salds

Latvian

Etymology

Derived from a former verb *salt (“to be(come) sweet”) (compare Lithuanian sálti), which disappeared, possibly because of homophony with salt (“to be(come) cold”). It has the same stem as sāls (“salt”) (q.v.), with an extra d also found in other cognates. The meaning change of the verb salt was probably from “(being) salty, salted” to “having pleasant flavor, tasty” and then to “(being) sweetened, sweet.” Cognates include Lithuanian saldùs, Proto-Slavic *soldь (Old Church Slavonic сладъкъ (sladŭkŭ), Russian сла́дкий (sládkij)), German Salz, Gothic 𐍃𐌰𐌻𐍄 (salt) < *saltą (“salt”), Latin sallere (“to salt”) < *saldere, Old Armenian աղտ (ałt).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sâlts]

Adjective

salds (definite saldais, comparative saldāks, superlative vissaldākais, adverb saldi)

1. sweet (having the flavor typical of, e.g., sugar, or honey)

   salds auglis ― sweet fruit

   salda sula ― sweet juice

   salda garša ― sweet taste

   salds kā medus ― sweet as honey

   mēs arvien dzērām tik saldu kafiju, ka cukurs vēl palika neizkusis krūzītes dibenā ― we always drank coffee so sweet, the sugar remained undissolved at the bottom of the cup

2. sweet (containing sugar, or some similar substance)

   saldās mandeles ― sweet almonds

   saldais krējums ― sweet cream

   salds piens ― sweet, fresh milk

   saldais vīns ― sweet wine

   saldais kartupelis ― sweet potato

   saldās mērces pasniedz pie bieziem ķīseļiem, pudiņiem, kēksiem, cepumiem ― sweet sauces are served with thick jelly, puddings, cookies and biscuits

3. sweet (having the smell typical of, e.g., phlox flowers)

   salds ziedu aromāts ― sweet floral fragrance

   vēsmoja salda ziedu smarža ― a sweet flower smell was wafting (around)

   viņa pienāca pie kabībes, apdvesdama Sproģi ar skurbinoši saldu parfīmu ― she came to the cabin, surrounding Sproģis with an inebriatingly sweet perfume

4. sweet (very pleasant, physically or psychologically)

   salds brīdis ― sweet moment

   saldas atmiņas ― sweet memories

   saldu dusu! ― sleep well! (lit. sweet quietness, rest, sleep)

   saldais rīta miegs ― sweet morning sleep

   ar kādu saldu prieku Annele bija izgājusi meklēt zemi un taisnību ― with sweet joy Annele had left to look for land and justice

   ir salda laime vasaras naktī klaiņot ar mīļu meiteni pa aizmigušajiem laukiem ― it is sweet happiness in a summer night to wander with a beautiful girl through the sleeping countryside

5. excessively kind, excessively flattering, hypocritically subservient

   runāt saldā balsī ― to talk in a sweet (= flattering) voice

   rokas priekšautā slaucīdama, savu vissaldāko smaidu sejā, Bitiene iztecēja pretī ― wiping (her) hands on (her) apron, with her sweetest smile on (her) face, Bitiene came out toward (them)

6. sentimental, lyrical

   salda dziesma ― sentimental (lit. sweet) song

   tenors dzied saldu dziesmu vācu valodā ― the tenor sang a sweet, sentimental song in German

Declension

indefinite declension (nenoteiktā galotne) of salds

	masculine (vīriešu dzimte)			feminine (sieviešu dzimte)
	singular (vienskaitlis)	plural (daudzskaitlis)		singular (vienskaitlis)	plural (daudzskaitlis)
nominative (nominatīvs)	salds	saldi		salda	saldas
accusative (akuzatīvs)	saldu	saldus		saldu	saldas
genitive (ģenitīvs)	salda	saldu		saldas	saldu
dative (datīvs)	saldam	saldiem		saldai	saldām
instrumental (instrumentālis)	saldu	saldiem		saldu	saldām
locative (lokatīvs)	saldā	saldos		saldā	saldās
vocative (vokatīvs)	—	—		—	—

Derived terms

• saldais pipars
• saldens
• saldināt
• saldums

See also

• garša

• The basic tastes (pamatgaršas):
  salds - rūgts - skābs - sāļš