Are you wondering what to read next to improve your Latvian language skills? Learning the words related to vaļasprieki or hobbies in Latvian will undoubtedly elevate your interactions with the locals. This common topic will interest anyone, making it a great way to start your conversations the right way. If you want to learn more about this, keep reading below!
5+ Popular Hobbies In Latvian
Besides sports, painting, and playing board games, you will find a lot about the local’s most loved activities in the sections below. Are you ready for that? Keep reading below!
1. Reading (Lasīšana)
If you are a writer or a reader, you will love your stay in Latvia. Lasīšana books are one of the Latvian people’s most typical and favorite pastimes, and both women and men are fond of this hobby. However, if you go statistically, women are more fond of reading than men and indulge in multiple genres like romantic, comic, horror, and even academic.
2. Board Games (Galda Spēles)
The next most common hobby of the Latvian locals is playing galda spēles. Everyone in Latvia has a huge heart for board games, from kids to older adults. Be it different mind games, brain games, or even basic board games like wash dash and crossword puzzles, all they need is a bottle of beer and a few mates to play the game with. It is also considered a perfect way of making new friends and spending time with family.
3. Drawing (Zīmējums) And Painting (Glezna)
If you are a natural artist yourself, you will be amazed by the talented souls that the country is creating. Moreover, painting has a unique way of binding Latvians together. Being a country filled with greenery and water bodies, artists always spend time painting landscapes in parks and river banks with their friends. Doesn’t it sound like a movie dream?
4. Dancing (Dejošana)
When it comes to physical activity, the most popular hobby of the locals is Dejošana. From traditional folk dance to party moves, they have a fondness for every kind of dance that brings joy and expresses pleasure. Dziesmu svētki is the Latvian song and dance celebration regarded as a pilgrimage form. It is the most famous cultural event in Riga, and once you witness it yourself, you will see the locals’ enthusiasm for dancing.
5. Singing (Dziedāšana)
If dancing is an everyday activity for the locals, then it is evident that they love to sing as well. Latvians believe that unity comes through music, fostering an image of respect for their national identity. Following such a view, you will also notice that music festivals in Latvia are pretty famous, and people hold them in an exalted position as singing helped them build their country in 1918.
6. Traveling (Ceļošana)
Just like you love to travel worldwide, you will also find many travel enthusiasts in Latvia. Since Latvia is already full of so many beautiful sites and places, traveling is not only international, but locals love to travel to areas even within their country. The airports of Latvia are always busy and carry millions of passengers every day inside and outside the homeland.
7. Fishing (Makšķerēšana)
Another favorite hobby of the people that reside in a country loaded with mesmerizing lakes and water bodies is Makšķerēšana. From 10-year-olds to 50-year-old people, everyone loves to go fishing whenever they are free. Hundreds of small rivers and streams make fishing exciting for the people with transparent water and blissful scenery. Even for tourists, you will find many fishing lakes where they let you rent boats and nets for your fish hunting journey.
8. Berry Picking (Ogu Lasīšana)
How can we miss out on Ogu lasīšana when talking about Latvians? Mushroom and Berry picking is a unique tradition that not only Latvia but other Baltic states have followed for ages. Since there are a lot of diverse berries and beautiful gardens, you will be amazed to see how refreshing it feels to be a part of such an aesthetic tradition. Most of the berry picking takes place in mid-summer.
More Hobby Words In The Latvian Language
Here we will look for other hobby words that we might have missed in the previous section. Remember that familiarizing yourself with all these will improve your speaking skills and expand your vocabulary. So, please give them a good read.
Vocabulary A-F
Vocabulary G-M
Vocabulary N-Z
Useful Latvian Phrase
Now we will see some helpful sentences related to hobbies that you can use whenever needed. Learning these can help make discussions more engaging and profound.
Onto You!
Now that you know almost all of the hobby words in Latvian, you are sure to make hundreds of friends during your stay in Latvia. These words will become a great way to share your thoughts with the locals and engage in deeper and more relaxing conversations. With such bonding, you will make millions of memories worth remembering.
If you liked this blog and found it valuable, we invite you to read our other articles by Ling, such as Sports in Latvia, Disaster vocab, and Health words list. All you need to do is go to the Appstore or Playstore and download the Ling App for free!
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