Wrong in character, conduct, or attitude, especially when it harms, deceives, or treats others cruelly.
Examples
Viņš nav slikts cilvēks, tikai noguris.
He is not a bad person, just tired.
Pasakā sliktais karalis sodīja nevainīgos.
In the fairy tale, the evil king punished the innocent.
Tā bija slikta rīcība pret draugu.
That was bad conduct toward a friend.
Bērns saprata, ka melot ir slikti.
The child understood that lying is bad.
Viņas sliktā attieksme sabojāja sarunu.
Her bad attitude spoiled the conversation.
Nevajag domāt, ka katrs pretinieks ir slikts.
It is wrong to think every opponent is bad.
Filmā sliktie varoņi beigās zaudēja.
The bad characters lost at the end of the film.
Similar words
ļauns
nejauks
nekrietns
cietsirdīgs
naidīgs
nelabs
Poor or unsuitable
adjective
quality
neutral
Low in quality, badly suited to a purpose, or weak in the work or result expected of it.
Examples
Tas ir slikts telefons ar vāju bateriju.
It is a bad phone with a weak battery.
Šī ir slikta vieta teltij.
This is a bad place for a tent.
Komanda nospēlēja sliktu spēli.
The team played a poor game.
Viņa nav slikta skolotāja, tikai stingra.
She is not a bad teacher, only strict.
Remonts bija slikts, un durvis atkal čīkst.
The repair was poor, and the door creaks again.
Man sanāca slikts zīmējums.
I ended up with a bad drawing.
Slikts instruments sabojā darbu.
A bad tool spoils the work.
Similar words
nekvalitatīvs
vājš
nepiemērots
neizdevies
brāķīgs
neprasmīgs
Weak in health or ability
adjective
health
neutral
Poor in condition, feeling, or function, especially for health, mood, sleep, appetite, sight, or hearing.
Examples
Man ir slikta dūša.
I feel nauseous.
Pēc negulētas nakts viņam bija slikts garastāvoklis.
After a sleepless night, he was in a bad mood.
Vecmāmiņai kļuvusi slikta redze.
Grandmother’s eyesight has become poor.
Slimniekam šorīt ir slikts stāvoklis.
The patient is in bad condition this morning.
Viņai ir slikta dzirde.
She has poor hearing.
Pēc kafijas viņam bija slikts miegs.
After coffee, he had poor sleep.
Pēc treniņa viņam bija slikta pašsajūta.
After training, he felt unwell.
Similar words
nevesels
vājš
traucēts
nepatīkams
noguris
Unfavorable or disappointing
adjective
circumstances
neutral
Unlucky, unwelcome, or below what was hoped for, especially in weather, news, prospects, harvests, or results.
Examples
Rīt būs slikts laiks.
The weather will be bad tomorrow.
Uzņēmumam pienāca sliktas ziņas.
The company received bad news.
Sausums solīja sliktu ražu.
The drought promised a poor harvest.
Lēmums nāca komandai par sliktu.
The decision worked to the team’s disadvantage.
Situācija mainījās uz slikto pusi.
The situation changed for the worse.
Ceļam bija slikti apstākļi.
The road had bad conditions.
Eksāmenā viņš saņēma sliktu atzīmi.
He received a bad grade on the exam.
Similar words
nelabvēlīgs
neizdevīgs
drūms
nepatīkams
vājš
Etymology
Borrowed into Latvian from a Low German or Dutch source related to German schlecht, with the older sense of plain or smooth developing into the modern negative meaning.
FAQ
What does slikts mean?
slikts means bad, poor, evil, unhealthy, or unfavorable depending on the noun and context.
How is slikts pronounced?
slikts is pronounced /ˈslikt͡s/, with the stress on the first syllable.
What is slikta dūša?
slikta dūša is the Latvian expression for nausea or feeling sick to the stomach.
Does slikts change form?
Yes. It agrees with the noun, as in slikts darbs, slikta ziņa, and sliktu rezultātu.
What is the opposite of slikts?
The main opposite is labs, meaning good. Other opposites depend on the sense, such as vesels for healthy.
Can slikts describe people?
Yes. It can describe a person as bad, cruel, or morally wrong, but it can also describe a bad mood or condition.
What does par sliktu mean?
par sliktu means to someone’s disadvantage or detriment, as in a decision that works against them.
Is slikti the same as slikts?
slikti can be the plural masculine form, but it is also the adverb badly, as in Es jūtos slikti.
Comments & contributions
Know this word from another angle? Add a correction, a nuance, or a usage note. New posts go public after a quick review.
Newest
Top
Active
Contribution
Modest Bison
Jul 16
With the nothing words, learn the little chunks first: nekas slikts, neko sliktu, nekā slikta. Trying to reason it out while speaking is how you end up frozen mid sentence
3
Reply
Fresh Grouse
Jul 15
the final ts sound destroyed me at first lol
1
Reply
Solar Llama
Jul 8
I like that slikts covers bad, poor, ill. English splits it and then we pretend thats easier :)
0
Reply
Civil Beaver
Jul 7
latvian really makes you learn gender the hard way, one minute slikts laiks, next minute slikta dūša
1
Reply
Contribution
Fearless Seal
Jul 6
In Latgalian material you will meet nalobs and švaks for this area, and nenāktu par sliktu becomes navuodeitu. Not standard Latvian, but handy if you read regional stuff.
2
Reply
Contribution
Sable Salamander
Jul 6
Slikta slava is the reputation phrase. A person can have slikta slava even if nobody is calling them a slikts cilvēks straight to their face.
3
Reply
Contribution
Rustic Beagle
Jun 28
The phrase nenāktu par sliktu is useful. It means it wouldnt hurt, as in tev nenāktu par sliktu mazliet atpūsties. Learners translate it too literally and it sounds dramatic.
3
Reply
Contribution
Onyx Eagle
Jun 28
slikts tonis is more like bad form or poor manners, not literally a bad sound. You see it when somebody does something socially ugly, like gossiping in the wrong place.
4
Reply
Contribution
Cheery Fox
Jun 22
Pronunciation trap for English speakers: dont put a little vowel before the final s. It is one syllable, closer to slikc than sli-ku-ts.
6
Reply
Contribution
Misty Hedgehog
Jun 18
If someone says sliktais by itself, it can mean the bad one or the villain, depending on context. Same with sliktie for the bad guys in a story. It is not always attached to a noun.
5
Reply
Contribution
Clever Stork
Jun 13
slikti is the one that catches people because it has two jobs. Slikti cilvēki = bad people, but viņi strādā slikti = they work badly. If a verb is doing the work, dont force slikts in there.