Script guide › Latin
How to recognize Latvian
Latvian is one of 35 languages in Grafle's Latin group. Here's what it looks like, where you'll see it on signs, and how to tell it apart from its lookalikes.
Spot it fast
- Macrons (ā, ē, ī) are the Latvian signature — Lithuanian uses hooks instead.
- Comma-below consonants like ņ (cieņā).
What Latvian looks like
Visi cilvēki piedzimst brīvi un vienlīdzīgi savā cieņā un tiesībās.
Sveiki, kā jums klājas?
Rīga ir skaista pilsēta.
Latin scripts: The alphabet you're reading now. Each language gives itself away by its own special letters and accent marks.
Where you'll see it on signs
- Latvia
Easy to confuse with
- Lithuanian — Latvian stretches vowels with macrons (ā, ē, ī); Lithuanian dots and hooks them: ė, ą, ę. Both write ū, so don't lean on that one.
- Estonian — Latvian has macrons (ā, ī, ē); Estonian has õ/ä/ü and never a macron.