Latvian Typing Test · Latviešu
Vakar es apmeklēju vecpilsētu, kur šauras akmens ielas stāsta par pilsētas senāku vēsturi. Katra ēka šķiet glabājam kādu noslēpumu, vieni logi ir izgreznoti ar koka rāmjiem, citi ar dzelzs balkoniem, kur ziedi karājas lejup pret ielu. Baznīcas tornis paceļas virs jumtiem, un tā zvani atskan katru pilnu stundu, atgādinot garāmgājējiem par laika ritējumu. Es apstājos nelielā kafejnīcā, kur pārdevēja stāstīja par ēkas vēsturi un par to, kā tā izdzīvoja vairākus karus un pārbūves. Upe, kas šķērso pilsētu, plūst mierīgi, un akmens tilti savieno abus krastus, ļaujot cilvēkiem brīvi pārvietoties. Vakarā, kad pilsētas ielas apgaismo silti dzeltenas lampas, viss izskatās kā no cita laikmeta. Šī pastaiga man atgādināja, cik svarīgi ir apstāties un ieklausīties vietās, kurās dzīvojam, jo katra iela glabā stāstus, ko var atklāt tikai lēnām staigājot.
Click the box and start typing to begin.
Latvian is the official language of Latvia, spoken natively by around 1.5 million people, with additional speakers among the Latvian diaspora in Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and elsewhere in the European Union. It belongs to the small Baltic language family, alongside only one other living relative, Lithuanian, making it one of Europe's more linguistically distinct national languages.
Latvia's digital economy is unusually advanced for its size — the country has invested heavily in e-government services, and most public administration, banking, and business correspondence runs digitally in Latvian. There is no single famous national typing-speed exam, but typing fluency in Latvian, including its extended diacritic alphabet, is a genuine practical requirement for administrative, customer-service, translation, and data-entry roles across both the public and private sectors.
This test times you typing real Latvian sentences, diacritics included, and reports your live words-per-minute score so you get an honest read on your actual typing speed in the language.
How Latvian Typing Speed Is Measured
This test scores Latvian typing in WPM (words per minute), following the standard convention of counting every five typed characters, including spaces, as one "word." Because Latvian words are frequently longer than English ones due to its heavily inflected grammar, and because several letters require diacritics, typing speed in Latvian often runs somewhat lower than English WPM for a typist of comparable raw dexterity.
Keyboard Layout and Special Characters
The standard Latvian keyboard layout is a QWERTY variant that places the language's diacritic letters — ā, č, ē, ģ, ī, ķ, ļ, ņ, š, ū, ž — on dedicated or Alt Gr-modified keys, replacing some punctuation positions found on the US layout. Many Latvian typists on non-Latvian keyboards instead use dead-key or Alt-code combinations.
| Character | How to Type It on a Non-Latvian Keyboard |
|---|---|
| ā | Windows Alt code Alt+0257, or Latvian layout dedicated key |
| č | Windows Alt code Alt+0269, or Latvian layout Alt Gr + C |
| ē | Windows Alt code Alt+0275, or Latvian layout Alt Gr + E |
| ģ | Windows Alt code Alt+0291, or Latvian layout Alt Gr + G |
| ī | Windows Alt code Alt+0299, or Latvian layout Alt Gr + I |
| ķ | Windows Alt code Alt+0311, or Latvian layout Alt Gr + K |
| ļ | Windows Alt code Alt+0316, or Latvian layout Alt Gr + L |
| ņ | Windows Alt code Alt+0326, or Latvian layout Alt Gr + N |
| š | Windows Alt code Alt+0353, or Latvian layout Alt Gr + S |
| ū | Windows Alt code Alt+0363, or Latvian layout Alt Gr + U |
| ž | Windows Alt code Alt+0382, or Latvian layout Alt Gr + Z |
| Task | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Add the Latvian keyboard | Settings → Time & Language → Language & region → Add a language → Latviešu → Add keyboard | System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources → Edit → + → Latvian |
| Switch input language quickly | Win + Space | Control + Space |
Latvian Typing Speed Benchmarks (WPM)
| WPM | Level | Real-World Context |
|---|---|---|
| Below 20 WPM | Beginner | Still locating diacritic keys and adjusting to Latvian's longer inflected words |
| 20–35 WPM | Below Average | Functional but slower than most office-job expectations |
| 35–45 WPM | Average | Typical for an untrained adult Latvian typist |
| 45–55 WPM | Good | Comfortable for administrative, customer-service, and data-entry work |
| 55–65 WPM | Professional | Matches experienced office and translation professionals |
| 65+ WPM | Expert | Fast, accurate typing including full command of diacritic characters |
Real Jobs That Value Latvian Typing Speed
| Country | Role or Exam | Typical Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Latvia | Public-sector administrative and clerical positions | Fast, accurate Latvian typing, including diacritics, is a standard practical expectation |
| Latvia | Banking and customer-service roles | Typing speed affects call and ticket handling times in Latvian-language service centers |
| Latvia | Translators and localization professionals | Genuine keyboard fluency in Latvian speeds up translation and proofreading turnaround |
| Ireland & UK (Latvian diaspora) | Bilingual administrative and community-service roles | Latvian typing speed is valued for liaison and documentation work with diaspora communities |
Latvian Around the World
| Country / Region | Context |
|---|---|
| Latvia | Official national language and home to nearly all native speakers |
| Ireland | One of the largest Latvian emigrant communities in the EU, grown since Latvia's 2004 EU accession |
| United Kingdom | Sizeable Latvian diaspora, particularly in England |
| United States | Established Latvian-American communities dating back to post-WWII emigration |
Latvian has a rich tradition of dainas — short folk quatrains passed down orally and later collected into the massive Krišjānis Barons compilation of over a million texts — alongside the national epic Lāčplēsis by Andrejs Pumpurs, both of which remain central to Latvian cultural identity and literary education.
Who Is This Test Built For
- ✓🏛️ Public-sector and administrative job seekers in Latvia
- ✓🏦 Banking and customer-service agents typing Latvian daily
- ✓🌍 Latvian translators and localization professionals
- ✓🎓 Students strengthening diacritic-letter typing fluency
- ✓💻 Data-entry and office professionals across Latvian businesses
- ✓🇮🇪 Latvian diaspora members in Ireland, the UK, and beyond staying connected to the language
- ✓📰 Content writers and journalists producing Latvian-language copy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good Latvian typing speed?
45–55 WPM is considered good for everyday office and administrative work in Latvian, while 55+ WPM matches experienced professionals typing with full diacritic accuracy.
How do I type Latvian diacritics like ā, š, and ž without a Latvian keyboard?
On Windows, use Alt codes such as Alt+0257 for ā or Alt+0353 for š, or add the Latvian keyboard layout in language settings. On Mac, adding the Latvian input source under Keyboard settings is the fastest option.
How is WPM calculated on this test?
Every five typed characters, including spaces and diacritics, counts as one word — the standard convention across languages. Net WPM subtracts a penalty for uncorrected errors.
Is Latvian typing slower than English typing?
Often slightly, yes — Latvian's longer inflected word forms and diacritic characters typically mean comparable typists post somewhat lower WPM in Latvian than in English.
Is this Latvian typing test free?
Yes — completely free, no signup, no download, and unlimited retakes.
Izvēlies ilgumu un sāc rakstīt — redzi savu WPM ātrumu uzreiz.