Simple photo of gooseberries with price and spelling mistake sparks witty debate on social media

Velga Polinska posted a photo on social platform X showing a stall selling gooseberries for €10 per kilogram. The image quickly drew attention not only for the high price but also for a spelling mistake on the price tag: it read “ērkščogas” instead of the correct “ērkšķogas.”

The post spread rapidly and reached the Facebook group “Tika, tika, gramatika,” where Edgars Koroņevskis pointed out the original source. Commenters soon split into two camps: those joking about the grammar error and those focusing on the price.

Many users made fun of the misspelling. Some suggested that from now on “ērkšķis” (thorn) should be called “ērkščis,” while others noted that in different Latvian regions the berries are known as “krizdoles” or “stiķenes.” One commenter quipped that if the sign had said “krizdoles,” there would have been no issue at all.

Others concentrated on the price. Several people pointed out that in rural areas gooseberries are often given away for free. One user joked that seeing such a price made them want to check their own gooseberry bushes for “golden veins.” Another compared it to buying several kilograms of pork on sale.

Practical considerations also emerged – one commenter reminded everyone that picking gooseberries is painful because the thorns prick fingers. Velga Polinska later joked that her simple morning photo had hit the mark perfectly.

Irony abounded, with comments like “at that price – from thorns to stars” and suggestions that these must be “exotic thornberries,” costing more than ordinary gooseberries.