skābs

From the same stem as the verb skābt (“to go sour”) (q.v.), made into an adjective.^[1]

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skābs

1. third-person singular/plural future indicative of skābt

skābs (definite skābais, comparative skābāks, superlative visskābākais, adverb skābi)

1. sour (having a taste similar to, e.g., lemon)

   skābs ābols ― sour apple

   skābs vīns ― sour wine

   skāba garša ― sour taste

   uz galdiņa stāvēja turziņa ar skābajām konfektēm ― on the little table was the little bag with the sour candy

   Latvijā izaudzētas vairākas saldo un skābo ķiršu šķirnes ― in Latvia many species of sweet and sour cherries ⟨(are)⟩ grown

2. sour (that which was acidified, fermented; syn. skābēts)

   skābais, saskābis krējums ― sour cream

   skābais piens (= rūgušpiens) ― sour milk

   skābi, skābēti kāposti ― sauerkraut (lit. sour cabbage)

   skābi, skābēti gurķi ― pickled (lit. sour) cucumbers

   skābie piena produkti darbojas pret mikrobiem ― sour milk products work against microbes, germs

3. (chemistry) acid (having acid or acid-like features)

   skābais sāls ― acid salt

   skābā krāsviela ― acid dye

   skābais iezis ― acid rock (= containing a lot of silica)

4. (of smells) sour, acid (having a smell similar to that of, e.g., lemons or vinegar)

   skāba smarža, smaka ― sour smell

   skāba pelējuma smaka ― the sour smell of mold

5. (colloquial) surly, grumbling, impolite; frustrated

   “vai arī mēs nevarējām atbraukt vakar!” spiningotāji sev pārmeta, savilkuši skābas sejas ― “we could have gone back yesterday!” the fishermen accused themselves, putting on a sour face

   “bet ja nu es pati gribētu pie jums iet par sievu?” Zina smējās; Krusa izspieda skābu vīpsnu un gāja laukā ― “but (what) if I myself wanted to be(come) your wife?” Zina laughed; Krusa produced a sour smirk and walked out

• skābums

• skābe
• skābeklis
• skābt, skābēt

• garša

• The basic tastes (pamatgaršas):
  salds - rūgts - skābs - sāļš