ērts

• (dialectal forms) ērtns, ērds

Originally the past participle *ērtas of a Proto-Baltic verb *ērti (“to loosen; to crumble”) (compare Lithuanian iterative érdėti (“to crumble”)), from Proto-Indo-European *er- (“loose, light, rare, sparse; to fail, to crumble, to disintegrate”) (whence also Latvian irt (“to crumble”), q.v.). The meaning changed from “crumbling; loose” to “loose(ly fit),” “unencumbering,” “comfortable.” Cognates include Lithuanian er̃tas (“wide, comfortable”).^[1]

• IPA^(key): [æ̀ːɾts]

ērts (definite ērtais, comparative ērtāks, superlative visērtākais, adverb ērti)

1. comfortable, convenient (which can be carried out easily, unencumbered by problems or hindrances, undisturbed)

   lai būtu ērtāk strādāt, Ferdinands nometās laivā uz ceļiem ― so that it would be more convenient, comfortable to work, Ferdinands set off on a boat

2. comfortable, cosy (activity, situation, place, object (e.g., article of clothing) such that it gives this feeling of freedom and well-being)

   ērts dzīvoklis ― comfortable, cosy apartment

   ērtas istabas ― comfortable, cosy rooms

   ērts krēsls ― comfortable chair

   ērti svārki ― comfortable skirt

3. convenient, handy (simple, easy, expedient, not difficult to use)

   ērts satiksmes līdzeklis ― convenient means of transportation

4. (especially in the adverbial form, with the verb būt (“to be”)) convenient; adequate; polite

   nebūs ērti traucēt inženieri darbā; viņš droši vien ļoti aizņemts ― it won't be adequate, polite to disturb the engineer in (his) work; he is probably very busy

• komfortabls

• ērtība