About Latvian

Latvian is the official language of Latvia, and it belongs to the Baltic language family, closely related to Lithuanian. The language has absorbed influences from German, Swedish, and Russian over the centuries due to Latvia's complex history of foreign rule.

With about 1.5 million native speakers, Latvian uses the Latin alphabet and plays a crucial role in the cultural and national identity of Latvia. It is actively promoted by the state and used extensively in education, government, and media.

Latvian is notable for its comprehensive accentuation system, which plays a major role in the language. This prosodic feature not only influences pronunciation but also helps distinguish meaning. During the Latvian Song and Dance Festival, the language comes alive with thousands participating in traditional choral singing, a testament to its strong cultural presence.