Latvian typing practice
Learn to touch type in Latvian, free in your browser: lessons built from everyday Latvian words, Latvian books to type, and every long vowel and softened consonant on a Latvian, US or UK keyboard.
What you can practise
Smart Lessons in Latvian
Real Latvian words, built around your slowest key. You start on six keys, and Latvian's own letters join as the others come up to speed.
The Latvian alphabet
Every letter in order against the clock, with how to type each Latvian letter on your keyboard.
Typing games in Latvian
Pilot and Spaceship: steer through the gaps or shoot down enemy ships by typing Latvian words.
6 Latvian books
Classic Latvian books, out of copyright, typed a passage at a time.
Latvian letters
Latvian adds eleven letters to a to z. Long vowels carry a macron (ā, ē, ī, ū), č, š and ž a caron, and the soft consonants ģ, ķ, ļ and ņ a small comma. They are everywhere: "ļoti" (very), "šodien" (today), "mājās" (at home), "ģimene" (family).
The usual Latvian keyboard is plain QWERTY with AltGr, the right Alt: hold it and press the base letter, so AltGr+A is ā and AltGr+N is ņ. On a Mac, Option does the same, with Option+6 then the letter for č, š and ž. On a US or UK keyboard, Windows' United States-International has no Latvian marks, so add the Latvian layout; on macOS ABC – Extended and on Linux, type the mark first (Option+A for a macron on a Mac), then the letter.
On a Latvian keyboard
Windows: Latvian (Standard) · macOS: Latvian · Linux: Latvian
Add it in Windows under Settings > Time & language > Language & region, in macOS under System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources, in Linux under Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources.
| Letter | Windows | macOS | Linux |
|---|---|---|---|
| ā | AltGr A | Option A | AltGr A |
| č | AltGr C | Option 6then C | AltGr C |
| ē | AltGr E | Option E | AltGr E |
| ģ | AltGr G | Option G | AltGr G |
| ī | AltGr I | Option I | AltGr I |
| ķ | AltGr K | Option K | AltGr K |
| ļ | AltGr L | Option L | AltGr L |
| ņ | AltGr N | Option N | AltGr N |
| š | AltGr S | Option 6then S | AltGr S |
| ū | AltGr U | Option U | AltGr U |
| ž | AltGr Z | Option 6then Z | AltGr Z |
On a US or UK keyboard
Windows: United States-International · macOS: ABC – Extended · Linux: English (US, intl., with dead keys)
Add it the same way. Windows' United States-International cannot type the Latvian letters; macOS and Linux can, a mark then the letter. On US-International and the Linux layout ' and " become dead keys: type a space after one for the mark itself.
| Letter | Windows | macOS | Linux |
|---|---|---|---|
| ā | Not on this layout | Option Athen A | Shift AltGr 3then A |
| č | Not on this layout | Option Vthen C | Shift AltGr .then C |
| ē | Not on this layout | Option Athen E | Shift AltGr 3then E |
| ģ | Not on this layout | Option Cthen G | Shift AltGr 5then G |
| ī | Not on this layout | Option Athen I | Shift AltGr 3then I |
| ķ | Not on this layout | Option Cthen K | Shift AltGr 5then K |
| ļ | Not on this layout | Option Cthen L | Shift AltGr 5then L |
| ņ | Not on this layout | Option Cthen N | Shift AltGr 5then N |
| š | Not on this layout | Option Vthen S | Shift AltGr .then S |
| ū | Not on this layout | Option Athen U | Shift AltGr 3then U |
| ž | Not on this layout | Option Vthen Z | Shift AltGr .then Z |
Tips for typing Latvian
Keep the right thumb on AltGr
On a Latvian keyboard each of the eleven letters is AltGr plus its base letter. Rest your right thumb on AltGr and press the letter with the finger that types it anyway: the left little finger for ā, the right ring finger for ļ.
A macron changes the word
"Kazas" are goats and "kāzas" is a wedding. Type the long vowel as you say it rather than going back to add the mark; the lessons count ā as its own letter.
Two steps for č, š and ž on a Mac
On the Mac Latvian layout ā, ģ, ķ and the rest are Option with the letter, but č, š and ž are Option+6, release, then the letter. Words such as "šis" and "čūska" make good practice.
Capitals take three keys
For Ā or Š hold Shift and AltGr together, then press the letter: the right thumb on AltGr, a little finger on Shift. Capitals with marks come mostly at the start of names, as in "Ērgļi" and "Ķemeri".