turēt

From Proto-Baltic *turētei, from Proto-Indo-European *turH-yé-ti, from Proto-Indo-European *twerH- (“to enclose, grab”). In other words, from the same stem as tvert (“to grasp, to grab”), of which it was originally the iterative-durative form. (It is also possible that there was a semantically close verb *turt, from the same stem as tvert, with turēt being its iterative-durative form).

Cognates include Lithuanian turė́ti (“to have; to holt, to need”), Old Prussian turīt, turītwei (“to have; to need”).^[1]

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turēt (transitive, 3rd conjugation, present turu, turi, tur, past turēju)

1. to hold (to keep something that was taken, grabbed, in a fixed position, e.g., in one's hands, lap, back, etc.)

   turēt sveci rokā ― to hold the candle in (one's) hands

   turēt rokā fotoaparātu ― to hold the camera in (one's) hands

   turēt grožus ― to hold the reins

   turēt zobos ― to hold (something) in (one's) teeth

   turēt klēpī grozu ― to hold a basket in (one's) lap

   turēt uz rokas bērnu ― to hold a child in (one's) hand(s)

   turēt uz muguras maisu ― to hold a sack on (one's) back

   turēt padusē mapi ― to hold a folder under one's arm

   viņš rokā turēja lielu, dzeltenu ādas čemodānu ― he had (lit. held) a big, yellow leather suitcase in (his) hand(s)

2. to hold (to not allow someone, something to move freely, to keep someone, something in its place, to force someone, something to not move)

   turēt pie rokas bērnu ― to hold a child by the hand

   turēt kādu aiz rokas ― to hold someone by the hand

   turēt aiz saites suni ― to keep (lit. hold) a dog on a leash

   saulainās dienās viņš valkāja tikai īsas bikšeles, tās turēja pāri sīkajiem pleciem pārmestas lences ― in sunny days he wore only shorts, held (in place) (by) straps (= suspenders) over his little shoulders

3. (of bodies, their parts) to keep (to position the body in a certain way and to make it remain so)

   turēt ķermeni taisni ― to keep (one's) body straight

   turēt rokas kabatās ― to keep (one's) hands on (one's) pockets

   turēt acis vaļa ― to keep (one's) eyes open

   neturēt muti vaļā ― to not keep (one's) mouth open

   turēt ausis ciet ― to keep (one's) ears closed (with one's hands)

4. to keep, to hold (to make (someone, something) be or stay in some place, state or condition)

   turēt arestēto apsardzībā ― to keep the arrested person in custody

   turēt aitas kūtī ― to keep the sheep in the barn

   turēt govis pa nakti laukā ― to keep the cows in the field overnight

   nebēdājieties, bez vajadzības slimnīcā neturēsim' ― don't worry, we won't keep (him) in hospital without need

   zosis var turēt nelielos iežogojumos ― geese can be kept in small enclosures

   nevar taču cilvēku turēt cietumā tikai tāpēc, ka viņš nespēj pierādīt, ka nav vainīgs ― after all, one cannot keep a person in prison only because he cannot prove that he is not guilty

   visu ciemu viņi turēja zem ložmetēju uguns ― he kept the whole village under machine gun fire

   krāsns netur siltumu ― the oven doesn't keep the warmth (i.e., it doesn't keep the food inside warm for long if it is turned off)

5. to keep, to hold (to make (something) be or stay for some time in a certain situation, condition, or place)

   turēt durvis atvērtas ― to keep the door open

   turēt logus vaļa ― to keep the window open

   turēt ieroci gatavībā ― to keep (one's) weapon ready

   turēt produktus aukstumā ― to keep the vegetables cold

   turēt telpas kārtībā ― to keep the rooms in order, tidy

6. to keep, to have (to make sure that some product is available)

   kāpēc jūs neturat savā veikalā līgavas tērpus? ― why don't you keep bridal clothes in your shop?

   prece, kuru viņš turēja nebija no sliktākajām ― the product(s) which he kept, had (in his shop) were not of the worst (kind)

7. (in memory, in mind) to keep, to bear (to remember, to remain aware of something)

   kādu laiku turēju šo sarunu atmiņā ― for a while I kept this conversation in (my) memory

   viņš bija turējis prātā līdzību, kurā stāstīts par saules un vētras derību ― he had kept in mind the parable in which (one) tells about the bet between the sun and the storm

8. to keep, to hold, to run, to have (to own (property), to manage, administer it, to take care of it)

   turēt lauku mājas ― to keep, to have a farmhouse

   turēt akcijas ― to hold, to have stocks

   turēt zosis ― to keep, raise geese

   turēt terārijos rāpuļus ― to keep reptiles in a terrarium

   pirms kara viņš bija turējis viesnīcu ― before the war he had kept, run a hotel

   pirms kara saimnieks turējis kādas desmit piecpadsmit govis ― before the war the farmer (had) kept some ten, fifteen cows

9. to keep (to hire, to employ, usually in one's farm, home)

   turēt kalponi, aukli ― to keep a maid, a nanny

10. to keep (to allow someone to stay, to live in one's home)

    Kate tika turēta nevis kā saimnieku audžu meita, bet itin kā kad būtu viņu pašu bērns ― Kate was kept not as the landlord's foster daughter, but as if she were his own child

11. (of vehicles) to keep, to hold (to cause to remain moving in a certain direction)

    turēt laivu vairāk pa labi ― to keep the ship on the right

    turot kursu uz Rīgu, franču tvaikonis ātri attālinās ― holding course toward Rīga, the French steamer went quickly away

    “tā turēt!” atskan komanda no kapteiņa tiltiņa ― “keep like that!” (= hold course, do not change direction), the command came from the captain's bridge

12. (of people) to keep, to hold (to prevent from going away, from moving, acting freely)

    Ieva vēl gan turēja un turēja Trīni, kamēr galu galā tak atlaida ― Ieva indeed kept holding (lit. held and held) Trīni, but in the end she let her go

    Kristaps gribēja apprecēties; nekas taču neturēja: abi brīvi cilvēki, arī mīlestība pietiekami pārbauditā grūtās dienās ― Kristaps wanted to get married; nothing held/kept (= prevented) him (from it): both (were) free people, (and) their love had been sufficiently tested in difficult days

13. (with savā varā) to keep in one's power (to limit someone's freedom of motion or action)

    es pazinu arī ķēniņmeitu, ko velns turēja savā varā un ko Arājdēlam vajadzēja atpestīt ― I know also a princess whom the devil kept in his power and whom Arājdēls had to liberate

    večuka skatiens mani turēja savā varā ― the old man's look kept me in his power

14. (with an object and a predicate) to keep (someone, something) in a certain state or situation

    turēt kārtībā ― to keep (something) in order, tidy

    tīri apģērbtus viņa turēja savus bērnus ― she kept her children cleanly dressed (= in clean clothes)

    pavadoņu uztveršnas aparatūra turēs radiokontrolē praktiski visu zemeslodes virsmu ― the satellite's reception engine will keep practically the entire surface of the earth under radio control

    karalis grib, lai viņa kalpus tur tā, ka tie neaizmirst drebēt ― the king wants that his servants be kept so (= in such a way) that they don't forget (how to) tremble (= to be afraid)

15. to keep, to hold (to link, to connect with something)

    visas lietas turēja citu pie citas kā piesietas desmit saitēm ― all things were held together (lit. one by the other) like ten ropes tied (to each other)

    vienīga saite, kas viņu vēl turēja pie dzīves, bija Paulis ― the only link that still kept him (connected to) life, was Paulis

16. to keep, to hold, to keep up, to keep going (to be able to perform; to be able to cope, put up with something unpleasant)

    Jānim nebija veselības, nevarēja smago lauku darbu turēt ― Jānis didn't have (good) health, he could not keep the heavy farm work

    tilta balsti neturēs ledus spiedienu ― the fundament of the bridge will not hold the pressure of the ice

    darbs turpinājās līdz vēlam vakaram; Ojārs dūšīgi turēja līdz galam ― work continued till late at night; Ojārs bravely held, kept

    drīz vien ilkss ir salabota: “nez vai turēs?” šaubīdamies ieminos... “turēs! tikpat kā jauna...” ― soon the limb was repaired: “will it hold?” (he) asked doubtfully... “(yes), it will hold! just like new...”

17. to keep, to hold (to prevent something undesirable from going through)

    vecās turpes neturēja mitrumu ― the old shoes did not keep humidity (out)

    sienām vēsums velk cauri, un jumts labi lietu netur ― the cold pulled through the walls, and the roof did not hold the rain well (= did not keep it out completely)

18. to hold, to consider, to think of something, someone in a certain way

    turēt grāmatu par vajadzīgu ― to hold the book to be important

    turēt darbu par pienākumu ― to consider work as a duty

    turēt kaimiņu par zagli ― to consider the neighbor a thief

    turēt (ko) zem sava goda ― to consider (something) beneath one's honor (= to believe it not consistent with one's moral standards)

    kas tā bija par milzīgu naudu! par tik bagātu Mālnieku neviens neturēja ― what an enormous amount of money! nobody had thought that Mālnieks was so rich

    turēdams cilvēkus labākus, nekā viņi tiesām ir, tapsi dažu labu reizi pievilts ― (by) considering people to be better than they really are, one is often disappointed

19. (of emotions, usually negative) to keep, to hold (to go on feeling, expressing it, generally for a long time)

    turēt dusmas (uz kādu) ― to hold (= feel) anger (at someone)

    turēt naudu ― to hold, keep hatred (= to go on hating)

    turēt rūpi (par kādu, par ko) ― to worry (lit. keep worries) about someone, something

20. (of laugh, tears) to hold, to control, to prevent

    šur tur kāds rīstījās, turēdams smieklus, dažs vairs nespēja valdīties un smējās, iespiedis muti spilvenā ― here and there someone (= some people) choked, holding (their) laugh, some could not control themselves and laughed, pressing their mouths against the pillow(s)

21. (of promises) to keep, to fulfill

    turēt solījumu, zvērestu ― to keep a promise, an oath

22. (dated sense) to keep, to take, to take part in, to participate

    Saleniek, jums ir jātur eksāmens uz otro klasi ― Salenieks, you must hold (= take) the exam in the other class

    vienīgi māte, es un sētas suns turējam mājas sardzi ― only mother, I and the fence dog kept guard (in the) house

23. (dated sense) to hold, to speak, to pronounce

    turēt runu, sprediķi ― to hold (= pronounce) a speech, a sermon

    turēt aizdomās (kādu) ― to hold someone in suspicion (= to suspect someone)

prefixed verbs:

other derived terms:

• turēties
• tureklis