J. Lelis - Basic Latvian

readings: sections:

1.2 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 3.1 | 3.2

3.3 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 5.1 | 5.2

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Reading 1.2:

Your first reading selection consists of several short conversations that are loaded with useful stock expressions. Your tasks are:

1. Listen to a recording or someone reading to you these phrases and get the feel of the sound patterns and sentence rhythms.

2. Try to imitate what you have just heard. Make repeated efforts to do it.

3. Pick out some useful phrases and memorize them.

BŪSIM PAZĪSTAMI!	LET’S GET ACQUANTED!

1. NEJAUŠI SATIEKOTIES	1. CASUALLY RUNNING INTO ONE ANOTHER
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Labrīt, Bērziņa kungs! Sveicināti. Kā jums klājas? Tā nekas – var iztikt. Un jums? Paldies, labi. Šodien būs jauks laiks, vai ne? Droši vien. Jums laikam jāsteidzas? Jā, mani gaida. Uz redzēšanos! Ar Dievu.	Good morning, Mr. Berzins! Hello. How are you? Tolerably well. And you? Thank you, fine. The weather’ll be nice today, won’t it? Probably. You must be in a hurry. Yes, I’m expected. I’ll be seeing you. Good bye.

2. VIESĪBĀS	2. AT A PARTY
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Labdien! Sveiks! Daudz laimes dzimšanas dienā! Paldies. Atvedu tev mazu dāvanu. Lūdzu. Ļoti pateicos. Kas tas ir? Attaisi vaļā – paskaties! Tūlīt. Vai, kāds pārsteigums! Tieši to sen vēlējos. Ceru, ka noderēs. Vēlreiz liels paldies! Lūdzu ņem par labu.	Good day! / Hello! Greetings. / Howdy. Happy Birthday! Thanks. I brought you a very little gift. Here. Thank you very much. What is it? Open it (and) take a look. Just a second. Oh, what a surprise! Just what I always wanted. I hope you can use it. Thanks again very much! I’m glad you like it.

3. PIE TELEFONA	3. ON THE TELEPHONE
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Hallo? Labvakar. Lūdzu, vai varētu runāt ar Annu? Klausos. Kas lūdzu zvana? Te runā Jānis. Labvakar, Jāni! Kā tev iet? Labi, paldies. Vai tev būtu laika šovakar iet uz kino? Nē. Diemžēl esmu aizņemta. Varbūt kādu citu reizi. Žēl. Ar labvakaru! Ar labu nakti, Jāni! Paldies, ka piezvanīji. Ne par ko.	Hello? Good evening. Please may I speak with Ann? Speaking. Who’s calling please? This is John (speaking). Good evening, John. How are you? Fine, thanks. Would you have time to go to the movies tonight? No. Unfortunately, I’m busy. Maybe some other time. Too bad. Have a good evening. Good night, John. Thanks for calling. That’s alright.

4. RESTORĀNĀ	4. IN A RESTAURANT
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Vai varētu tev vēl ko piedāvāt? Nē, paldies. Būs diezgan. Vēl jau nav nemaz tik vēls! Man tomēr jātiek mājās. Bija patīkams vakars... Puslīdz labs. Kā, lūdzu? Es teicu, ka bija jau labi. Ceru, ka drīz atkal tā tiksimies. Varbūt. Redzēsim. Nu tad – ar labu nakti! Dzīvo vesels.	Can I offer you something else? No, thanks. This’ll be enough. It’s not so very late yet. Even so, I have to get home. It was a nice evening... Halfway decent. What was that? I said it was alright. I hope we’ll meet so again soon. Maybe. We’ll see. Well, then – good night. Take care.

5. SANĀKSMĒ	5. AT A GATHERING
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Atvainojiet, kāds jūsu goda vārds? Es esmu Dzintra Puriņa. Vai varu jums pakalpot? Man bija jāsatiek Lapiņa kundze. Varbūt jūs viņu pazīstat? Jā. Lūk, tur viņa stāv. Pateicos. Piedodiet, ka jūs traucēju.	Excuse me, what is your (sir) name? I am Dzintra Puriņš. Can I help you? I had to meet Mrs. Lapiņš. Perhaps you know her? Yes, I do. See – she’s standing (right) there. I thank you. Excuse me for having bothered you.