lūdzu
The Latvian word for "please" is lūdzu.
lūdzu is an interjection used to make a request more polite. You can place it at either the beginning or the end of a sentence to achieve this effect. In an informal setting, another common way to express a request is by using the phrase Vai vari…?, which translates to "Can you…?" followed by the specific action.
Meaning: interjection to make a polite request (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word lūdzu is the first-person singular present indicative form of the verb lūgt, which means "to beg" or "to pray". Literally, it translates to "I beg (you)".
Which one should you use?
While lūdzu is used to mean "please" when making a request, it also serves as the standard polite response to paldies (thank you), functioning as "you're welcome" or "here you go".
When do people say it?
When someone says paldies (thank you), you should respond with lūdzu to say "you're welcome". Additionally, if you need to get someone's attention politely, you can use Atvainojiet, which means "Excuse me".
Did you know?
- Latvians may use the word lūdzu as a question when they didn't hear someone, similar to saying 'I beg your pardon?' in English.
- The word lūdzu comes from a verb that describes the act of asking for something, whereas the English 'please' comes from the verb 'to please' or 'give pleasure'.
- The grammatical form of lūdzu is a first-person present indicative, meaning every time a Latvian says 'please', they are technically making a complete sentence stating 'I ask'.
Examples in context
- Lūdzu iedod man to.Please give me that.The sentence is useful for practicing a request using lūdzu.Tatoeba #6787702 by User77812, translation #6786187 by CK
- Vēl vienu alu, lūdzu.Another beer, please.Tatoeba #13062991 by somberlain, translation #13062985 by tatemame97
- Apēd savu zupu, lūdzu.Eat your soup, please.Tatoeba #11471874 by GemMonkey, translation #5126236 by strangeanalyst
- Vai jūs varētu man palīdzēt, lūdzu?Could you help me, please?
- Lūdzu, vai varētu paskaidrot, kā nokļūt uz centrālo staciju?Could you please explain how to get to the central station?
- Dod man kādu krūzi tējas, lūdzu!Give me a cup of tea, please!
- Vai vari uz Dot Cafe iegādāties maizi, lūdzu?Can you buy some bread at Dot Cafe, please?
- 123 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Māris and linearly are at a cafe.
- MārisLūdzu, pasnieci man soliņus.Please pass me the napkins.
- linearlyProtams, lūk viņi.Of course, here they are.
- MārisPaldrīgu!Thank you!
- linearlyLūdzu!You're welcome!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “please” translations and entries lūdzu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lūdzu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
