Author: Nils Jānis Kjaspers

What shapes Latvian national identity? The answer is complex and personal, but one key element is the Latvian national narrative. This includes the heroes and pivotal events taught in schools, the places central to the nation’s collective memory, and the language and beliefs that frame its worldview. A national narrative goes beyond history: it is […]

Latvian cuisine shows strong influence from German, Scandinavian, and Slavic sources. It also has many fundamentally Latvian traditions that are often overlooked by outsiders but which are deeply cherished locally. Latvian cuisine is heavy on pork, potatoes, fermented dairy, and pickled vegetables. Herring and lampreys from the Baltic Sea and local rivers provide delicacies that […]

The Talking Phrasebook Series presents useful phrases and words in side-by-side translation and with audio files specifically geared to help students work on listening skills and pronunciation. Below, you will find several useful phrases and words. To the left is the English and to the far right is the Latvian translation. In the center column […]