Latvian

Adjective

mazs (def. mazais, comp. mazāks, sup. vismazākais; irreg. adv. maz)

1. small, little (having less than the (average, fitting) size of other similar objects, beings, areas, etc.)

   mazs cilvēks, dzīvnieks, galds‎ ― small person, animal, table

   mazas kājas‎ ― small feet, legs

   cepure par mazu‎ ― a hat too small

   mazais sikspārnis‎ ― the small bat (smaller than other species)

   maza pļava‎ ― small meadow

   mazs ciemats‎ ― small village

2. small, short (having less than the (average) distance between start and end points)

   mazs atvēziens, palēciens‎ ― small swing, jump

   maza amplitūda‎ ― small amplitude

3. (of natural phenomena) small, little, low (weak, having low intensity)

   mazs vējiņš‎ ― small, little breeze

   maza migla‎ ― low fog

4. (of physical phenomena) small, short, low, weak (less in numerical value than (the average of) other measurements; less intense, faint)

   mazs ātrums, spriegums‎ ― low speed, tension/voltage

   mazs garums‎ ― short length

   mazs skaits‎ ― small number

   mazs skaitlis‎ ― low figure

   maza nauda‎ ― (colloquial) mall money sum (lit. little money)

   bet lai tu vairs neizlaistu pat vismazākās skaņas!‎ ― but you won't let out even the smallest (= faintest) sound anymore!

5. (of time periods; of texts) little, short

   pēc maza brīža‎ ― after a short moment

   mazs dzejolis‎ ― little, short poem

6. small (with few members (people, animals, objects, elements))

   maza ģimene‎ ― small family

   mazs ganāmpulks‎ ― small herd

7. little, low (less than the normal or average level, limit, degree)

   mazs piena izlaukums‎ ― low milk yield

   maza barības vērtība‎ ― little, low nutritional value

8. little, small (with little influence or consequence; not worth much)

   mazas nepatikšanas‎ ― little, small trouble

   saņemt mazas veltes‎ ― to get small presents

9. small, short (not requiring much effort or energy)

   mazs pasākums‎ ― small undertaking, enterprise

   maza pastaiga‎ ― short walk, stroll

   mazi svētki‎ ― small, unimportant holidays

   small, little (indicating lack of freedom of action, constraints)

   mazas priekšrocības‎ ― small advantage

   maza izvēle‎ ― little choice

   man vairs nebija ne mazākās iespējas novākt slepenā darba pēdas‎ ― I no longer had the slightest possibility of removing the traces of secret work

10. (of mental or physical states) small (not intense, not intensely felt)

    mazas sāpes'‎ ― small pain

    mazs nogurums‎ ― small fatigue, tiredness

    (of people) small (selfish; having negative character traits)

    mazs nekauņa‎ ― a little impudent, impertinent person

    mazs palaidnis‎ ― a little rascal

    liels zinātnieks; tikai kā cilvēks diemžēl izrādījies mazs‎ ― a great scientist; only as a person, unfortunately, he showed himself small

11. (of people) small (lacking self-confidence, humble)

    jutos maza un niecīga viņu priekšā‎ ― I (female) felt small and insignificant in front of them

12. (of people) small (unimportant; not owning much property; poor)

    mazs muižnieks, namīpašnieks‎ ― small landlord

13. (of children) small, little, young (infant, not having reached maturity)

    mazs bērns‎ ― small child

    Ilzi es jau pazinu kā mazu meitenīti‎ ― Ilze I already knew as a little girl

    mazā kaut ko gaida‎ ― the little one (= girl) is waiting for something

    mazais jāliek gulēt‎ ― the little one (= boy) must be put to sleep

14. small (not brilliant, not important, not significant)

    ir atzinumi lieli, mazi‎ ― opinions there are big and small

    laiks aizšalc, aiznesdams izzūdībai visu mazo, niecīgo, nenozīmīgo‎ ― time rustles (by), taking into non-existence all that is small, unimportant, insignificant

Declension

Synonyms

• neliels
• sīks

Antonyms

• liels
• milzīgs, gigantisks

Derived terms

• mazināt
• mazums
• mazulis

References

1. ↑ Karulis, Konstantīns (1992), “mazs”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, ISBN 9984-700-12-7