būt

See also: Appendix:Variations of "but"

Latvian

Etymology

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *bū́ˀtei, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to grow, to prosper”) ( > “to become, to be”). The past tense forms are derived from *bʰew-wi. The present tense forms come from Proto-Indo-European *h₁es- (“to be”): *h₁ésmi > esmu, etc. The third-person forms are from other sources: see ir, nav.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [bûːt]

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

būt (intransitive, no conjugation, present esmu, esi, ir, past biju)

1. to be, to exist

   būt vai nebūt ― to be or not to be

   tas ir (= t.i.) ― i.e., that is to say (lit. that is)

   ir vairāki šās dziesmas varianti ― (there) are many versions of this song

   lietus beidzot pārgājis, bet saules nav ― the rain is finally gone, but (still) there is no sun

2. to be, to be at, to be located (at)

   mēs būsim mājā ― we will be in the house

   viņš vakar bija Rīgā ― he was in Riga yesterday

   kur tu biji? ― where were you?

   govis ir ganībās ― the cows are in the grazing area (= grazing)

   grāmata ir uz galda ― the book is on the table

   pilsētā ir rūpnīcas ― (the) factories are in the city

   spainī ir ūdens ― (there) is water in the bucket

   maizes somā nebija ― there was no bread in the bag

   mūsu mežā ir stirnas ― there are deer in our forest

3. to be at, to attend, to participate in

   daudzi Ceilonas skolotāji bijuši VI Vispasaules jaunatnes un studentu festivālā Maskavā ― many teachers (from) Ceylon were at the VI All-World youth and student festival in Moscow

   “varam sākt sapulci” Jānis teica; “vairāk neviena nebūs” ― “we can begin the meeting”, Jānis said; “there won't be anybody else” (= nobody else is coming)

   būt arodbiedrībā jau desmit gadu ― to be (= participate, work) in the trade union for ten years

4. (3rd person only, with a dative complement) to possess; to have (all senses)

   viņiem ir divistabu dzīvoklis ― they have a two-room apartment

   zvejniekiem ir jauni tīkli ― the fishermen have new nets

   vai tev ir nauda? ― do you have (any) money?

   mātei ir māsa ― the mother has a sister

   meitenei bija draudzene ― the girl had a (girl)friend

   man ir darbs ― I have work

   mums bija uzdevums ― we had a task

   šodien man nebūs laika ― today I won't have time

   latviešiem ir teika par Lāčplēsi ― the Latvians have a legend about a Bear Slayer

   viņam bija pamatoti argumenti ― he had valid arguments

   mums ir priekšlikums ― we have a proposal

5. (3rd person only, with a dative complement) to have, in a part-whole relationship

   ābelei ir balti ziedi ― the apple tree has white flowers

   viņam bija brīnišķīgi skaidras un laipnas bērna acis ― he had wonderfully clear and kind child's eyes

   viņam ir skaļa balss ― he has a loud voice

   aktierim ir talants ― the actor has talent

   tev ir labs noskaņojums ― you have (= are in) a good mood

6. (3rd person only) to be, to happen, to take place

   pagalmā bija liels tracis ― in the (back) yard (there) was a big brawl

   kas ir, ir; kas būs, būs ― what(ever) is, is; whatever will be, will be

   tur viss kārtībā... nelielā neskaidrība tikai, kad īsti būs kāzas ― there everything (is) all right... only a little uncertainty (about) when exactly the wedding will be (= happen, take place)

   lai būtu kā būdams ― let it be as it is (= let happen what will happen; so be it)

7. to be; used as a simple copula to link a subject to its predicate

   tā ir laime ― that is happiness

   būs labi ― (it) will be good

   man ir auksti ― I am (= feel) cold

   laiks būšot saulains ― the weather, they say, will be sunny

   kas bija dzīve, kas bija cilvēks bez liela sapņa? ― what was life, what was a person without a big dream?

8. to be, to have, must, should; used as an auxiliary verb to form compound verb tenses

   esmu atnācis ― I have arrived

   bijām aizbraukuši ciemos ― we had left to visit (someone)

   nav dzirdēts ― (it) hasn't been heard

   par to ir jārunā ― one must talk about this

   tas būtu jāredz ― this would have to be seen (= it is a must-see)

   viņš esot tur strādājis ― he, they say, has worked there

   darbs būšot pabeigts ― the work, they say, will be finished

Usage notes

Of the two conjunctive debitive form, jāesot is the most frequently found one; jābūtot, though attested, is less frequent and apparently nonstandard.

Conjugation

conjugation of būt

	INDICATIVE (īstenības izteiksme)				IMPERATIVE (pavēles izteiksme)
		Present (tagadne)	Past (pagātne)	Future (nākotne)
1st pers. sg.	es	esmu	biju	būšu	—
2nd pers. sg.	tu	esi	biji	būsi	esi
3rd pers. sg.	viņš, viņa	ir	bija	būs	lai ir
1st pers. pl.	mēs	esam	bijām	būsim	būsim
2nd pers. pl.	jūs	esat	bijāt	būsit, būsiet	esiet
3rd pers. pl.	viņi, viņas	ir	bija	būs	lai ir
RENARRATIVE (atstāstījuma izteiksme)			PARTICIPLES (divdabji)
Present	esot		Present Active 1 (Adj.)		esošs
Past	esot bijis		Present Active 2 (Adv.)		būdams
Future	būšot		Present Active 3 (Adv.)		esot
Imperative	lai esot		Present Active 4 (Obj.)		esam
CONDITIONAL (vēlējuma izteiksme)			Past Active		bijis
Present	būtu		Present Passive		—
Past	būtu bijis		Past Passive		būts
DEBITIVE (vajadzības izteiksme)			NOMINAL FORMS
Indicative	(būt) jābūt		Infinitive (nenoteiksme)		būt
Conjunctive 1	esot jābūt		Negative Infinitive		nebūt
Conjunctive 2	jāesot, jābūtot		Verbal noun		būšana

Derived terms

prefixed verbs:

• izbūt
• pabūt
• pārbūt
• sabūt

other derived terms:

• būtisks
• būtība
• būtne