Latvian

Verb

varēt tr., 3rd conj., pres. varu, vari, var, past varēju

1. can; to be able to (to have the mental or physical capacity to do something, to react in a certain way)

   varēt staigāt, runāt‎ ― to be able to walk, to talk

   varēt atcerēties‎ ― to be able to remember

   vai tu vari paiet?‎ ― can you go/walk?

   tikko varēt pavilkt elpu‎ ― to be barely able to breathe

   zirgs var pavilkt vezumu‎ ― the horse can, is able to pull the cart

   ko tur var darīt‎ ― what can (you) do there (= nothing can be done)

   neko nevar darīt‎ ― (you) can't do anything (= nothing can be done)

   palīdzu arī Baumanim darbā, kur vien varu‎ ― I help also Baumanis at work, wherever I can

   tās bija svešādas dziesmas, kuras viņš nevarēja atklausīties‎ ― these were strange songs that he couldn't listen to very long

   viss dzīvais var pielāgoties vides apstākļiem‎ ― all living (beings) can, are able to adapt to environmental conditions

2. (of objects, phenomena) can, to be able to (to have properties that make a certain activity or function possible)

   automobilis var attīstīt lielu ātrumu‎ ― the automobile can reach high speed

3. (of situations, usually 3rd person) to be possible, to succeed in

   ēst, dzert var‎ ― one can eat, drink it (= it is edible, drinkable)

   mēli var izmežģīt‎ ― it can test the tongue (= it is difficult to say, to pronounce)

   vai es kaut reizi esot padomājis, ka Beātei no manis varētu bērns būt?‎ ― did I ever imagine that Beāte could have a child from me?

   Alberts lēni izdzēra glāzi; šis konjaks nebija no labākajiem, bet dzert varēja‎ ― Alberts drank slowly (from) the glass; this cognac was not one of the best, but one could drink it

4. (usually drīkstēt) may, be allowed to, have permission for

   “vai mēs ar Gunāru varam iet kājām?” Klāvs prasa tēvocim‎ ― “can (= may) Gunārs and I go on foot?” Klāvs asks his uncle

   vienam bērnam ieteicams sauļoties, otrs turpretī nedrīkst; viens var peldēties, cits nē‎ ― one child is allowed to tan, while the other is not; one can (= may) swim, the other (can't)

Conjugation

Synonyms

• (of "to be able to"): spēt
• (of "to be allowed to"): drīkstēt

Derived terms

• pārvarēt
• uzvarēt

Related terms

• vara
• varonis, varone

References

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