.
Viņš **pērk** ziedus savai mātei. (He **buys** flowers for his mother.)
To form the past tense, verbs like 'pirkt' often take the ending -a, becoming 'pirku' for the first person singular.
Es vakar **pirku** pienu. (I **bought** milk yesterday.)
To express 'will buy' (future tense), you add 'pirkšu' for the first person singular.
Es rīt **pirkšu** biļetes uz koncertu. (I **will buy** tickets for the concert tomorrow.)
Ejemplos por nivel
Viņš nolēma pirkt veco māju, neskatoties uz tās slikto stāvokli, cerot to atjaunot un pārdot ar peļņu.
He decided to buy the old house, despite its poor condition, hoping to renovate and sell it for a profit.
Here, 'pirkt' is used in the infinitive form following 'nolēma' (decided).
Pēc ilgām pārdomām viņa izlēma pirkt to gleznu, jo tā viņu uzrunāja un atgādināja par bērnību.
After long consideration, she decided to buy that painting, because it spoke to her and reminded her of childhood.
'Pirkt' again in the infinitive, expressing an intention or decision.
Vai jūs domājat, ka ir vērts pirkt akcijas šajā uzņēmumā, ņemot vērā tā nestabilo finanšu situāciju?
Do you think it's worth buying shares in this company, considering its unstable financial situation?
'Pirkt' as an infinitive, expressing the action of buying in a question about value.
Lai saglabātu konkurētspēju, uzņēmumam nepieciešams pirkt jaunākās tehnoloģijas un apmācīt darbiniekus.
To maintain competitiveness, the company needs to buy the latest technologies and train employees.
The infinitive 'pirkt' used to indicate a necessity or requirement.
Viņi apsvēra iespēju pirkt lauku īpašumu, lai vasarās varētu atpūsties prom no pilsētas kņadas.
They considered the possibility of buying a rural property, so they could relax away from the city bustle in the summers.
'Pirkt' used as an infinitive following 'iespēju' (possibility).
Eksperti brīdināja, ka pirkt dārgmetālus šobrīd varētu būt riskanti, ņemot vērā tirgus svārstības.
Experts warned that buying precious metals right now could be risky, considering market fluctuations.
Here, 'pirkt' functions as a verbal noun (gerund) in English, acting as the subject of the sentence. In Latvian, it remains an infinitive.
Lai arī budžets bija ierobežots, viņiem izdevās pirkt pietiekami daudz pārtikas visai nedēļai.
Although the budget was limited, they managed to buy enough food for the whole week.
'Pirkt' as an infinitive following 'izdevās' (managed to).
Viņš ieteica pirkt biļetes iepriekš, lai izvairītos no rindām un garantētu sev vietu izrādē.
He recommended buying tickets in advance, to avoid queues and guarantee himself a seat at the show.
'Pirkt' in the infinitive, expressing a recommendation.
Origen de la palabra
Proto-Indo-European
Significado original: to barter, exchange
BalticContexto cultural
When shopping in Latvia, you'll hear 'pirkt' all the time. It's a common verb for everyday transactions. Don't be surprised if vendors are quite direct – it's part of the culture, not rudeness!
Practica en la vida real
Contextos reales
Shopping for groceries
- Es gribu pirkt maizi.
- Cik maksā pirkt pienu?
- Vai es varu pirkt dārzeņus šeit?
Shopping for clothes
- Es vēlos pirkt jaunu kleitu.
- Kur es varu pirkt kurpes?
- Cik daudz maksā šis krekls, ja es to pērku?
Online shopping
- Es gribu pirkt to tiešsaistē.
- Vai ir droši pirkt no šīs vietnes?
- Es pērku daudz lietu internetā.
Making big purchases (e.g., car, house)
- Mēs plānojam pirkt māju.
- Viņi grib pirkt jaunu mašīnu.
- Ir grūti pirkt dārgas lietas.
Discussing finances related to buying
- Man nav naudas, lai to pirktu.
- Es varu pirkt to vēlāk.
- Cik bieži tu pērc jaunas lietas?
Inicios de conversación
"Ko tu pērc šodien?"
"Vai tu bieži pērc lietas internetā?"
"Kas ir pēdējā lieta, ko tu nopirki?"
"Vai tu labprātāk pērc jaunas vai lietotas lietas?"
"Cik svarīgi tev ir pirkt vietējos produktus?"
Temas para diario
Apraksti savu pēdējo iepirkšanās pieredzi, izmantojot vārdu 'pirkt'.
Padomā par kaut ko, ko tu ļoti vēlies pirkt. Kāpēc tu to vēlies?
Uzraksti par to, kā tu izlem, ko pirkt un ko nepirkt.
Kādas ir tavas iecienītākās vietas, kur pirkt dažādas lietas?
Iztēlojies, ka tev ir neierobežota nauda. Ko tu pirktu?
Preguntas frecuentes
10 preguntasHere's how to conjugate 'pirkt' (to buy) in the present tense:
- Es pērku (I buy)
- Tu pērc (You buy - singular, informal)
- Viņš/Viņa pērk (He/She buys)
- Mēs pērkam (We buy)
- Jūs pērkat (You buy - plural or formal singular)
- Viņi/Viņas pērk (They buy)
Yes, you can use 'pirkt' for both items and services. For example, you can say 'pirkt mašīnu' (to buy a car) or 'pirkt biļeti' (to buy a ticket, which is a service).
Both 'pirkt' and 'iegādāties' mean 'to buy'. 'Pirkt' is the more common and general term, used in everyday conversation. 'Iegādāties' is a bit more formal or can imply acquiring something of value or importance, but often they are interchangeable. For beginners, 'pirkt' is usually sufficient.
To say 'I want to buy...', you would use 'Es gribu pirkt...'. For example: 'Es gribu pirkt pienu.' (I want to buy milk.)
When saying 'to buy from someone/somewhere', you usually use the preposition 'no' followed by the genitive case. For example: 'Es pērku maizi no veikala.' (I buy bread from the shop.) or 'Es pērku dāvanu no drauga.' (I buy a gift from a friend.)
You can form questions with 'pirkt' by simply changing your intonation or by adding question words. For example: 'Tu pērc grāmatu?' (Are you buying a book?) or 'Ko tu pērc?' (What are you buying?)
'Pirkt' is a transitive verb, meaning it generally takes a direct object (something you buy). For example, in 'Es pērku maizi,' 'maizi' (bread) is the direct object.
Here's the past tense conjugation of 'pirkt':
- Es pirku (I bought)
- Tu pirki (You bought)
- Viņš/Viņa pirka (He/She bought)
- Mēs pirkām (We bought)
- Jūs pirkāt (You bought)
- Viņi/Viņas pirka (They bought)
A common phrase you might hear is 'Ko Jūs vēlaties pirkt?' (What would you like to buy?). Or, if you're asking about a price, you might say 'Cik maksā pirkt šo?' (How much does it cost to buy this?).
While not a complex idiom, you might hear 'Pirkt kaķi maisā' (To buy a cat in a bag), which means 'to buy something sight unseen' or 'to buy a pig in a poke' – essentially, to buy something without knowing its true quality or condition.
Ponte a prueba 36 preguntas
The speaker wants to buy bread.
Someone is asking about the cost of buying milk.
The speakers are going to buy gifts.
Read this aloud:
Es gribu pirkt jaunu grāmatu.
Focus: pirkt
Dijiste:
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Read this aloud:
Vai tu vari pirkt biļetes?
Focus: pirkt
Dijiste:
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Read this aloud:
Viņi pirks augļus rīt.
Focus: pirks
Dijiste:
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Mēs plānojam ___ jaunu māju nākamgad, jo vecā kļūst par mazu.
The sentence indicates an intention to acquire a new house. 'Pirkt' (to buy) fits this context perfectly, implying ownership rather than selling, renting, or building.
Lai gan bija liela konkurence, viņam izdevās ___ to reto grāmatu izsolē par ļoti labu cenu.
The context implies the act of purchasing an item at an auction. 'Pirkt' (to buy) is the most direct and accurate verb to describe this transaction, even though 'iegūt' (to obtain) could also work in a broader sense, 'pirkt' specifies the method.
Pirms lēmuma ___ dārgu tehniku, vienmēr ir svarīgi izpētīt atsauksmes un salīdzināt cenas.
The sentence advises caution before acquiring expensive technology. 'Pirkt' (to buy) directly refers to the act of purchase, making it the most suitable verb for this context of making an informed decision about acquisition.
Vecāki nolēma ___ bērniem jaunus velosipēdus uz Ziemassvētkiem, lai viņi varētu braukt kopā ar draugiem.
The sentence describes parents acquiring new bicycles for their children as a Christmas gift. While 'dāvināt' (to give as a gift) is a possible outcome, 'pirkt' (to buy) is the action taken by the parents to obtain the bicycles for this purpose.
Viņa bieži dodas uz antikvariātu, lai ___ senas pastkartes un pievienotu tās savai kolekcijai.
The sentence states that she visits antique shops to add old postcards to her collection, implying she acquires them. 'Pirkt' (to buy) is the most logical action to expand a collection from a store.
Lai nodrošinātu labu ražu, zemniekiem nācās ___ jaunu sēklu partiju no ārzemēm.
The context suggests farmers needed to acquire new seeds from abroad. While 'importēt' (to import) is specific to the origin, 'pirkt' (to buy) directly refers to the transaction of obtaining the seeds, which is the primary action described.
Write a short paragraph about a recent shopping experience where you bought something new. Include what you bought, where you bought it, and why you decided to purchase it. Use the verb 'pirkt' at least once in its correct form.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Nesen es pirku jaunu grāmatu grāmatnīcā. Man ļoti patīk lasīt, un šī grāmata šķita interesanta. Es to pirku, jo vēlējos uzzināt vairāk par vēsturi.
Imagine you are making a shopping list for groceries. List at least five items you need to buy and explain why you need each item. Use 'pirkt' or its derivatives in your explanations.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Man vajag pirkt pienu brokastīm, maizi sviestmaizēm, olas cepšanai, ābolus veselīgai uzkodai un kafiju, lai pamostos. Šie ir galvenie produkti, ko es pirktu katru nedēļu.
You are writing a review for an online store. Describe a product you recently bought from them, mentioning what it is, its quality, and whether you would recommend others to buy it from this store. Use 'pirkt' at least twice.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Es nesen pirku jaunu telefonu no šī tiešsaistes veikala. Kvalitāte ir lieliska, un esmu ļoti apmierināts ar pirkumu. Es noteikti ieteiktu citiem pirkt elektroniku no šī veikala.
Kāpēc Jānis nolēma pirkt jaunu mašīnu?
Read this passage:
Jānis nolēma pirkt jaunu mašīnu, jo viņa vecā bija pārāk bieži jāremontē. Viņš rūpīgi izpētīja dažādus modeļus un apmeklēja vairākus auto dīlerus. Galu galā viņš izvēlējās pirkt hibrīdauto, jo tas bija ekonomiskāks un videi draudzīgāks. Viņš cer, ka šī mašīna kalpos ilgi un bez problēmām.
Kāpēc Jānis nolēma pirkt jaunu mašīnu?
Teksts skaidri norāda, ka Jānis nolēma pirkt jaunu mašīnu, jo 'viņa vecā bija pārāk bieži jāremontē'.
Teksts skaidri norāda, ka Jānis nolēma pirkt jaunu mašīnu, jo 'viņa vecā bija pārāk bieži jāremontē'.
Kur Anna plāno pirkt jaunu dzīvokli?
Read this passage:
Anna plāno pirkt jaunu dzīvokli pilsētas centrā. Viņa jau ilgāku laiku ir meklējusi piemērotu variantu un beidzot atradusi kaut ko, kas viņai ļoti patīk. Lai gan cena ir augsta, Anna uzskata, ka tas ir labs ieguldījums, ņemot vērā dzīvokļa atrašanās vietu un stāvokli. Viņa cer, ka drīzumā varēs to pirkt.
Kur Anna plāno pirkt jaunu dzīvokli?
Tekstā teikts: 'Anna plāno pirkt jaunu dzīvokli pilsētas centrā.'
Tekstā teikts: 'Anna plāno pirkt jaunu dzīvokli pilsētas centrā.'
Kāpēc Māris devās uz tirgu?
Read this passage:
Māris devās uz tirgu, lai pirktu svaigus dārzeņus un augļus nedēļas nogales maltītēm. Viņš gribēja pirkt tomātus, gurķus, salātus un dažas ogas. Tirgū bija liela izvēle, un Māris pavadīja laiku, runājot ar pārdevējiem, lai pārliecinātos, ka viņš pērk vislabākās kvalitātes produktus. Viņš vienmēr cenšas pirkt vietējo produkciju.
Kāpēc Māris devās uz tirgu?
Tekstā ir norādīts, ka 'Māris devās uz tirgu, lai pirktu svaigus dārzeņus un augļus nedēļas nogales maltītēm.'
Tekstā ir norādīts, ka 'Māris devās uz tirgu, lai pirktu svaigus dārzeņus un augļus nedēļas nogales maltītēm.'
Pirms doties ceļojumā, ir svarīgi rūpīgi izvēlēties un ___ visas nepieciešamās lietas, lai nekas netiktu aizmirsts un ceļojums būtu patīkams.
The context implies acquiring items for a trip, making 'pirkt' (to buy) the most suitable verb.
Lai uzlabotu savu profesionālo kvalifikāciju, viņš nolēma ___ dārgu, bet ļoti noderīgu tiešsaistes kursu par uzņēmējdarbības vadību.
The sentence describes investing in a course to improve skills, so 'pirkt' (to buy) fits perfectly.
Valdība apsver iespēju ___ jaunas tehnoloģijas, lai modernizētu valsts infrastruktūru un veicinātu ekonomisko izaugsmi.
The government's action of acquiring new technologies for modernization aligns with 'pirkt' (to buy).
Neskatoties uz ierobežoto budžetu, viņa centās ___ dāvanu, kas patiesi iepriecinātu viņas draugu dzimšanas dienā.
The sentence indicates an action of acquiring a gift, making 'pirkt' (to buy) the correct choice.
Lai nodrošinātu ilgtspējīgu attīstību, uzņēmums plāno ___ izejvielas no vietējiem piegādātājiem, tādējādi atbalstot vietējo ekonomiku.
The company's plan to obtain raw materials from local suppliers means 'pirkt' (to buy) is the appropriate verb.
Pēc ilgstošas izpētes un salīdzināšanas viņi beidzot nolēma ___ māju laukos, meklējot mieru un klusumu prom no pilsētas kņadas.
The decision to acquire a house after research points to 'pirkt' (to buy).
The speaker is talking about buying a new property because their current one no longer meets their needs.
She is considering buying an antique piece of furniture at an auction to add to her collection.
The company plans to buy new production equipment to increase efficiency and capacity.
Read this aloud:
Kā jūs raksturotu jūsu iepirkšanās paradumus, ņemot vērā ilgtspējību?
Focus: iepirkšanās paradumus, ilgtspējību
Dijiste:
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Read this aloud:
Izskaidrojiet, kādi faktori ietekmē jūsu lēmumu pirkt dārgas preces.
Focus: faktori, ietekmē, dārgas preces
Dijiste:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Apspriediet, kādas ir priekšrocības un trūkumi preču iegādē internetā salīdzinājumā ar fiziskiem veikaliem.
Focus: priekšrocības, trūkumi, iegādē internetā, fiziskiem veikaliem
Dijiste:
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This sentence structure is common for expressing convenience in online shopping. 'Interneta veikalā' (in an online store) is a locative phrase, followed by the infinitive 'pirkt' (to buy) and the object 'preces' (goods). 'Ir ērti' (it is convenient) concludes the statement.
This sentence demonstrates a complex subordinate clause of purpose. 'Viņš nolēma pirkt jaunu auto' (He decided to buy a new car) is the main clause, and 'lai uzlabotu savu ikdienas komfortu' (to improve his daily comfort) explains the reason for the decision, using the conjunction 'lai' (in order to/so that).
This sentence uses a subordinate clause of purpose ('Lai gūtu labāku pārskatu par cenām' - To get a better overview of prices) followed by the main action. The phrase 'pirms pirkt' (before buying) functions adverbially, and 'jāsalīdzina' (one must compare) indicates necessity.
/ 36 correct
Perfect score!
