Meaning of gribēt | Babel Free

Definitions

1. to want (to feel the need for something, to desire something)
   transitive
2. to want (to intend, to plan)
   transitive
3. to want (to be able to (in a given situation), to be about to)
   colloquial, transitive

Equivalents

Examples

“gribēt ēst, dzert”

to be hungry, thirsty (lit. to want to eat, to drink)

“gribēt strādāt, mācīties”

to want to work, to study

“bērns grib gulēt”

the child wants to sleep

“dara, ko grib”

(he) does what (he) wants

“gribot negribot”

wanting, not wanting (= willy-nilly)

“negribēt (ne) dzirdēt”

not (even) want to hear (= to be categorically against)

“visas tautas grib mieru, grib celt jaunus namus, dēstīt dārzus”

all peoples want peace, (they) want to build new houses, to plant gardens

“Ozols gribēja Vili iepazīstin”

“viņš grib līdz vakaram pabeigt iesākto darbu”

he wants to finish the work (he) started by evening

“mitrā malka negribēja degt”

the wet firewood didn't want to (= couldn't, wouldn't) burn

“gribēju izdarīt lielu kļūdu”

I wanted (= was about) to make a big mistake

“skapis gandrīz gribēja apgāzties”

the cupboard almost wanted (= was likely) to fall over

“tik liels un pieaudzis viņš ilgos gados bija kļuvis, ka Pelašķiene to pirmajā mirklī lāgā pazīt negribēja”

(in, during) many years he had grown so big that Pelašķiene at first didn't quite want to (= couldn't quite) recognize him

CEFR level