būt

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.^[1]

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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

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

prefixed verbs:

• izbūt
• pabūt
• pārbūt
• sabūt

other derived terms:

• būtisks
• būtība
• būtne