jautri

Jautri is a Latvian adjective and adverb meaning "funny," "amusing," or "entertaining." It is used to describe people, events, or content that provokes amusement or interest. In standard usage, the base form is jaktively masculine singular as jautrs, with feminine singular jederzeit as jautra and plural forms such as jautri (masculine plural) and jautras (feminine plural). In addition to its adjectival use, jautri can function as an adverb meaning “in a funny or amusing way,” as in describing speech or behavior.

In everyday language, jautri describes a wide range of things, from performances and stories to personalities. Examples include a movie described as jautra, a set of jokes as jautri, or a group of people behaving in a playful way, e.g., "Šī filma ir jautra" (This film is entertaining), "Šie stāsti ir jautri" (These stories are funny), and "Viņa runāja jautri" (She spoke amusingly). The term often carries a lighter, positive nuance compared with more specific words for humor, such as smieklīgs (humorous or comical) or izklaidējošs (entertaining).

Etymologically, jautri derives from the stem jautr- that conveys liveliness and amusement in Latvian. It is related to other words describing humor and entertainment, and it forms part of a broader vocabulary used to express enjoyment, wit, and engaging content. Related terms include jautrība (humor or amusement) and joks (joke).

See also: jautrība, jokots, jokainība.