Meaning
An apple with sugary taste.
Cultural Background
Apples are the most traditional fruit. Having an apple tree in your garden is a sign of a complete home. The 'Golden Apple' (Zelta ābols) is a common motif in folk tales, representing a prize or a magical object. Latvians often dry sweet apples (ābolu čipsi) to eat as snacks during the long winter months. Apple cider and apple juice (ābolu sula) are incredibly popular, with many families pressing their own juice in autumn.
Look for Red
In Latvian markets, red apples are almost always 'saldi', while green ones are 'skābi'.
Adjective Agreement
Always check the gender. If you change 'ābols' to 'sula' (juice, fem.), 'salds' must become 'salda'.
Meaning
An apple with sugary taste.
Look for Red
In Latvian markets, red apples are almost always 'saldi', while green ones are 'skābi'.
Adjective Agreement
Always check the gender. If you change 'ābols' to 'sula' (juice, fem.), 'salds' must become 'salda'.
Use Diminutives
Saying 'salds ābolītis' makes you sound very friendly and native-like.
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct form of the adjective 'salds'.
Man garšo ______ ābols.
In the nominative case (subject/general preference), we use the basic masculine form 'salds'.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Buying an apple at the market:
The verb 'pirkt' (to buy) requires the accusative case.
Match the Latvian phrase with its English translation.
Phrases:
Matching basic food descriptors.
Complete the dialogue.
Pārdevēja: Vai jūs gribat šo ābolu? Pircējs: Jā, ja tas ir ______.
Most people want their apples to be sweet, not salty (sāļš) or bitter (rūgts).
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Latvian Apple Tastes
Salds
- • Sīpoliņš
- • Konfetnaja
- • Saldie sarkanie
Skābs
- • Antonovka
- • Baltie dzidrie
Saldskābs
- • Trebu
- • Mālābols
Practice Bank
4 exercisesMan garšo ______ ābols.
In the nominative case (subject/general preference), we use the basic masculine form 'salds'.
Buying an apple at the market:
The verb 'pirkt' (to buy) requires the accusative case.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Matching basic food descriptors.
Pārdevēja: Vai jūs gribat šo ābolu? Pircējs: Jā, ja tas ir ______.
Most people want their apples to be sweet, not salty (sāļš) or bitter (rūgts).
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, it is a basic building block of Latvian food vocabulary.
It's better to use 'mīļš' (dear) or 'jauks' (nice). 'Salds' for a person can sound a bit too literal or strange.
The opposite is 'skābs ābols' (sour apple).
Use the definite ending: 'saldais ābols'.
Many are 'saldskābi' (sweet-sour). Purely sweet ones are prized for eating fresh.
Yes, it becomes 'saldi' (e.g., 'saldi āboli').
It is masculine, ending in '-s'.
Yes, that means 'sugar apple' and implies it is very sweet.
The variety 'Sīpoliņš' is very famous for being sweet and crunchy.
Ask: 'Vai šis ābols ir salds?'
Related Phrases
skābs ābols
contrastsour apple
saldskābs ābols
similarsweet and sour apple
ābolu pīrāgs
builds onapple pie
saldumi
similarsweets/candy
aizliegtais auglis
specialized formforbidden fruit
