biedrs

Latvian

Etymology

A nominalized version of an earlier adjective biedrs “bound, linked”, from Proto-Baltic *bend- with an extra (adjectivizing) -ro (cf. stipt (“to become rigid, to harden”) : stiprs (“strong”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰendʰ- (“to join, to bind, to tie”), whence also Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌽 (bindan), Old High German bintan, German binden, English bind. Cognates include Lithuanian beñdras (“comrade, participant; (adj.) common, shared”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [bìɛdrs]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

biedrs m (1st declension, female equivalent biedre or biedrene)

1. (male) colleague, mate, comrade (a person with whom one works, studies, together, e.g. as part of a group or team)

   darba biedrs ― workmate

   cīņu biedrs ― comrade-in-arms (lit. fight, struggle mate)

   klases biedrs, skolas biedrs ― classmate, schoolmate

2. (male) companion, mate, fellow (a person with whom one spends time, travels, plays, lives)

   istabas biedrs ― roommate

   ceļa biedrs, ceļabiedrs ― fellow traveller

   sarunu biedrs ― interlocutor (lit. conversation mate)

   dzīves biedrs, dzīvesbiedrs ― husband, spouse (lit. life mate)

   laika biedrs, laikabiedrs ― contemporary (lit. time mate)

   satikt bērnu dienu rotaļu biedru ― to meet a childhood playmate

   Ceplis uzmeta zīmīgu skatienu pārējiem galda biedriem ― Ceplis cast a significant look at (his) other table mates

3. (of organizations) (male) member, fellow

   (komunistiskās) partijas biedrs ― (communist) party member

   arodbiedrības biedri ― union members

   biedra karte ― member(ship) card

   uzņemt jaunus biedrus organizācijā ― to receive new members into the organization

   maksāt biedru naudu ― to pay a membership fee

   goda biedrs, godabiedrs ― honorary member

4. (dated, during Soviet occupation) (male) comrade (generic form of address to people with whom the speaker is not personally acquainted)

   godājamie biedri! ― honorable comrades!

   sanāksmē piedalījās biedrs Alksnis ― comrade Alksnis participated in the meeting

   biedrs profesors izteica interesantu priekšlikumu ― comrade professor made an interesting proposal

Declension

Declension of biedrs (1st)

	singular	plural
nominative	biedrs	biedri
genitive	biedra	biedru
dative	biedram	biedriem
accusative	biedru	biedrus
instrumental	biedru	biedriem
locative	biedrā	biedros
vocative	biedr	biedri

Derived terms

• dzīvesbiedrs, dzīves biedrs