Meaning
Commenting on a high price.
Cultural Background
Latvians love 'akcijas' (sales). It's common to wait for a discount before buying expensive items. Bargaining is common in markets (tirgus) but not in supermarkets or malls. The transition to the Euro in 2014 made many Latvians feel that prices rose significantly. Heating costs in winter are a major topic of 'Tas ir dārgi' complaints.
The '-i' Rule
Whenever you start a sentence with 'Tas ir...', the next word is almost always an adverb ending in '-i'.
Don't over-bargain
While saying 'Tas ir dārgi' is fine at a market, don't try it in a supermarket like Maxima; the prices are fixed!
Meaning
Commenting on a high price.
The '-i' Rule
Whenever you start a sentence with 'Tas ir...', the next word is almost always an adverb ending in '-i'.
Don't over-bargain
While saying 'Tas ir dārgi' is fine at a market, don't try it in a supermarket like Maxima; the prices are fixed!
Use 'padārgi'
If you want to sound more like a native, use 'padārgi' to mean 'a bit on the expensive side'.
Test Yourself
Choose the correct form to complete the sentence: 'Tas ir ____.'
Tas ir ____.
With the neutral pronoun 'tas', we use the adverbial form 'dārgi'.
Fill in the blank with the past tense of 'to be' (bija).
Vakar tas ____ dārgi.
'Bija' is the past tense form for 'it was'.
Match the Latvian phrase with its English translation.
Match the pairs:
Basic vocabulary matching.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Šī soma maksā 200 eiro. B: Ak nē, ____!
200 eiro for a bag is generally considered expensive.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Price Vocabulary
Price Levels
- • Lēti (Cheap)
- • Padārgi (Pricey)
- • Dārgi (Expensive)
- • Kosmoss (Astronomical)
Practice Bank
4 exercisesTas ir ____.
With the neutral pronoun 'tas', we use the adverbial form 'dārgi'.
Vakar tas ____ dārgi.
'Bija' is the past tense form for 'it was'.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Basic vocabulary matching.
A: Šī soma maksā 200 eiro. B: Ak nē, ____!
200 eiro for a bag is generally considered expensive.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questionsNo, to call someone 'dear', use the adjective 'dārgais' (masc) or 'dārgā' (fem). 'Dārgi' only refers to cost.
Not at all, as long as your tone is polite. It's a standard part of shopping dialogue.
The opposite is 'lēti' (cheaply/cheap).
Because 'tas' is a neutral pronoun referring to a situation, which requires an adverbial predicate in Latvian.
Related Phrases
Tas ir lēti
contrastThat is cheap
Tas maksā daudz
similarThat costs a lot
Tas ir par dārgu
builds onThat is too expensive
Cena ir augsta
synonymThe price is high
