sākt

Latvian

Etymology

The origin of this word is unclear. It may come from Proto-Indo-European *ḱek-, *kek-, *sḱek-, *skek- (“to jump”) (whence also Russian скакать (skakatʹ, “to hop, to leap”)), from which, via ablaut, *kāk- > Proto-Baltic *šak- > Latvian sākt. Others suggest a different Proto-Indo-European stem *kā-, *kō- as the source, different from that of Russian скакать (skakatʹ). The original meaning was probably “to jump,” from which “to rush, to go quickly (to do something)” > “to start, to begin.” Cognates include Lithuanian šókti (“to jump, to dance; to rush (to do something)”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sâːkt]

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

sākt (transitive, 1st conjugation, present sāku, sāc, sāk, past sāku)

1. to begin, to start (to carry out the first steps, stages of an action)

   sākt celtniecību, sēju, pētījumu ― to begin the construction, the sowing, the research

   sākt sarunu ― to start a conversation

   sākt stastīt ― to start telling

   sākt strādāt, runāt, iet ― to start working, talking, going

   sākt vēstuli, gleznu ― to start a letter, a painting

2. to begin, to start (to participate in the first stage or phase (of work, study, etc.)

   sākt jauno mācību gadu ― to start the new school year

   lauku mājas sāka dienu ― the farmhouses started the (work) day

   sākt darba mūžu ― to start (one's) work life

3. to begin, to start (to use the first part, component(s) of something)

   sākt jaunu cigarešu paciņu ― to start a new pack of cigarettes

   sākt pēdējo maizes klaipu ― to start the last loaf of bread

4. to begin, to start (to show the first signs of (something); to do for the first time(s))

   sākt smieties ― to start laughing

   bērns sācis baidīties no suņiem ― the child began to be afraid of dogs

   sāku dusmoties uz Ilželes māti ― I began to be angry at Ilžele's mother

5. to begin, to start (to become noticeable for the first time, to show the first signs of (something))

   sāk krēslot ― it began to get dark

   uguns sāk degt ― the fire began to burn

   sniegs sāka kust ― the snow began to melt

Conjugation

Conjugation of sākt

	indicative (īstenības izteiksme)					imperative (pavēles izteiksme)
		present (tagadne)	past (pagātne)		future (nākotne)
1st person sg	es	sāku	sāku		sākšu	—
2nd person sg	tu	sāc	sāki		sāksi	sāc
3rd person sg	viņš, viņa	sāk	sāka		sāks	lai sāk
1st person pl	mēs	sākam	sākām		sāksim	sāksim
2nd person pl	jūs	sākat	sākāt		sāksiet, sāksit	sāciet
3rd person pl	viņi, viņas	sāk	sāka		sāks	lai sāk
renarrative (atstāstījuma izteiksme)				participles (divdabji)
present	sākot			present active 1 (adj.)		sākošs
past	esot sācis			present active 2 (adv.)		sākdams
future	sākšot			present active 3 (adv.)		sākot
imperative	lai sākot			present active 4 (obj.)		sākam
conditional (vēlējuma izteiksme)				past active		sācis
present	sāktu			present passive		sākams
past	būtu sācis			past passive		sākts
debitive (vajadzības izteiksme)				nominal forms
indicative	(būt) jāsāk			infinitive (nenoteiksme)		sākt
conjunctive 1	esot jāsāk			negative infinitive		nesākt
conjunctive 2	jāsākot			verbal noun		sākšana

Derived terms

prefixed verbs:

• aizsākt
• atsākt
• iesākt
• pasākt
• uzsākt

other derived terms:

• sākums