Latvian prepositions

This article describes the use of prepositions and postpositions in Latvian grammar.

The lists below are organized according to the case of the noun phrase following the preposition. In the plural, however, all prepositions in Latvian can be described as governing the dative case. For example:

• singular: bez manis/<s>*man</s> "without me-gen/<s>*me-dat</s>"
• plural: bez mums/<s>*mÅ«su</s> "without us-dat/<s>*us-gen</s>"

Examples

• some nouns are singular in English but plural in Latvian (e.g. durvis "door"), thus triggering the dative case.

Archaic forms

Semi-prepositions

Latvian has also some adverbs, known as pusprievārdi "semi-prepositions", which can be used like prepositions or postpositions, in combination with a dative noun phrase:

• cauri - through
• garām - past, over, by
• iepretim - in front of
• lÄ«dzi - with
• pāri - over, across
• pretÄ« - in front of, against

Postpositions

The following postpositions govern the genitive case, in both singular and plural:

• dēļ - through, of, for
• labad - for, for the sake of
• pēc - because of

See also

• Latvian declension