# būt
## Latvian
### Etymology

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *bū́ˀtei, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to grow, to prosper”) ( > “to become, to be”). The past tense forms are derived from *bʰew-wi. The present tense forms come from Proto-Indo-European *h₁es- (“to be”): *h₁ésmi > esmu, etc. The third-person forms are from other sources: see ir, nav.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [bûːt]
* Audio:(file)

### Verb

būt (intransitive, no conjugation, present esmu, esi, ir, past biju)
* to be, to exist
    būt vai nebūt ― to be or not to be
    tas ir (= t.i.) ― i.e., that is to say (lit. that is)
    ir vairāki šās dziesmas varianti ― (there) are many versions of this song
    lietus beidzot pārgājis, bet saules nav ― the rain is finally gone, but (still) there is no sun
* to be, to be at, to be located (at)
    mēs būsim mājā ― we will be in the house
    viņš vakar bija Rīgā ― he was in Riga yesterday
    kur tu biji? ― where were you?
    govis ir ganībās ― the cows are in the grazing area (= grazing)
    grāmata ir uz galda ― the book is on the table
    pilsētā ir rūpnīcas ― (the) factories are in the city
    spainī ir ūdens ― (there) is water in the bucket
    maizes somā nebija ― there was no bread in the bag
    mūsu mežā ir stirnas ― there are deer in our forest
* to be at, to attend, to participate in
    daudzi Ceilonas skolotāji bijuši VI Vispasaules jaunatnes un studentu festivālā Maskavā ― many teachers (from) Ceylon were at the VI All-World youth and student festival in Moscow
    “varam sākt sapulci” Jānis teica; “vairāk neviena nebūs” ― “we can begin the meeting”, Jānis said; “there won't be anybody else” (= nobody else is coming)
    būt arodbiedrībā jau desmit gadu ― to be (= participate, work) in the trade union for ten years
* (3rd person only, with a dative complement) to possess; to have (all senses)
    viņiem ir divistabu dzīvoklis ― they have a two-room apartment
    zvejniekiem ir jauni tīkli ― the fishermen have new nets
    vai tev ir nauda? ― do you have (any) money?
    mātei ir māsa ― the mother has a sister
    meitenei bija draudzene ― the girl had a (girl)friend
    man ir darbs ― I have work
    mums bija uzdevums ― we had a task
    šodien man nebūs laika ― today I won't have time
    latviešiem ir teika par Lāčplēsi ― the Latvians have a legend about a Bear Slayer
    viņam bija pamatoti argumenti ― he had valid arguments
    mums ir priekšlikums ― we have a proposal
* (3rd person only, with a dative complement) to have, in a part-whole relationship
    ābelei ir balti ziedi ― the apple tree has white flowers
    viņam bija brīnišķīgi skaidras un laipnas bērna acis ― he had wonderfully clear and kind child's eyes
    viņam ir skaļa balss ― he has a loud voice
    aktierim ir talants ― the actor has talent
    tev ir labs noskaņojums ― you have (= are in) a good mood
* (3rd person only) to be, to happen, to take place
    pagalmā bija liels tracis ― in the (back) yard (there) was a big brawl
    kas ir, ir; kas būs, būs ― what(ever) is, is; whatever will be, will be
    tur viss kārtībā... nelielā neskaidrība tikai, kad īsti būs kāzas ― there everything (is) all right... only a little uncertainty (about) when exactly the wedding will be (= happen, take place)
    lai būtu kā būdams ― let it be as it is (= let happen what will happen; so be it)
* to be; used as a simple copula to link a subject to its predicate
    tā ir laime ― that is happiness
    būs labi ― (it) will be good
    man ir auksti ― I am (= feel) cold
    laiks būšot saulains ― the weather, they say, will be sunny
    kas bija dzīve, kas bija cilvēks bez liela sapņa? ― what was life, what was a person without a big dream?
* to be, to have, must, should; used as an auxiliary verb to form compound verb tenses
    esmu atnācis ― I have arrived
    bijām aizbraukuši ciemos ― we had left to visit (someone)
    nav dzirdēts ― (it) hasn't been heard
    par to ir jārunā ― one must talk about this
    tas būtu jāredz ― this would have to be seen (= it is a must-see)
    viņš esot tur strādājis ― he, they say, has worked there
    darbs būšot pabeigts ― the work, they say, will be finished

#### Usage notes

Of the two conjunctive debitive form, jāesot is the most frequently found one; jābūtot, though attested, is less frequent and apparently nonstandard.

#### Derived terms

    prefixed verbs:
* izbūt
* pabūt
* pārbūt
* sabūt
    other derived terms:
* būtisks
* būtība
* būtne

### References

* ↑ Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “būt”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca‎ (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN