strādāt

Borrowed from Old East Slavic страдати (stradati, “to strive; to work hard; to suffer”); cf. Russian страда́ть (stradátʹ, “to suffer”), also dialectal страда́ (stradá, “time of hard (farm) work; hard (farm) work”). This loanword is first mentioned in 17th-century dictionaries.^[1]

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strādāt (transitive or intransitive, 2nd conjugation, present strādāju, strādā, strādā, past strādāju)

1. to work (to perform certain actions so as to produce something of material or cultural value)

   čakli, intensīvi strādāt ― to work diligently, intensively

   strādāt labi, lēni ― to work well, slowly

   strādāt no rīta līdz vakaram ― to work from morning to night

   strādāt pagalmā ― to work in the yard

   strādāt pie rakstāmgalda ― to work at the desk

   strādāt bērnu labā ― to work for the benefit of the children

   kas nestrādā, tam nebūs ēst ― who doesn't work, won't have (anything) to eat

   raksturs skarbs, bet strādāt viņa prata ― (her) character is rough, but she knows how to work

   galvenais, ka vēl varu strādāt: kamēr cilvēks strādā, tikmēr dzīvo ― the important thing is that I still can work: as long as people work, they live

   un viņi strādāja: Jānis ara, ecēja, sēja, pļāva, cirta kokus, vēla akmeņus... ― and they worked: Jānis plowed, harrowed, sowed, reaped, cut down trees, rolled stones (away)...

2. to work (to perform certain activities, usually for a long time, in exchange for payment)

   strādāt rūpnīcā ― to work in a factory

   strādāt uz kuģa ― to work on a ship

   strādāt par šoferi ― to work as a driver

   tēvs iet pa nakti strādāt maiznīca ― father goes by night to work in a bakery

3. to work in (something) (to perform certain activities systematically, in a certain specialty or area of interest)

   strādāt lauksaimniecībā ― to work in agriculture

   strādāt izglītībā ― to work in education

   strādāt rakstniecībā ― to work in literature

   meistars teicami strādāja arī karikatūrā ― the master also worked excellently (= did excellent work) in caricature

   Eduards Vītols joprojām turpināja strādāt iemīļotajā akvarelī ― Eduards Vītols continued on working on his beloved watercolors

   strādāt pie izgudrojuma ― to work on an invention

4. to work on (something) (to perform certain activities relating to the making or preparing of something)

   strādāt pie izgudrojuma ― to work on an invention

   strādāt pie zinātniska temata ― to work on a scientific topic

   strādāt pie disertācijas ― to work on (one's) dissertation

   strādājot pie Stellas Kempbelas lomas, gribējās atklāt šīs aktrises iekšējo pasauli ― working on the role of Stella Campbell, I wanted to reveal this actress' inner world

5. to work with (to be systematically busy with the training or teaching, e.g., of a group of people)

   strādāt ar kori ― to work with the choir

   strādāt ar deju ansambli ― to work with a dance ensemble

   strādāt ar bērniem ― to work with children

   populārākais vieds, kā muzejā strādā ar apmeklētāju, ir ekskursija ― the most popular way in which they work with the visitors at the museum, is (to do an) excursion

6. to work with (to use something while working)

   strādāt ar jaunām mašīnām ― to work with new machines

   strādāt ar lapstu ― to work with a shovel

   strādāt ar eļļas krāsām ― to work with oil paints

   strādāju mājā ar vārdnīcu līdz pusnaktij, dažreiz arī vēlāk ― I work with the dictionary at home until midnight, sometimes later

7. (transitive) to work, to do a certain work, a job, or at a certain time

   strādāt fizisku darbu ― to work, do physical labor

   strādāt smagu darbu ― to do hard work

   strādāt gadījuma darbus ― to work, do odd jobs

   strādāt virsstundas ― to work overtime

   strādāt palaidnības ― to work (= do) mischief

   Leontīne strādāja valsts darbu ar cietu algu un apmaksātu atvaļinājumu ― Leontīne worked in a public job with a fixed salary and paid vacation

   ja viņa domāja par bērnības dienām, arvien atcērējās sevi, mazu meiteni, kaut ko strādājam: vai nu bija jānes ūdens, vai malka, vai jāmazgā grīda, vai vēl kas cits jādara ― if she thought about her childhood days, she always remembered herself (as a) small girl working on something: either (she) had to carry water, or firewood, or wash the floor, or (there was) something else to do

8. (agriculture, transitive) to prepare land for sowing

   smilts augsne ir irdena, viegli strādājama, ātri iesislst, bet arī ātri atdziest ― sand soil is light, easy to work, it warms up quickly but it also cools quickly

9. (of institutions, enterprises, businesses; usually 3rd person) to work (to be open, to be in the process of carrying out its tasks)

   rūpnīca strādā trijās maiņās ― the factory works in three shifts

   poliklīnika strādā no astoņiem rītā ― the clinic works, is open from eight a.m.

   veikals strādā bez pusdienas pārtraukuma ― the shop works without a lunch break

   ir sestdienas rīts, un kantoris nestrādā ― it is Saturday morning, and the office does not work, is not open

10. (of machines, devices) to work (to function normally, to be able to carry out its normal functions or tasks; also figuratively)

    traktors strādā labi ― the tractor is working well

    mehānisms strādā precīzi ― the mechanism works precisely, with precision

    telefons nestrādā ― the telephone isn't working

    lai cik neatlaidīgi strādāja saule no agra rīta līdz vēlam vakaram, tā tomēr vēl nebija paspējusi nokausēt biezo sniegu ― however steadily the sun worked from early morning till late evening, it still could not melt the thick snow

11. (of body parts, of bodily and mental processes; usually 3rd person) to work (to function, to fulfil its normal functions)

    domas strādā ātri ― thoughts work fast

    ir fizisks darbs, kad galvenokārt strādā muskuļi ― there is physical work, when mostly the muscles work

    sirds strādāja kā ar veseri: tuk-tuk-tuk... ― (her) heart was working like a sledgehammer: tuk-tuk-tuk...

12. (of animals; usually 3rd person) to work (to carry out a certain expected action or task)

    iejūgti zirgi strādāja visu laiku ― the yoked horses worked all the time

    bitītes medu nes, pulciņā strādādamas ― the little bees carry honey, working in small group(s)

prefixed verbs:

other derived terms:

• strādināt
• strādnieks, strādniece
• strādīgs, strādīgums

• darbs