Signification
Asking for the location of something.
Contexte culturel
When asking for directions in Latvia, people might use landmarks like 'pie baznīcas' (by the church) or 'aiz veikala' (behind the shop) rather than street numbers. It is considered polite to start a question to a stranger with 'Atvainojiet' (Excuse me) or 'Labdien' (Good day). In rural areas, asking 'Kur ir...?' might lead to a long conversation about the history of the place you are looking for. Latvians are very proud of their nature. Asking 'Kur ir labākā sēņu vieta?' (Where is the best mushroom spot?) is a common but sensitive question, as people often keep their spots secret!
Add 'Lūdzu'
Always add 'lūdzu' (please) at the end of your question to sound instantly more fluent and polite.
Don't pluralize 'ir'
Remember that 'ir' works for both one thing and many things. Don't try to change it!
Signification
Asking for the location of something.
Add 'Lūdzu'
Always add 'lūdzu' (please) at the end of your question to sound instantly more fluent and polite.
Don't pluralize 'ir'
Remember that 'ir' works for both one thing and many things. Don't try to change it!
Eye Contact
When asking 'Kur ir...?' to a stranger, maintain brief, polite eye contact.
Use with Gestures
If you forget the noun, you can say 'Kur ir...' and point to a picture or a map.
Teste-toi
Fill in the missing word to ask 'Where is the station?'
Kur ___ stacija?
'ir' is the correct 3rd person form for 'is'.
Which sentence correctly asks 'Where are the keys?'
How do you say 'Where are the keys?'
The subject must be in the Nominative case (atslēgas).
Match the Latvian question with its English translation.
Match the pairs:
These are basic survival questions.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Atvainojiet, ___ ___ muzejs? B: Tas ir tur!
You are asking for the location of the museum.
Match the question to the situation.
You are at a hotel and want to find your room.
'Istaba' means room.
🎉 Score : /5
Aides visuelles
Singular vs Plural
Banque d exercices
5 exercicesKur ___ stacija?
'ir' is the correct 3rd person form for 'is'.
How do you say 'Where are the keys?'
The subject must be in the Nominative case (atslēgas).
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
These are basic survival questions.
A: Atvainojiet, ___ ___ muzejs? B: Tas ir tur!
You are asking for the location of the museum.
You are at a hotel and want to find your room.
'Istaba' means room.
🎉 Score : /5
Questions fréquentes
14 questionsYes! 'Kur ir Jānis?' means 'Where is Jānis?'.
Yes, it is neutral and perfectly acceptable in formal settings, though 'Kur atrodas' is more precise.
No, 'ir' is used for both singular and plural in the 3rd person.
'Kur' is for static location (Where is it?), 'Kurp' is for direction (Where to?).
Change 'ir' to 'bija'. 'Kur bija mana soma?'
Only if the context is very clear, otherwise it sounds too abrupt.
It literally means 'Where is located' and is used in more formal or official contexts.
Yes, very frequently! It's a very rhythmic and common phrase.
It doesn't matter for 'ir', but it will matter if you use adjectives like 'tuvākais/tuvākā'.
Yes, 'Kur ir jūsu mājaslapa?' is correct.
Not really a slang version of the phrase itself, but the nouns you use can be slangy.
That would be 'Kur tu esi?' (informal) or 'Kur jūs esat?' (formal).
In this context, yes. It can also mean 'there is' or 'has'.
Asking for the toilet ('Kur ir tualete?') is arguably the most common use for travelers.
Expressions liées
Kur atrodas...?
specialized formWhere is [it] located?
Kurp iet...?
similarWhere does [this] go?
Kas ir...?
contrastWhat is...?
Kad ir...?
contrastWhen is...?
Kur palika...?
similarWhere did [it] go?
