Use laiks for the measurable flow of moments, the continuum of past, present and future.
Use laiks for the measurable flow of moments, the continuum of past, present and future.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| Es redzēju laiks vakarā. | Es redzēju laiku vakarā. |
| Es gaidu laiks, lai sāktu darbu. | Es gaidu laiku, lai sāktu darbu. |
| Laiki ir svarīgi. | Laiks ir svarīgs. |
Use laiks to describe the state of the atmosphere, including sunshine, rain, temperature and other conditions.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| Rīt laiks būs lietus. | Rīt laiks būs lietains. |
| Mēs gaidām laiks, lai brauktu. | Mēs gaidām laiku, lai brauktu. |
| Ziemas laiks ir siltas dienas. | Ziemas laiks ir auksts. |
Use laiks for time‑related contexts or when referring to the weather; select the appropriate sense from the two definitions.
The noun is often put in the wrong case, such as laiks instead of laiku after verbs that require the accusative.
From Proto‑Baltic *laiks, cognate with Lithuanian laikas, meaning ‘time’ or ‘period’.
What does laiks mean in Latvian?
Laiks can refer to the measurable flow of moments (time) or to the state of the atmosphere (weather).
How do I use laiks when talking about time?
Use it as a noun, e.g., Kāds ir laiks? (“What time is it?”) and decline it to laiku after verbs that need the accusative.
How do I use laiks when referring to weather?
Use it to describe atmospheric conditions, for example Šodien laiks ir saulains (“Today the weather is sunny”).
What case should laiks take after verbs?
After most verbs it takes the accusative case laiku; the nominative laiks is used as the subject.
Is there a plural form of laiks?
The regular plural is laiki, but it is rarely used because the singular covers most contexts.
What are common mistakes with laiks?
Mixing the two meanings, using the wrong case (e.g., laiks instead of laiku), and confusing it with related words like laikapstākļi.
What are synonyms for the time sense of laiks?
Synonyms include brīdis, mirklis, periods, stunda, diena, nedēļa, mēnesis, gads.
What are synonyms for the weather sense of laiks?
Synonyms include laikapstākļi, atmosfēras stāvoklis, vēja apstākļi, gaisa apstākļi, klimats, sniegs, lietus, saules gaisma.
What is the origin of the word laiks?
It comes from Proto‑Baltic *laiks, related to Lithuanian laikas, meaning ‘time’ or ‘period’.
In which contexts is laiks most frequently used?
Laiks appears in everyday conversation, news headlines, weather reports, and when scheduling activities.