tēvs

Latvian

Tēvs ar dēliem

Etymology

From Proto-Baltic *tewas ("father"), from Proto-Indo-European *te- (“father”), a stem found in reduplicated form in tētis (“father”) (q.v.). The epenthetic v arose to break the e-a sequence. Cognates include Lithuanian tėvas, Old Prussian tāws, towis (“father”), thewis (“father's brother”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [tǣːws]

Noun

tēvs m (1st declension)

1. father (a man who has a child or children)

   tēvs ar dēliem ― a father with (his) sons

   tēva pienākums ― father's duty, obligation

   tēva gādība ― father's care

   tas ir mans tēvs ― that is my father

   pie eglītes sēž arī pārējie ģimenes locekļi: tēvs, māte, vēcmāmiņa ― the remaining family members - father, mother, grandmother - are sitting by the pine (= Christmas) tree

2. (Christianity) God the Father (God seen as the creator of the universe)

   Mūsu Tēvs, Tēvs Mūsu ― Our Father (prayer)

   debesu tēvs ― heavenly father

   Dievs Tēvs! Dievs Kungs! ― oh God! oh Lord! (expressions of surprise or fear)

3. (Christianity) Father (used to address or to speak about members of the Catholic or Orthodox clergy: priests, monks, etc.)

   svētais tēvs ― holy father (the Catholic Pope's title)

   garīgais tēvs ― spiritual father (preacher, priest, etc.)

   baznīcas tēvi ― the fathers of the church (who formed the church's doctrive from the 2nd to the 8th century)

   pareizticīgo garīdznieks tēvs Andrejs, vēršoties pie krieviem, lūdza atbalstīt latviešus viņu cīņā par neatkarību ― the Orthodox priest Father Andrejs, turning to the Russians, asked (them) to support the Latvians in their struggle for independence

4. (with a family or house name in the genitive) father; a respectful form of address for an older man, especially the leader of a household, farm, etc.

   drīz izsteidzās Olliņu tēvs pats ― soon (the) father (of the) Oliņš (family) himself hurried out

   vecais Rijkuris atnāca gausiem soļiem un apstājās Natei blakus vagas galā: “jā, to es saprotu”, viņš teica; “vai ne, Rijkuru tēv, tagad te augs!” ― the old Rijkuris came with slow steps and stood next to Nate at the end of the furrow: “yes, I understand that,” he said; “don't you, father (of the) Rijkuri, now it (= plant) will grow here!”

5. (in the plural, of people) fathers, ancestors

   tēvu tēvi ― the fathers' fathers (= the ancestors)

   tēvu tēvu laiki ― the fathers' fathers' (= ancient) times

   tēvu zeme, tēvzeme ― fatherland

   (aiz)iet pie tēviem ― to go to the fathers (= to die)

6. (figuratively) father, founder, creator

   Ādolfs Alunāns ir latviešu teātra tēvs ― Ādolfs Alunāns is the father of the Latvian theater

7. (of animals) male (usually tēviņš)

   vilku tēvs ― wolf father, male wolf

   sloku tēvi ― woodock fathers, male woodcocks

8. (of plants, their parts; in the genitive, used as an adjective) from which there is growth, which generates new growth

   tēva augs, tēvaugs ― growing (part of) plant

   tēva zieds ― growing (part of) flower

Usage notes

The word tēviņš, at first a diminutive and form of endearment (“daddy”), now means “male” (animal); the term of endearment for “father” is tētiņš (“daddy”), from tētis (“father”). Note that tētis already has more emotional overtones than the more neutral tēvs.

Declension

Declension of tēvs (1st declension)

	singular (vienskaitlis)	plural (daudzskaitlis)
nominative (nominatīvs)	tēvs	tēvi
accusative (akuzatīvs)	tēvu	tēvus
genitive (ģenitīvs)	tēva	tēvu
dative (datīvs)	tēvam	tēviem
instrumental (instrumentālis)	tēvu	tēviem
locative (lokatīvs)	tēvā	tēvos
vocative (vokatīvs)	tēvs	tēvi

Synonyms

• tētis, tētiņš

Antonyms

• māte

Derived terms

• tēvija, tēvzeme, tēvu zeme
• tēviņš
• tēvišķs, tēvišķīgs, tēvišķīgums, tēvišķība
• vectēvs, vecaistēvs

Related terms

• tēvocis

See also

• bērns
• dēls
• ģimene
• meita

References

• tēvs at tezaurs.lv