Etymology

As adverb (the nowadays more frequent prepositional use is a later development), pēc is the reflex of an earlier pēdis (“after(wards)”), still found dialectally and in folk songs, itself from *pēdies, an old instrumental plural form of pēds, a morphological variant of pēda (“foot sole; footprint”). The original meaning was therefore sequentiality, like footprints: “one after the other,” from which later “after that,” “after...”.^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [pɛː̂ts]Category:Latvian terms with IPA pronunciation#PECCategory:Latvian words with broken intonation#PEC

Adverb

pēcCategory:Latvian lemmas#PECCategory:Latvian adverbs#PECCategory:Latvian entries with incorrect language header#PECCategory:Pages with entries#PĒCCategory:Pages with 1 entry#PĒC

1. after, afterwards, later, later on (in a moment of time posterior to the reference time)

   pēc, kad noticis, visi gudri ― after (something) happens, all (are) wise (= in hindsight, everything is obvious)Category:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   jo dzestrāku rīts rasu audis, jo skaidrāka pēc diena būs ― the fresher, cooler the morning makes the dew, the clearer, brighter the day will be laterCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   jāiet pamielot viešņa arī, lai nerunā pēc, ka mēs tai likuši aiziet tukšā dūšā ― we have to feed the visitor, too, so that she won't say later that we made her go on an empty stomachCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

Preposition

pēc (with genitive)Category:Latvian lemmas#PECCategory:Latvian prepositions#PECCategory:Latvian entries with incorrect language header#PECCategory:Pages with entries#PĒCCategory:Pages with 1 entry#PĒCCategory:Latvian prepositions with genitive#PEC

1. used to refer to a time posterior to a certain action or event; after, in

   pēc tam ― after thatCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   pēc brīža istabā ienāca māte ― after a moment, mother came inCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   ierasties pēc divām stundām ― to arrive after, in two hoursCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   vilciens atiet pēc stundas ― the train leaves in (lit. after) an hourCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   pēc darba braucu uz mājām ― after work I go homeCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   pēc pusnakts sākās vētra ― after midnight a storm startedCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   pēc lietus labi aug sēnes ― after the rain, mushrooms grow wellCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   pēc diviem mēnešiem būs pārbaudījumi ― after two months there will be a testCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   pēc koncerta notika pārrunas ― after the concert there were discussionsCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   nodarbības turpināsies pēc pārtraukuma ― classes will resume after the breakCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   aizrit diena pēc dienas... bet vēstules no brāļa kā nav, tā nav ― day after day passes... and yet, no letters from (his) brotherCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

2. used to refer to a place located further away than a certain reference point or distance; after

   pēc diviem kilometriem būs krustceļš ― after two kilometers there will be a crossroadsCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   pēc kāda gabala gājējs apstājās ― after a certain distance the (walking) traveler stoppedCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

3. used in reference to a sequence in time or space; after, by

   dot dzert visiem pēc kārtas ― to give to drink to everyone in a row (lit. after order, in order)Category:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   lopus citu pēc cita izveda no kūts ― they drove the animals out of the barn one after the otherCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   viņi nolēma atpūsties pēc katriem pieciem kilometriem ― they decided to rest after every five kilometersCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

4. used to indicate the purpose or goal of an action; for, after, in order to get

   iet uz aku pēc ūdens ― to go to the well for, to get waterCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   aiziet uz veikalu pēc maizes ― to go to the shop after breadCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   sniegties pēc grāmatas ― to reach out for a bookCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   jautāt pēc saimnieces ― to ask for the ladyCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   kliegt pēc palīdzības ― to shout for helpCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   censties pēc izglītības ― to strive for educationCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   skumt pēc Rīgas ― to grieve for RīgaCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   ilgas pēc dzimtenes ― a longing for one's home(land)Category:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   kāre pēc medus ― a craving for honeyCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   alkt pēc zemenēm ― to crave (for) strawberriesCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   “ko tā vālodze sauc?” “vālodze sauc pēc lietus” ― “what is the oriole calling?” “the oriole is calling for rain”Category:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

5. (postnominally, as a postposition) used to indicate the cause or reason for something, the motive of an action; for, because of, for the sake of

   skata pēc ― for the sake of appearance, formatlityCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   dziedāt gara laika pēc ― to sing because of boredomCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   audzēt puķes košuma pēc ― to grow flowers for (their) beautyCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   strādāt bērnu pēc ― to work for (the benefit of) the childrenCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   pieklājības pēc viņš pateica dažus vārdus ― he said a few words for the sake of politenessCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

6. used to indicate the basis, the grounds for something; by, according to

   pēc rakstura saticīgs cilvēks ― by character a sociable personCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   pēc izglītības ķīmiķis ― a chemist by trainingCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   spriest par cilvēku pēc viņa darbiem ― to judge a person by his worksCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   sakārtot kastes pēc lieluma ― to arrange the boxes by sizeCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   līdzskaņu klasifikācija pēc aktīvā runas orgāna ― a classification of consonants according to the active organ of speechCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

7. used to indicate the way, the method, the example being followed; by, according to

   strādāt pēc plāna ― to work accroding to planCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   rīkoties pēc vajadzības ― to act by, according to necessityCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   uzmest skici pēc atmiņas ― to draw a sketch by memoryCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   izvēlēties krāsu pēc savas gaumes ― to choose a color according to one's tasteCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   strādāt pēc labākās sirdsapziņas ― to work according to one's (best) conscienceCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   ganos dziedāju, jo ganam pēc paraduma ir jādzied ― I sing in the pastures, because by tradition shepherds must singCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

8. used to indicate similarity; like, after

   īstenība pēc direktora viņš nemaz neizskatās ― in truth, he doesn't look at all like the directorCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   te ož pēc dūmiem ― it smells here like smokeCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

   arāja rokas smaržo pēc zemes, sējēja rokas pēc graudiem ― the plower's hands smell like earth, the sower's hands like grainCategory:Latvian terms with usage examples#PEC

References