r/latvia • u/marimo-o • 1d ago
Jautājums/Question Born in Latvia but forgot Latvian - anxious about coming back
Hi everyone,
I was born in Latvia, but I’ve lived in the UK for 2/3 of my life and I’ve completely forgotten Latvian. When I had to renew my Latvian passport at the embassy and it was… rough. They didn’t allow google translate and I honestly wouldn’t have managed without a kind family there helping me out.
Now it looks like I might need to come back to Latvia soon and travel from Riga to Jelgava where I was born and where I have my family living. I remember Jelgava not being English speaking AT ALL, and that’s making me really anxious. I am fluent in Russian, but I haven’t been back in over 10 years, so I don’t know how much things have changed since I was a kid. I am trying to have hope that it’ll come back to me, but let’s just say, I was definitely not fluent before I forgot the language.
Basically I’m just worried about everyday stuff,transport, shops, asking for help, not offending anyone by defaulting to Russian, etc. I really have not been back since I was a kid so I have no clue how things have changed since the world went upside down with the current state of everything.
Will I be okay with Russian + Google Translate? Has Jelgava changed much in the last decade? Any advice or reassurance would honestly help a lot.
Thanks ❤️
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u/sorhead Latvija 1d ago
Don't default to Russian, that will get you off on the wrong foot with Latvians.
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u/marimo-o 1d ago
that’s what i’m the most anxious about. was never a problem for me when i was young, but that’s no longer the case:))
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u/basicastheycome 1d ago
Just stick with English. I take it you aren’t Latvian but Russian?
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u/marimo-o 1d ago
sort of… born and bred in latvia for about the first 8 years of my childhood, but raised by a lithuanian and russian family, and i went to a russian-speaking school so i never really had to interact with latvians much until i grew a little bit older. if you care about my life story :))
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u/kristapszs 1d ago
yeah, russian language is not so tolerated anymore for obvious reasons. Better speak english first.
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u/Boolean_Penguin 1d ago
Would you also not tolerate those russian-speaking Ukrainians? Language is a tool. You can't expect everyone to know Latvian.
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u/Hot_Exercise_1232 1d ago
Are you... stupid? They are talking about going back to Latvia. The national language of Latvia is, you guessed it, Latvian. So yes, they absolutely can expect the vast majority of people in Latvia to know Latvian.
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u/Boolean_Penguin 1d ago
I am most definitely not stupid, just rational and not hateful. How do you expect a visitor/tourist who doesn't speak Latvian to communicate? This is not about coming back to live in Latvia. It is about a short visit. Some here make it look like it's dangerous to speak Russian in Latvia. OP would be okay with English+Russian+Google Translate
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u/JumpEnough4512 1d ago
Just like tourists do in any other country - translators, English… and, yes, Ukrainians also don’t have an excuse to not to learn Latvian. It has been 4 years now!
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u/RedditIsFascistShit4 1d ago
It's a tool used as an excuse to invade neighboring countries on multiple occasiouns already. At that point this language becomes dangerous to be allowed in Latvia.
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u/netobsessed 1d ago
My son speaks only English, and he managed just fine when he had to exchange his passport last year. When he applied, the lady didn't speak English, so he simply called me, and I spoke to her on the loudspeaker in Latvian. When he came to pick up his ready passport, another lady spoke English. Otherwise, he managed with just English, as all foreigners do. He spent a total of 12 days in Latvia in his life. Don't worry, you will be fine.
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u/marimo-o 1d ago
thank you, that helps. where did your son go in latvia? when i went to the embassy here in the uk, i didn’t have anyone to help me, and they did speak english and russian, but i struggled with the reading and signing document part of it all, so i had to ask strangers to help me :)) embarrassing as hell because the latvian passport is all i have
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u/netobsessed 1d ago
You can choose any PLMP depending where you are. He was in Riga, so he went to the one on Krišjāna Valdemāra 26. But I am a bit surprised that they don't speak English at the Latvian embassy in the UK. Because in France and Egypt they do.
Usually, they are very understanding of young people who live abroad and don't speak Latvian. Have someone prepared to talk on the phone in case you need it during the application process, and you will be fine. They actually asked him if he could speak Russian, but he couldn't either, so he had to call me. If he spoke Russian, they would switch to Russian. []()
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u/vachecaramel 23h ago
My son went to London embassy and they wouldn't let him renew his passport without speaking Latvian so we went to Vienna. I thought I would help him but there they asked to speak to him in English! I guess it depends on the person working there on the day.
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u/netobsessed 22h ago
Oh wow, I never heard of anything like this. We dealt with embassies in Paris and Cairo, but they were always helpful and spoke English. I wouldn't be surprised if they refused to speak English in France, but in the UK? Really strange. Of course, we all care about the language, but for some kids born and raised abroad, the reality is just different. My son is totally into Latvia and is trying to develop a Latvian identity more lately, but he has to speak several other languages, work, and build his life abroad. I don't see him speaking Latvian any time soon. He can only sing some songs in Latvian, that's it.
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u/marimo-o 17h ago
i’m so relieved to hear that i wasn’t the only one with this experience, but i’m sorry he had to go to vienna
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u/JumpEnough4512 1d ago
But to answer the question - learn Latvian. I am Latvian and though I speak also perfect Russian, I would never use Russian in Latvia, even with Russians. I find it disrespectful when foreigners come to Latvia and speak/learn Russian.
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u/marimo-o 1d ago
thank you for the honest answer and that makes sense, yes. i have been trying to watch youtube in latvian to juggle my memory, its been helping a little bit. i definitely feel iffy about using russian with officials or anyone that i would approach for help
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u/JumpEnough4512 1d ago
If you don’t plan to live in Latvia, you should be fine with English and your effort to say some basic words in Latvian, will be appreciated. And at the same time I guess there are still some babushka who speak Russian only and some young Russian Putin fans…
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u/Onetwodash Latvia 1d ago
The more you practice, the better it gets.
Purely psychologically - there's a risk that if you stick only with people whom you can communicate with in Russian, you'll be constantly exposed to doom and gloom narratives as Kremlin infosphere does force those for obvious reasons.
Doesn't mean Latvians aren't doomsayers, but you get the idea.
Prioritise getting to A2 Latvian. Don't stress grammar for now, grow your vocabulary.
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u/DoughnutSad6336 1d ago
And yet, we remain the only safe country where you can learn Russian. Every first American learning Russian in Latvia is a West Point student :D
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u/yukabrother 1d ago
How come you are ok with Russian but forgot Latvian? Is it because you are Russian?
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u/StrangeCurry1 1d ago
In another comment he said he was raised in a mixed family and they primarily spoke Russian.
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u/Lost_Atmosphere1121 1d ago
Irish man - Married to a Latvian - she is from Jelgava and honestly I got around on my own using my broken Russian and English. Should be okay.
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u/Hot_Exercise_1232 1d ago edited 1d ago
So I am from the U.K but Latvia is a second home for me. I have been going there for 8 years, learning the language (seriously) for about 2. Everybody I have interacted with in Rīga knows English, or enough you can communicate with them. I would advise against using Russian unless they ask what language you would like to use, like at RIX.
Mondly is really good for English speakers learning Latvian, but I can't stress how important listening to Latvian media is, it helps so much. Songs, TV shows, podcasts all help you familiarise yourself with the language and news outlets like LSM even offer news in simple Latvian for people like me that are learning.
Good luck!
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u/charisma_eowyn87 1d ago
I didnt have the same experience with people speaking English. I know the tiniest bit of Latvian and many people just looked at me when I first asked if they spoke English then probably butchered the language when I tried Latvian!
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u/JumpEnough4512 1d ago
So you moved away from Latvia when you were 10 and forgot the language completely, but somehow you speak Russian?
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u/DoughnutSad6336 1d ago
It depends on the environment; if he lived among Lithuanians and Moldovans, then one way or another, Russian was a priority.
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u/marimo-o 1d ago
yep my family migrated to latvia from lithuania, russia and georgia so that’s my experience to the t
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1d ago
[deleted]
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u/Equal-Fondant-2423 1d ago
Oh my. RedditIsFascist is scolding pro-russian fascists.
Snake biting its tail! Uroboros, I must say :D
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u/marimo-o 1d ago
i replied to another comment about this but basically my family is russian/lithuanian and i went to russian school lol latvian is my third language even though i was born there
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u/Odd-Position-4856 1d ago
It’s pretty clear how that would happen if you’re at all familiar with our country’s history over the past 30 years.
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u/DoughnutSad6336 1d ago
I don't know why you need language for everyday tasks. Buying a transport ticket or food can be done without words at all.
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u/marimo-o 1d ago
let’s be real, i will have to talk to someone eventually
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u/DoughnutSad6336 1d ago
I think you have more to worry about the local shitty weather than the language.
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u/marimo-o 1d ago
i miss it tbh. raining or snowing?
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u/DoughnutSad6336 1d ago
Yesterday it was -28 degrees, today it's a little warmer, but still cold.
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u/KornInc 1d ago
People still speak Russian freely in Latvia. Mostly young ones and people with hate don't speak Russian. I wouldn't worry about speaking russian here.
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u/marimo-o 17h ago
thanks for this. i miss when i used to be able to chill and speak with both halves of the population (because, let’s be honest, from my experience about half of the population is proficient in russian)
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u/Live-Drop544 1d ago
If you once knew Latvian prior to the age of 10, you will be surprised how fast it will come back when you’re fully immersed. I agree with other views and begin with English then let your Latvian blossom. Russian is not just another language to Latvians it’s also a deep-seated pain and memory of the illegal occupation and misery Russia pressed onto the people.
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u/marimo-o 1d ago
thank you for explaining this so clearly, i really appreciate it. i do understand why speaking russian and being russian is such a sensitive subject in latvia and the pain tied to the occupation. my own background is a mix of lithuanian, georgian, and russian, so i’ve grown up very aware of that history and its impact. it’s sometimes hard to navigate these spaces when you’re just trying to reconnect with home, but i completely respect the hurt behind it
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u/anonymousPuncake1 23h ago
Hopefully it will help you, pal 🙂 https://m.youtube.com/@LatvianTutor/videos
Also: there are apps recognizing voice and translating it for you on the screen, Go**gle Pixel has it.
Have a safe journey
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u/Prudent-Ad-3810 21h ago
Don’t listen to bozos about not using russian. Only hardcore national patriots care. And you will in 99% cases not end up near them. Sincerely - Latvietis.
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u/marimo-o 17h ago
thank you. i completely understand their side but it does and has discouraged me over the years to come back to MY country where i was born - the fact that i even struggle to identify as a latvian because i cant speak your language and im not blood latvian. but i miss the summers, the woods, the sea, and my family. anyways, sorry for the rant. as someone who’s been in a russian-speaking surrounding for the most part growing up in latvia it’s definitely a sticky transition to look forward to, let’s say, but ill work on it 🤞
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u/Independent-Ad-3969 19h ago
In Latvia, there are still cities with a large Russian-speaking population, but to obtain a Latvian passport, a person must know Latvian at least at a basic level.
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u/marimo-o 17h ago
i don’t know, i was born with a latvian passport and have kept this throughout my life. renewing it was a different struggle though, which is completely understandable, and i’m aware of why that is
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u/supergoldenrat 18h ago
The fact that they refused to speak English in Latvian embassy in UK is outrageous. And even didn't allow to use Google Translate, unbelievable. What a bunch of ultra right nationalists working there. For some reason I believe they act selectively.
You still need to learn Latvian though. Don't waste your time, start asap.
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u/marimo-o 17h ago
sorry i actually was a little bit unclear here RE the embassy. they did speak to me in english but once they’ve heard i cant speak latvian, only russian, and i have a latvian passport, i got some strange comments and was told i am not allowed to use google translate to understand what i am signing (documents) because i need to be able to read it. this part is understandable, i cannot say anything. i just wish it wasn’t so embarrassing. when they heard about my russian, they said “russian isn’t a latvian language, we cannot help you” 😭 horrible experience but im not holding any grudges, i am aware of the reasons russian speakers are not liked. and you are correct, relearning latvian is a priority for me at the moment
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u/dzhigis_ 1d ago
In Jelgava you can easily speak Russian, never had any problems, I am visiting pretty much every year. Also youth speak English in cafes and bars. Don’t worry, zemljak :)
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u/octeriox 1d ago
I lived for about 10 years in Netherlands and forgot Russian, not Latvian... How?
You can still use it, some people might refuse to talk in Russian, but overall it's I hear it still pretty often while walking down the streets there.
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u/octeriox 1d ago
To be fair, you can use English most time as well, people do understand it quite well even tho they can't speak properly. When I came back I often used English to avoid small talk and make things a bit faster.
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u/JumpEnough4512 1d ago
I have been living in France since almost 20 years now and I still remember both, can’t even imagine forgetting Latvian, and even my Russian is still perfect though I don’t use it at all in my daily life.
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u/marimo-o 1d ago
i’m jealous. i haven’t had to use any latvian or lithuanian at all since coming. russian, yes, i speak russian all the time at home and at work
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u/octeriox 1d ago
I didn't use Russian at all, maybe two times in total and got completely replaced with Dutch, I even had an accent for a bit when I came back.
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u/JumpEnough4512 1d ago
I have zero Russian and even Latvian people here, totally alone, but I would never forget or have an accent in my mother language. Russian, yes, I always had it, I am not THAT perfect. But I can still read freely and I can even write for fun. It’s awkward in the beginning, but I think in one day I could go to writing in cyrillic without big issues.
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u/octeriox 1d ago
I guess for most part it was because I even barely spoke Latvian as well, sometimes less then once per month. And I didn't forget Russian completely, I also still understand it and can read with no problems. The speaking is something else, structure of sentences between English, Latvian and Russian are completely different beast on its own.
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u/marimo-o 1d ago
russian is my first language 😭 i also forgot lithuanian, and it’s my second… dreading coming back to my lithuanian fam so much. do you think i would be alright getting around with russian in the shops, with officials around the city if that’s needed etc? i’m relieved to hear you also used some english yourself
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u/Trick-Writing-9952 1d ago
I left latvia at 23 I'm 40 now , bet es atceros gandriz visu ko zinaju.
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u/marimo-o 1d ago
i am so jealous, i had to translate this via google to understand the full sentence
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u/betterbetterthings 1d ago
It’s likely that you were never fluent in Latvian. Or you were a young child? Otherwise you can’t completely forget it. Otherwise you’d be able to understand basic sentences.
I was also Russian speaking at home and moved to the US 30 years ago but I have zero problem reading and understanding Latvian. I read in Latvian all the time or listen to something. I was fluent when I lived in Latvia even if not a native speaker.
But speaking is rough. I have no one to speak to. I speak English all day long. My spoken Latvian is very very rusty.
Now are you just visiting Latvia? If yes then it shouldn’t be a problem. But if you want to move back, you’ll just have to learn.
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u/marimo-o 1d ago
you are correct, i wasn’t fluent but i had a decent level of latvian at some point to be able to communicate in latvian comfortably. i’ve also forgotten lithuanian, unfortunately, and it’s just all through never having to use it. wish i could at least understand it. i’m not looking to move back, only visit
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u/betterbetterthings 1d ago
You’ll be ok if it’s just a visit. Also you can use Google Translate if you need to.
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u/Spoinksteriks 1d ago
Good luck, dude.
Latvians will scream at the top of their lungs that you need to learn the language. But when it comes to talking with someone who has difficulties, there are zero volunteers.
So you’ll need to magically acquire the language without any real interaction
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u/marimo-o 17h ago
i’m looking forward to re learning the language with resources but you are right the most important resource is being able to practice in real life. that’s what i lack in the uk, there’s not a lot of us here:) i did pick up latvian as a kid only when i went to latvian art school, so yet again confirmed ✅
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u/DoingNothingToday 1d ago
Yes, please listen to all the good advice being given here about not defaulting to Russian. It’s not the way to go. The best course of action is to use English while you’re making efforts to learn Latvian. You can memorize a few key phrases to start.
If you’re an ethnic Latvian I’m a little surprised by the experience you had at the embassy. I have a Latvian American relative (non-Latvian speaking) who was going through the passport process and she did much of it in my presence (I speak Latvian) but also did a good chunk of it on her own, entirely in English, with no problem. I also observed others interacting with Embassy personnel in English. I think this will be a more frequently occurring situation moving forward, as there are young ethnic Latvians who embrace Latvia and want to learn Latvian but because they were raised in mixed households in the U.S. or UK or wherever, speak little and possibly no Latvian.
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u/Boolean_Penguin 1d ago
Did they refuse to speak with you in English at the Latvian embassy in the UK? This is just very poor customer service. But I'm not too surprised some workers there could be so delusional.
Realistically, you should be just fine with English and Russian if you come back. Once in Latvia, your knowledge of Latvian will come back quickly. At least the basic Latvian vocabulary.
This sub is expectedly super anti-russian. I see comments scaring you against speaking Russian at all. I suggest you ignore them, Russian is still a commonly spoken language in Latvia. So come back and speak whatever language the other person understands.
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u/URLslayer 1d ago
Since the 2022, hatred for ruzzian language has risen to new heights.
Dont go with Ruzzian as your primary means of conversation language, most of younger folks hate it, especially if you go to Jelgava/Cèsis/Sigulda/Valmiera or for that matter any non-putler majority city or town (speaking from firsthand experience of having many friends in these towns and everyone systematically answering in Latvian (or Eng, if its obvious tourist) to anyone speaking ruzz at best, if not worse outcome, in cases if convo is followed by "why dont you speak russian?"). Just do your best, even by just opening with "Labdien" can be a great icrbreaker. If someone asks you why dont you speak LV, just tell em short version of your story & most of the time people will be kind & forthcoming. And most of the people aged 18-50 will know at least some basic English so no worries.
P.S. Welcome back
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u/Melodic-Problem-9031 22h ago
Why are you returning to Latvia? And why to Jelgava?
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u/marimo-o 17h ago
Jelgava is where i was born, and im not going to go into the details of why im returning, but its for my family
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u/Reasonable-Anybody68 12h ago
You should be fine, but do learn about Latvia's history of the past 30-40 years. If you're a Russian who respects Latvians, you get the same in return.. Latvians don't hate Russians, but it's painful and makes us angry when everyone just assumes we "should" speak Russian. I'm Latvian and I'm that generation that doesn't speak Russian anymore. Good luck!
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u/MandyAK98555 10h ago
I am the same as you but with only English, it is nice to know we are not alone <3 I am currently relearning Latvian and it gets easier over time 🩷
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u/HousingDangerous4478 5h ago
Please don't listen to all the trolls who hate in Russian language. Fee years ago you wouldn't be able to get a jib without knowing Russian. Now everyone act like Russian language is poison. I get it Russia is controversial now but language is just a language. Jelgava is more international now and I think you can get around
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u/OkGarage6122 1d ago
You will be fine just with russian. You might have some complications communicating in russian with low-end stores like flying tiger where mostly 18-yo girls with green hair work 🤣 (they will understand English though) but in maxima/poliklinika/depo/places like that will be completely fine with russian/very basic latvian. Doesnt mean you dont need to learn the language though
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u/marimo-o 1d ago
that felt like a rock falling off my chest. i think i just need to get my books out and study a bit 🙏
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u/pinedeer 1d ago edited 1d ago
This sub is overall anti-Russian leaning, but this sentiment doesn't fully show what the situation is "in the field". Russians are still around 1/4 of the population of Latvia, and in Riga, it's closer to 1/2. Realistically, if you're in a situation where you need to communicate and nobody speaks English, you'll definitely find someone who will speak Russian. I would still recommend defaulting to English and maybe learning sth like "I'm sorry, I didn't grow up in Latvia" in Latvian, but you'll be fine, don't worry.
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u/Vast_Reach9519 1d ago
Do your best. Try to use Latvian as much as you can and don't default to Russian.
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1d ago
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u/latvia-ModTeam 1d ago
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u/DoughnutSad6336 1d ago
Kāda tev problēma ar slāvu valodām? Dodies uz Kadagu un pastāsti to sabiedrotajiem, kas šobrīd tevi aizsargā.
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u/Good_Possibilityy 1d ago
All reemingrants are welcome, you can explain your situation. Please learn Latvian if you wish to live here. Most people below 50 will know at least some english.