zaļš

Latvian

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zaļš

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Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *zel-, *zal-, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰelh₃- (“to shine”), whence also zelts (“gold”) and several other color terms (e.g., zils, dzeltens). In fact, the color meaning of this term was at first not as specific as it is today: compare the dialectal variant zals (“brown, reddish-yellow, light red”), and also several borrowings from Baltic languages: Estonian haljas (“bright, shiny, shiny green”) (< *žaļas), Finnish haljakka (“pale, pale gray”). Under the influence of zāle (“grass”), its meaning stabilized as “green”. Cognates include Lithuanian žãlias, Old Prussian saligan (zaljan, zalgan?), Old Church Slavonic зеленъ (zelenŭ), Russian зелёный (zeljónyj), Bulgarian зеле́н (zelén), Czech zelený, Polish zielony.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

zaļš (definite zaļais, comparative zaļāks, superlative viszaļākais, adverb zaļi)

1. green (having the color typical of, e.g., grass and leaves in summer)

   gaiši, tumši zaļš ― light, dark green

   dzeltenīgi zaļš ― yellow(ish) green

   zaļas lapas ― green leaves

   zaļa gaisma ― green light

   zaļa zīda kleita ― green silk dress

   zaļais siers ― green cheese

2. green, greenish (having a tone or hue similar to green when compared to other related element)

   zaļā varde, krupis ― green frog, toad

   zaļā sūna ― green moss

   zaļā tēja ― green tea

3. (of people's faces) pale, unhealthy color

   viņš necieš jūras; kā uzpūš stingrāks vējš, tā paliek zaļš ģīmī un vemj ― he can't suffer the sea; when the wind blows stronger, his face becomes green and he vomits

4. (of plants) green (which is growing, developing; having leaves, needles, grass)

   zaļi asni ― green sprouts

   zaļš koks ― green tree

   zaļš tīrums ― green field

   zaļa pļava ― green meadow

   zaļā vasara ― green summer

5. (of fruits, berries) green, not ripe; (of wood) not ready to burn

   zaļš ābols ― green apple

   siens vēl ir zaļš ― the hay is still green

   'malka bija zaļa un negribēja degt ― the wood was green and did not want to burn

6. uncooked, raw

   zaļa gaļa ― raw, uncooked meat

   'ēst zaļus burkānus, kāpostus ― to eat raw carrots, cabbage

7. new, unexperienced

   puisis vēl ir zaļš ― the guy is still green (= unexperienced)

8. untroubled, trouble-free carefree

   nu sāksies zaļa dzīve ― now begins the untroubled life

   pienāca zaļas dienas ― the carefree days have come

Declension

Derived terms

• iezaļš
• zaļgans, iezaļgans
• zaļums

Related terms

• zāle

See also

References