viņi

/ˈviɲi/
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A masculine plural Latvian pronoun for they, with a demonstrative use for those distant or previously mentioned ones.

Examples

  • Ne šie, bet viņi man palika prātā.
    Not these, but those stayed in my mind.
  • Mēs runājām ar viņiem pēc sapulces.
    We spoke with them after the meeting.
  • Vai viņi jau zina jaunumus?
    Do they already know the news?
  • Viņos laikos ziņas ceļoja lēnāk.
    In those days, news traveled more slowly.
  • Es vakar satiku viņus stacijā.
    I met them at the station yesterday.

Similar words

tie

Meanings

They for a masculine or mixed group

pronoun
grammar
neutral
Refers to a group of people that is all male or includes at least one male, and sometimes to animals treated like people.

Usage

Use viņi as the subject form for a masculine or mixed third-person plural group. Change it to viņus, viņiem, viņu, or viņos when the sentence requires another case.

Examples

  • Viņi šovakar spēlē teātrī.
    They are acting at the theater tonight.
  • Es vakar satiku viņus stacijā.
    I met them at the station yesterday.
  • Mēs runājām ar viņiem pēc sapulces.
    We spoke with them after the meeting.
  • Viņu darbs bija rūpīgi sagatavots.
    Their work was carefully prepared.
  • Vai viņi jau zina jaunumus?
    Do they already know the news?
  • Skolotājs teica, ka viņi var sākt darbu.
    The teacher said that they may start the work.
  • Bez viņiem komanda nebūtu uzvarējusi.
    Without them, the team would not have won.

Common mistakes

The nominative viņi is used after verbs or prepositions that require another case, or it is chosen for an all-female group.
IncorrectCorrect
Es redzēju viņi stacijā. Es redzēju viņus stacijā.
Viņi ir gatavs sākt. Viņi ir gatavi sākt.
Viņi meitenes atnāca pirmās. Viņas meitenes atnāca pirmās.

Similar words

Those distant or earlier ones

pronoun
grammar
neutral
Points to masculine plural people, things, times, or ideas that are farther away, already mentioned, or set against these.

Usage

Use viņi in this demonstrative sense when the contrast is with šie or when the phrase means those ones from another place, time, or context.

Examples

  • Viņi gadi bija nemierīgi.
    Those years were unsettled.
  • Es vēl atceros viņus vakarus pie ezera.
    I still remember those evenings by the lake.
  • Viņos laikos ziņas ceļoja lēnāk.
    In those days, news traveled more slowly.
  • Salīdzini šos zīmējumus ar viņiem.
    Compare these drawings with those.
  • Par viņiem vēlāk daudz rakstīja.
    People later wrote a lot about those.
  • Ne šie, bet viņi man palika prātā.
    Not these, but those stayed in my mind.
  • No viņiem sākās visa saruna.
    The whole conversation began with those.

Common mistakes

The demonstrative viņi is overused where modern neutral Latvian would normally prefer tie, and its case still has to match the sentence.
IncorrectCorrect
Šie gadi bija smagi, kad runa ir par tāliem pagātnes gadiem. Viņi gadi bija smagi.
Es atceros viņi vakarus. Es atceros viņus vakarus.
Viņi ir mani draugi, kad domāti tikai tālie priekšmeti. Viņi ir tie tālie priekšmeti.

Similar words

Usage

Use viņi for a masculine or mixed group of people, and recognize its demonstrative use when the context points to distant or earlier-mentioned things.

Common mistakes

Viņi is put in nominative where another case is needed, and it is often confused with viņas for all-female groups or with tie for ordinary objects.

Etymology

Plural form of viņš, the masculine third-person Latvian pronoun.

FAQ

What does viņi mean?

Viņi means they for a masculine or mixed group, and in some contexts it can also mean those.

Is viņi the plural of viņš?

Yes. Viņi is the masculine plural form of viņš.

When is viņi different from viņas?

Viņi is masculine or mixed plural, while viņas is feminine plural.

Can viņi refer to objects?

For ordinary objects Latvian usually uses tie, but the older or contextual demonstrative use of viņi can mean those.

What are the main case forms of viņi?

The main forms are viņi, viņu, viņiem, viņus, and viņos.

Is viņi formal or informal?

Viņi is neutral in the personal-pronoun sense. The demonstrative sense depends more on context and style.

How is viņi pronounced?

Viņi is pronounced /ˈviɲi/, with stress on the first syllable.

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