# Latvian: is it a pro-drop language?



## hjhj

Hello,

I found one website saying Latvian is 'probably' pro-drop lg.

Is Latvian not like Italian which can omit the subject all the time?
If there is any restriction for that, what would that be?
When is it possible or impossible to omit the subject pronoun?

For example, 
Instead of _Es runāju ar tevi., _  can we just say _Runāju ar tevi. _without the subject 'I'?

Thank you for your help in advance!!!


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## karuna

Yes, you can drop the 1st and 2nd personal pronoun in the standard language. In colloquial language it may or may not be dropped depending on style, emphasis etc. but it makes no difference in meaning.


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## hjhj

Thank you so much! 
BTW, what about 3rd person pronoun. Unlike others, you can't drop 'vinsh' and 'vini'? 

Thank you again!


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## karuna

In complete sentences we cannot drop the 3rd personal pronoun as subject. Exceptions are special verbs that do not require subject at all. For example: visu dienu līņāja (it was drizzling whole day), ārā satumsa (outside it become dark). Such sentences do not contain the subject and adding the subject changes the meaning.


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## hjhj

wow, that's interesting!
Thank you for your help!

Have a good day!


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## MarX

Sveiki!

I noticed that Latvians generally do not drop the subject pronouns *es*, *tu*, *mees*, and *juus*, even though each has a different conjugation.


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## Orion7

Pronouns are not dropped out to not mix up indicative with imperative, e.g.
«_mēs ejam_» 'we go' and «_ejam!_» «let's go!».
«_tu ej_» 'you go' and «_ej!_» «(you) go!».


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