In winter, a warm blanket becomes the best friend.
Sporta draugi jau no rīta gaidīja stadionā.
Sports fans were already waiting at the stadium in the morning.
Similar words
iemīļotais
ments
mīļotājs
draudzene
biedrs
sabiedrotais
cienītājs
tuvinieks
paziņa
puisis
Meanings
Friend
noun
relationships
neutral
A person, and sometimes an animal, joined to someone by affection, trust, or steady companionship.
Usage
Use draugs for a male friend or for a friend whose gender is not being stressed. Use draudzene when a female friend is meant clearly.
Examples
Mans labākais draugs šovakar atbrauks ciemos.
My best friend will come over tonight.
Pēc pārcelšanās viņa ātri atrada jaunus draugus.
After moving, she quickly found new friends.
Bērnības draugu satiku pēc daudziem gadiem.
I met a childhood friend after many years.
Ar īstu draugu var runāt arī klusumā.
With a true friend, silence can also speak.
Suns kļuva par bērna uzticamo draugu.
The dog became the child's loyal friend.
Abi kaķi mājās dzīvoja kā labi draugi.
The two cats lived at home like good friends.
Viņš vienmēr palīdzēja saviem draugiem.
He always helped his friends.
Common mistakes
Gender and case are the common traps, especially replacing draudzene or leaving the noun in nominative form.
Incorrect
Correct
Mana draugs Anna ir ārste.
Mana draudzene Anna ir ārste.
Es uzticos savu draugu.
Es uzticos savam draugam.
Mēs esam labi draugs.
Mēs esam labi draugi.
Suns ir mans draudzene.
Suns ir mans draugs.
Similar words
biedrs
draudzene
paziņa
kompanjons
sabiedrotais
tuvinieks
Boyfriend
noun
relationships
neutral
A male romantic partner, especially in ordinary speech about dating or a steady relationship.
Usage
Use draugs for a boyfriend when context shows a romantic relationship. Without that context it usually means a friend.
Examples
Viņas draugs šovakar gatavo vakariņas.
Her boyfriend is cooking dinner tonight.
Manas māsas draugs strādā slimnīcā.
My sister's boyfriend works at a hospital.
Pēc gada viņš kļuva par viņas pastāvīgo draugu.
After a year he became her steady boyfriend.
Uz ballīti viņa ieradās kopā ar draugu.
She arrived at the party with her boyfriend.
Bijušais draugs viņai vēl aizvien rakstīja vēstules.
Her former boyfriend still wrote letters to her.
Vecāki pirmo reizi satika meitas draugu.
The parents met their daughter's boyfriend for the first time.
Sarunā viņa skaidri pateica, ka viņš ir viņas draugs.
In the conversation, she made it clear that he was her boyfriend.
Common mistakes
The romantic sense is often missed unless the sentence context points to dating or partnership.
Incorrect
Correct
Viņas draudzene ir Jānis.
Viņas draugs ir Jānis.
Es satiku viņas draugs.
Es satiku viņas draugu.
Viņa dzīvo ar draugs.
Viņa dzīvo ar draugu.
Mans draugs Ilze atnāks vēlāk.
Mana draudzene Ilze atnāks vēlāk.
Similar words
puisis
partneris
mīļotais
boifis
draudziņš
dzīvesbiedrs
Beloved thing
noun
emotion
neutral
A thing felt as dear, familiar, or helpful enough to be spoken of like a companion.
Usage
Use draugs figuratively for a familiar object that feels trusted or dear, not for any useful tool in a plain technical description.
Examples
Vecais nazis bija viņa vienīgais draugs garajos pārgājienos.
The old knife was his only trusted companion on long hikes.
Ceļā radio kļuva par manu klusāko draugu.
On the road, the radio became my quietest companion.
Šī krūze ir mans rīta draugs.
This mug is my morning favorite.
Kabatas lukturis bija drošs draugs tumšajā pagrabā.
The flashlight was a reliable friend in the dark basement.
Viņa klavieres sauca par savu veco draugu.
She called the piano her old friend.
Ziemā silta sega kļūst par labāko draugu.
In winter, a warm blanket becomes the best friend.
Mazā rotaļlieta bērnam bija īsts draugs.
The small toy was a real companion for the child.
Common mistakes
The figurative object sense needs masculine agreement and should not be treated as an ordinary human friendship.
Incorrect
Correct
Šī krūze ir mana draugs.
Šī krūze ir mans draugs.
Bez telefona esmu bez draugu.
Bez telefona esmu bez drauga.
Mans vecais auto ir labi draugi.
Mans vecais auto ir labs draugs.
Rotaļlieta kļuva par bērna draugu draudzeni.
Rotaļlieta kļuva par bērna draugu.
Similar words
mīlulis
favorīts
iemīļotais
palīgs
sabiedrotais
biedrs
Lover or supporter
noun
interests
neutral
A person who especially likes, supports, or takes an active interest in something.
Usage
Use draugs after a noun in the genitive, as in dabas draugs or grāmatu draugs, for a supporter or enthusiast.
Examples
Viņš ir liels dabas draugs un bieži vāc atkritumus mežā.
He is a great lover of nature and often collects litter in the forest.
Mūzikas draugi piepildīja koncertzāli.
Music lovers filled the concert hall.
Bibliotēka aicināja grāmatu draugus uz tikšanos.
The library invited book lovers to a meeting.
Kino draugu klubs rāda vecas filmas katru piektdienu.
The film lovers club shows old movies every Friday.
Sporta draugi jau no rīta gaidīja stadionā.
Sports fans were already waiting at the stadium in the morning.
Viņa ir uzticama teātra draudzene.
She is a loyal supporter of the theatre.
Dārza draugi apmainījās ar stādiem.
Garden enthusiasts exchanged seedlings.
Common mistakes
The genitive before draugs is often dropped, and the sense is confused with a personal friend.
Incorrect
Correct
Viņš ir dabas draudzene.
Viņš ir dabas draugs.
Mūzikas draugs klausās grāmatas.
Mūzikas draugs klausās koncertus.
Grāmatu draugs lasa filmas.
Grāmatu draugs lasa grāmatas.
Mēs esam kino draugs.
Mēs esam kino draugi.
Similar words
cienītājs
mīļotājs
mīlis
entuziasts
atbalstītājs
piekritējs
Police officer
noun
law
informal
A colloquial word for a police officer, now mainly informal or older in tone.
Usage
Use draugs for a police officer only when the informal or dated tone is intended. In neutral Latvian, policists is clearer.
Examples
Pie stūra stāvēja draugs uniformā.
A police officer in uniform was standing on the corner.
Trokšņotāji apklusa, kad pienāca draugs.
The noisy group fell silent when the policeman came over.
Vecajā jokā katrs draugs prasīja dokumentus.
In the old joke, every policeman asked for documents.
Autovadītājs pamanīja ceļa draugu un samazināja ātrumu.
The driver noticed a road police officer and slowed down.
Sarunvalodā viņi policistu sauca par draugu.
In colloquial speech, they called the police officer a policeman.
Pagalmā ienāca draugs, un strīds tūlīt beidzās.
A police officer entered the yard, and the argument ended at once.
Šo veco drauga nozīmi jaunākā runā dzird reti.
This old policeman sense is rarely heard in newer speech.
Common mistakes
The colloquial police sense is easy to mistake for the ordinary friend sense, and the case ending still changes normally.
Incorrect
Correct
Pie stūra stāvēja draudzene uniformā.
Pie stūra stāvēja draugs uniformā.
Es redzēju draugs uz ielas.
Es redzēju draugu uz ielas.
Divi draugs pienāca pie mašīnas.
Divi draugi pienāca pie mašīnas.
Draugs šeit nozīmē ienaidnieku.
Draugs šeit nozīmē policistu.
Similar words
policists
milicis
polismenis
kārtībnieks
ments
pogainais
Usage
Read the context closely: gender, romance, genitive phrases, figurative objects, and informal police use each shift draugs to a different English equivalent.
Common mistakes
Draugs is often left in the wrong case or used where draudzene, puisis, mīļotājs, or policists would make the intended sense clearer.
Etymology
Inherited through Baltic from a Proto-Balto-Slavic form connected with the idea of the other or second person. The friendly sense survived in Latvian, while related languages developed different shades from the same older root.
FAQ
What does draugs mean?
Draugs usually means friend in Latvian, especially a male or gender-neutral friend.
Can draugs mean boyfriend?
Yes. Draugs can mean boyfriend when the context is romantic, as in viņas draugs.
What is the feminine form of draugs?
The usual feminine counterpart is draudzene, meaning a female friend or girlfriend.
Does draugs only refer to people?
No. Draugs can also describe an animal friend or, figuratively, a dear and trusted thing.
How is draugs used in phrases like dabas draugs?
In phrases such as dabas draugs, it means a lover, supporter, or enthusiast of something.
Can draugs mean police officer?
Yes, but that sense is colloquial and older in tone. The neutral word is policists.
What is the plural of draugs?
The nominative plural is draugi.
What is the genitive singular of draugs?
The genitive singular is drauga, as in drauga māja.
What are common related Latvian words?
Related words include draudzība, draudzīgs, draudzene, and draudzēties.
How is draugs pronounced?
Draugs is pronounced /dràu̯ks/ in standard Latvian.
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