# 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: [sâlts]
* This entry needs an audio pronunciation. If you are a native speaker with a microphone, please record this word. The recorded pronunciation will appear here when it's ready.

### Adjective

salds (definite saldais, comparative saldāks, superlative vissaldākais, adverb saldi)
* 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
* 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
* 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
* 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
* 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)
* sentimental, lyrical
    salda dziesma ― sentimental (lit. sweet) song
    tenors dzied saldu dziesmu vācu valodā ― the tenor sang a sweet, sentimental song in German

#### Derived terms

* saldais pipars
* saldens
* saldināt
* saldums

#### See also

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

### References

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