Free language courses
Latvian is the state language of the Republic of Latvia.
Now distribution area of Latvian almost fully coincides with the borders of the State of Latvia. There are about 1.5 million native speakers of the Latvian language nowadays. 1.38 million of speakers live in Latvia, while the rest is found in the USA, Russia, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Lithuania, Estonia, Sweden, Brazil and even in other countries in a small amount. Moreover, at least half a million representatives of other ethnics in Latvia use the Latvian language as the second one, as well as tens of thousands of people in neighbouring countries, especially in Lithuania.
The world’s population speaks more than 6,700 different languages. About fifteen of these languages are spoken by a half of humanity all over the globe. The other half of the world’s population speaks all other languages. There are only about 200 languages, including Latvian, which are used by over one million speakers. In context of thousands of world’s languages, there are a few elected languages which actually are able to remain in the distant future, and Latvian is among them. The future of the Latvian language is influenced by both the ability of society to protect linguistic diversity in context of globalization and the active participation of Latvian people themselves .
Each country is responsible for all the languages used by its population. Therefore appropriate measures are taken for their preservation and development. The goal of the Latvian language policy is to guarantee the protection of the language to all citizens, with particular care on two unique languages, which arose in this country – the Latvian and Liiv language.
The Latvian language belongs to the Indo-European group of languages. The Baltic group of languages is formed by the Latvian and Lithuanian languages. Plenty of archaic Indo-European linguistic features still exist in Latvian grammar and vocabulary, as well as in Lithuanian. Latvian is close to Lithuanian, however native speakers of the both languages currently are unable to communicate freely. The Estonian language represents another neighbouring country. It is quite different because of belonging to the Finno-Ugric group of languages. Latvian borrows some features from the Liiv language, which is closely related to Estonian. For example, the first syllable of the word usually is stressed. The influence of the Liiv language is found in the vocabulary of the Latvian language.
Over the centuries Latvian has become a rich and tended language, reflecting a wide range of social areas of life.
Latvian alphabet
Aa Āā Bb Cc Čč Dd Ee Ēē Ff Gg Ģģ Hh Ii Īī Jj Kk Ķķ Ll Ļļ Mm Nn Ņņ Oo Pp Rr Ss Šš Tt Uu Ūū Vv Zz Žž
Naturalization procedure
Latvian citizenship can be obtained through naturalization.
A person can go through the naturalization procedure:
- if the person is registered at the Population Register;
- has reached the age of 15;
- whose place of permanent residence, on the submission date of their application for naturalization, has been in
Latvia for no less than five years counting from May 4,
1990 (for persons who entered Latvia after July 1, 1992,
the five-year term shall be counted from the date of the issuance of their permanent residence permit); - knows the Latvian language, the history of Latvia, the basic principles of the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia, and the lyrics to the national anthem;
- has a legal source of income;
- have submitted a statement of renunciation of their former citizenship and have received an expatriation permit from
the country of their former citizenship, if such a permit is provided for by the laws of that country, or have received
a document certifying the loss of citizenship.
Language of educational system
State and local/municipality educational institutions teach
in Latvian.
Foreign languages are used to teach in private educational institutiosn, as well as in state and local/municipality educational institutions, if minority education programs are implemented. Anyone, who acquires primary or secondary education in a foreign language, at the same time, learns official state language and takes the state language examination in accordance with the procedure and the amount.
In general a thesis (for bachelor’s and master’s degrees) or
a dissertation (for a doctorate degree) must be written and defended in the official state language, with exceptions as stated in legislation.
Upgrading and retraining one’s qualification is carried out in
the official state language, if it is financed by the state or municipality.
Links to Latvian language learning courses
http://epupa.valoda.lv/ – registration via facebook.com
http://epupa.valoda.lv/ilustracijas
http://www.sazinastilts.lv/about-latvia/
http://www.sazinastilts.lv/language-learning/vocabulary/
http://www.sazinastilts.lv/language-learning/language-portfolio/
http://www.sazinastilts.lv/language-learning/audio/
http://www.sazinastilts.lv/language-learning/video/
http://www.sazinastilts.lv/language-learning/texts/
http://www.sazinastilts.lv/language-learning/excursions/
http://www.sazinastilts.lv/language-learning/traditions/
http://www.sazinastilts.lv/language-learning/interviews/
http://www.sazinastilts.lv/language-learning/tofik/
http://www.sazinastilts.lv/language-learning/parents/
http://maciunmacies.valoda.lv/valodas-apguve/e-nodarbibas
http://maciunmacies.valoda.lv/valodas-apguve/e-materiali/uzdevumi
http://maciunmacies.valoda.lv/valodas-apguve/e-materiali/lasisanas-teksti
http://maciunmacies.valoda.lv/valodas-apguve/e-materiali/skolai
http://maciunmacies.valoda.lv/valodas-apguve/audiomateriali
http://maciunmacies.valoda.lv/valodas-apguve/gramatika
http://maciunmacies.valoda.lv/speles
http://maciunmacies.valoda.lv/animacijas-filmas
http://valoda.ailab.lv/latval/
http://www.integration.lv/en/learn-and-teach-latvian
http://moodle.patverums-dm.lv/moodle/
http://www.valodukursi.lv/lat/valodu-kursi
http://www.polyglotskola.lv/lv/valodu-kursi/latviesu-valodas-kursi
http://www.mirte.lv/jaunumi-valodu-kursi/
http://www.iac.edu.lv/aktualie-projekti/dzivoju-latvija-macos-latviesu-valodu/
http://www.klass.lv/Klass/web.nsf/0/75D2FD9509DCFC7BC2257C2A004D7C9A?OpenDocument
http://www.klass.lv/Klass/web.nsf/0/63BBB891AADF1838C225802800328622?OpenDocument
Organisations supporting migrants
- The Latvian Language Agency – valoda.lv
- Non-governmental organisation:
- Shelter Safe House – patverums-dm.lv/
- The Education Development Centre – iac.edu.lv
- International Organization for Migration – iom.lv
Foreign societies
- Latvian centre for Armenian culture – karap.lv, Slokas street 37, Riga, phone 67613638, 67613618, ankol@mailbox.riga.lv
- Latvian centre for Belarusian culture “Svitanak” – svitanak.lv, Slokas street 37, Riga, phone 67613638, 67261226, mob. 26842400, 26471310, svitanak@inbox.lv
- Latvian Tatar-Bashkir society “Čišme” –
tatarlar-europe.eu, Slokas street 37 / Slokas street
10–1a, Riga, phone 67343232, oleg@tatarlar.lv - Latvian Tatar society”Ideļ” – Slokas street 37, Riga, phone 67613638, ahrin@inbox.lv
- Latvian centre for Moldovan culture “Dačija” – moldova.lv, Slokas street 37, Riga, phone 67613638, 29323270, btc_moldova@apollo.lv
- Latvian culture centre of Kazakhstan “Suamir” – Brivibas avenue 236–59, Riga, phone 29597027, marziasha@yahoo.com
- Latvian centre for Russian culture “Klasika” –
Slokas street 37, Riga, phone 67613638 - Latvian Association of Ukrainian intellectuals –
Slokas street 37, Riga, phone 67613638 - Latvian Azerbaijan society “Azeri” – azeri.lv,
Slokas street 37, Riga, phone 67613638, 67241909, 67145000, azeri_lv@yahoo.com - Latvian centre for Uzbek culture – Slokas street 37, Riga, phone 67613638, 67613618
- Latvian Lebanese cultural association – Slokas street 37, Riga, phone 26588961, houssamam@hotmail.com, likk@one.lv
- Riga Jewish community – Slokas street 37 / Skolas 6,
Riga, phone 67613638, 67613618, zeevschul@hotmail.com - Latvian Georgian society “Samšoblo” – georgia.lv, Slokas street 37, Riga, phone 29234110, nugzar@balticom.lv
