What does "to" mean in Lithuanian, as in "to eat", "to go", "I want to read"?
In English, "to" before a verb marks the infinitive: to eat, to be, I want to sleep. It is a separate little word, and English needs it because the bare verb (eat, be, sleep) looks the same as many other forms.
Lithuanian has no separate word for this "to". The infinitive (bendratis) is marked by its ending, -ti: valgyti "to eat", būti "to be", miegoti "to sleep", dirbti "to work". So when you translate "to" + verb into Lithuanian, the "to" disappears into the ending: Noriu valgyti. "I want to eat." You have already met many infinitives in this course: eiti, ateiti, dirbti and turėti itself (Lesson 11).
Reflexive verbs add -s, and their infinitive ends in -tis: juoktis "to laugh", mokytis "to learn, to study", maudytis "to bathe, to swim". When the verb has a prefix, the reflexive particle moves forward and stands after the prefix: pasiimti "to take (with oneself)", nusipirkti "to buy (for oneself)", susipažinti "to get acquainted".
The infinitive does most of the work that English gives to "to" + verb:
- after verbs: Noriu miegoti. "I want to sleep." Pradėjo lyti. "It began to rain." - for purpose, after verbs of motion: Einu nusipirkti duonos. "I'm going (in order) to buy bread." Lithuanian needs no word for "in order to". - after impersonal words: Malonu susipažinti. "Nice to meet you." Sunku pasakyti. "It's hard to say." - as a subject or after a noun: Laikas gimti ir laikas mirti. "A time to be born and a time to die." - after question words: Ką daryti? "What is to be done? What should I do?"
Etymology: the ending -ti is very old. It goes back to an Indo-European verbal noun in -ti-, and it has close cousins in Latvian -t (būt "to be") and in Slavic -ti / -ть (Old Church Slavonic byti, Russian быть). Lithuanian kept the full ending -ti in the standard language.
Orthographic points: the infinitive is the dictionary form of every Lithuanian verb. It keeps all the letters of the stem, including ė, y and ū: gulėti, skaityti, būti. The negative ne- is written together with it: nedaryti, nerūkyti.
FAQ: How do you say "to" before a verb in Lithuanian? You don't say it as a word. Use the infinitive in -ti (or -tis for reflexive verbs): "to read" is skaityti, "to laugh" is juoktis.
FAQ: Is "to" in "I'm going to the shop" the same thing? No. That "to" is a preposition of direction, and Lithuanian uses į + accusative (į parduotuvę "to the shop"), pas + accusative for people (pas močiutę "to Grandma's"), or prie + genitive "to, up to" (prie jūros "to the seaside"). Only the "to" before a verb is the infinitive.
FAQ: How do you say "in order to"? After a verb of motion, simply the infinitive: Atvažiavau mokytis. "I came (in order) to study." When the purpose belongs to somebody else, use kad + the conditional: …, kad galėtume pailsėti "so that we could rest". Never kad + infinitive.
- English "to" + verb = the Lithuanian infinitive ending -ti: valgyti "to eat". There is no separate word. - Reflexive verbs end in -tis: juoktis, mokytis. With a prefix, -si- moves after the prefix: pasiimti, nusipirkti. - Purpose after "go, come, drive" is the bare infinitive: Einu nusipirkti duonos. For a different subject, use kad + conditional. Do not write kad + infinitive. - After a negated verb, the object of the infinitive is usually genitive: Nepamiršk pasiimti skėčio. "Don't forget to take an umbrella." - "To" as a direction is a preposition: į, pas, prie. It has nothing to do with the infinitive.
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The IPA follows the broad transcription used in this course (see Lesson 10): short a /ɐ/, long a/ą /aː/, ė /eː/, y/į /iː/, o /oː/, short u /ʊ/, ū/ų /uː/, ie /iɛ/, uo /uɔ/. Palatalised consonants are marked ʲ. The stressed syllable is marked ˈ.
- -ti /tʲɪ/ — the infinitive ending. The t is soft (palatalised) before i, and the i is short. It is never stressed: valgyti /ˈvaːlɡʲiːtʲɪ/, skaityti /skɐɪˈtʲiːtʲɪ/, gulėti /ɡʊˈlʲeːtʲɪ/. - -tis /tʲɪs/ — the reflexive infinitive: juoktis /ˈjuɔktʲɪs/, mokytis /ˈmoːkʲiːtʲɪs/, maudytis /ˈmɐʊdʲiːtʲɪs/. - Clusters before -ti: a voiced consonant loses its voice before t, but the spelling does not change: dirbti /ˈdʲɪrptʲɪ/, grįžti /ˈɡrʲiːʃtʲɪ/, megzti /ˈmʲɛkstʲɪ/. - In fast speech the final -i is often dropped: noriu valgyt, reikia eit. This is normal in conversation, but it is never written in standard texts. - -si- after a prefix: pasiimti /pɐsʲɪˈɪmtʲɪ/ (four syllables: pa-si-im-ti), nusipirkti /nʊsʲɪˈpʲɪrktʲɪ/, susipažinti /sʊsʲɪpɐˈʒʲɪntʲɪ/.
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Duplex Method. Line a: every Lithuanian word in bold, followed by its meaning in italic. Line b: the same words with IPA and grammatical glosses. Abbreviations: NOM GEN DAT ACC INST LOC VOC = cases; M F N = gender; SG PL; PRES PAST FUT COND; INF = infinitive; IMP = imperative; REFL = reflexive; PFV = perfective prefix; PASS.PTCP = passive participle; NEG = negative; Q = question particle; IMPERS = impersonal (neuter) form.
12.1a Noriu I-want valgyti to-eat
12.1b Noriu /ˈnoːrʲʊ/ want.1SG.PRES valgyti /ˈvaːlɡʲiːtʲɪ/ eat.INF
12.2a Ar Q moki you-know-how plaukti to-swim
12.2b Ar /ɐr/ Q moki /moːˈkʲɪ/ know-how.2SG.PRES plaukti /ˈplɐʊktʲɪ/ swim.INF
12.3a Malonu pleasant susipažinti to-get-acquainted
12.3b Malonu /mɐloːˈnʊ/ pleasant.IMPERS susipažinti /sʊsʲɪpɐˈʒʲɪntʲɪ/ together-REFL-know.INF
12.4a Pradėjo it-began lyti to-rain
12.4b Pradėjo /prɐˈdʲeːjoː/ begin.3.PAST lyti /ˈliːtʲɪ/ rain.INF
12.5a Mėgstu I-like skaityti to-read knygas books
12.5b Mėgstu /ˈmʲeːkstʊ/ like.1SG.PRES skaityti /skɐɪˈtʲiːtʲɪ/ read.INF knygas /knʲiːˈɡɐs/ book.F.ACC.PL
12.6a Šiandien today negaliu I-cannot ateiti to-come nes because turiu I-have dirbti to-work
12.6b Šiandien /ˈʃɛndʲiɛn/ today negaliu /nʲɛɡɐˈlʲʊ/ NEG-can.1SG.PRES ateiti /ɐˈtʲɛɪtʲɪ/ come.INF nes /nʲɛs/ because turiu /tʊˈrʲʊ/ must.1SG.PRES dirbti /ˈdʲɪrptʲɪ/ work.INF
12.7a Einu I-go į to parduotuvę the-shop nusipirkti to-buy duonos bread
12.7b Einu /ɛɪˈnʊ/ go.1SG.PRES į /iː/ into parduotuvę /pɐrdʊɔˈtʊvʲæː/ shop.F.ACC.SG nusipirkti /nʊsʲɪˈpʲɪrktʲɪ/ PFV-REFL-buy.INF duonos /ˈduɔnoːs/ bread.F.GEN.SG
12.8a Man to-me reikia it-is-necessary išmokti to-learn vairuoti to-drive
12.8b Man /mɐn/ I.DAT reikia /ˈrʲɛɪkʲɛ/ need.3.PRES išmokti /ɪʃˈmoːktʲɪ/ learn.INF vairuoti /vɐɪˈruɔtʲɪ/ drive.INF
12.9a Sunku hard pasakyti to-say kada when jis he grįš will-return
12.9b Sunku /sʊŋˈkʊ/ hard.IMPERS pasakyti /pɐsɐˈkʲiːtʲɪ/ say.INF kada /kɐˈdɐ/ when jis /jɪs/ he.NOM grįš /ɡrʲiːʃ/ return.3.FUT
12.10a Gydytojas the-doctor patarė advised man me daugiau more vaikščioti to-walk
12.10b Gydytojas /ˈɡʲiːdʲiːtoːjɐs/ doctor.M.NOM.SG patarė /pɐˈtaːrʲeː/ advise.3.PAST man /mɐn/ I.DAT daugiau /dɐʊˈɡʲɛʊ/ more vaikščioti /vɐɪkʃˈtʃoːtʲɪ/ walk.INF
12.11a Atvažiavau I-came į to Vilnių Vilnius ne not ilsėtis to-rest o but mokytis to-learn lietuvių of-the-Lithuanians kalbos language
12.11b Atvažiavau /ɐtvɐʒʲɛˈvɐʊ/ arrive.1SG.PAST į /iː/ into Vilnių /ˈvʲɪlʲnʲuː/ Vilnius.M.ACC.SG ne /nʲɛ/ not ilsėtis /ɪlʲˈsʲeːtʲɪs/ rest.INF.REFL o /oː/ but-rather mokytis /ˈmoːkʲiːtʲɪs/ learn.INF.REFL lietuvių /lʲiɛtʊˈvʲuː/ Lithuanian.M.GEN.PL kalbos /kɐlʲˈboːs/ language.F.GEN.SG
12.12a Mama Mum pasiėmė took vaikus the-children kad so-that galėtume we-could ramiai peacefully pailsėti to-rest
12.12b Mama /ˈmaːmɐ/ mother.F.NOM.SG pasiėmė /pɐsʲɪˈeːmʲeː/ PFV-REFL-take.3.PAST vaikus /vɐɪˈkʊs/ child.M.ACC.PL kad /kɐt/ so-that galėtume /ɡɐˈlʲeːtʊmʲɛ/ can.1PL.COND ramiai /rɐˈmʲɛɪ/ calmly pailsėti /pɐɪlʲˈsʲeːtʲɪ/ rest.INF
12.13a Nežinau I-don't-know ką what daryti to-do ar whether pasilikti to-stay namie at-home ar or važiuoti to-go pas to draugus friends
12.13b Nežinau /nʲɛʒɪˈnɐʊ/ NEG-know.1SG.PRES ką /kaː/ what.ACC daryti /dɐˈrʲiːtʲɪ/ do.INF ar /ɐr/ whether pasilikti /pɐsʲɪˈlʲɪktʲɪ/ PFV-REFL-stay.INF namie /nɐˈmʲiɛ/ at-home ar /ɐr/ or važiuoti /vɐˈʒʲuɔtʲɪ/ travel.INF pas /pɐs/ to(a-person) draugus /drɐʊˈɡʊs/ friend.M.ACC.PL
12.14a Vaikystėje in-childhood svajojau I-dreamed tapti to-become gydytoju a-doctor bet but tapau I-became mokytoju a-teacher
12.14b Vaikystėje /vɐɪkʲiːsˈtʲeːjɛ/ childhood.F.LOC.SG svajojau /svɐˈjoːjɐʊ/ dream.1SG.PAST tapti /ˈtaːptʲɪ/ become.INF gydytoju /ˈɡʲiːdʲiːtoːjʊ/ doctor.M.INST.SG bet /bʲɛt/ but tapau /tɐˈpɐʊ/ become.1SG.PAST mokytoju /ˈmoːkʲiːtoːjʊ/ teacher.M.INST.SG
12.15a Jei if tiesos the-truth negali you-cannot pasakyti to-tell geriau better nutylėk keep-silent
12.15b Jei /jɛɪ/ if tiesos /tʲiɛˈsoːs/ truth.F.GEN.SG negali /nʲɛɡɐˈlʲɪ/ NEG-can.2SG.PRES pasakyti /pɐsɐˈkʲiːtʲɪ/ say.INF geriau /ɡʲɛˈrʲɛʊ/ better nutylėk /nʊtʲiːˈlʲeːk/ PFV-be-silent.2SG.IMP
(12.15 is a Lithuanian folk proverb, as given in the Lithuanian Wikiquote collections Tiesa and Lietuvių patarlės ir priežodžiai: Jei tiesos negali pasakyti, geriau nutylėk. Examples 12.1–12.14 are pedagogical sentences built from verified vocabulary and patterns.)
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12.1 Noriu valgyti. → "I want to eat. / I'm hungry."
12.2 Ar moki plaukti? → "Can you swim?"
12.3 Malonu susipažinti. → "Nice to meet you."
12.4 Pradėjo lyti. → "It started to rain."
12.5 Mėgstu skaityti knygas. → "I like reading books."
12.6 Šiandien negaliu ateiti, nes turiu dirbti. → "I can't come today because I have to work."
12.7 Einu į parduotuvę nusipirkti duonos. → "I'm going to the shop to buy some bread."
12.8 Man reikia išmokti vairuoti. → "I need to learn to drive."
12.9 Sunku pasakyti, kada jis grįš. → "It's hard to say when he'll be back."
12.10 Gydytojas patarė man daugiau vaikščioti. → "The doctor advised me to walk more."
12.11 Atvažiavau į Vilnių ne ilsėtis, o mokytis lietuvių kalbos. → "I came to Vilnius not to rest but to learn Lithuanian."
12.12 Mama pasiėmė vaikus, kad galėtume ramiai pailsėti. → "Mum took the children so that we could have a proper rest."
12.13 Nežinau, ką daryti: ar pasilikti namie, ar važiuoti pas draugus. → "I don't know what to do: stay at home or go and see my friends."
12.14 Vaikystėje svajojau tapti gydytoju, bet tapau mokytoju. → "As a child I dreamed of becoming a doctor, but I became a teacher."
12.15 Jei tiesos negali pasakyti, geriau nutylėk. → "If you can't tell the truth, better keep quiet."
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12.1 Noriu valgyti.
12.2 Ar moki plaukti?
12.3 Malonu susipažinti.
12.4 Pradėjo lyti.
12.5 Mėgstu skaityti knygas.
12.6 Šiandien negaliu ateiti, nes turiu dirbti.
12.7 Einu į parduotuvę nusipirkti duonos.
12.8 Man reikia išmokti vairuoti.
12.9 Sunku pasakyti, kada jis grįš.
12.10 Gydytojas patarė man daugiau vaikščioti.
12.11 Atvažiavau į Vilnių ne ilsėtis, o mokytis lietuvių kalbos.
12.12 Mama pasiėmė vaikus, kad galėtume ramiai pailsėti.
12.13 Nežinau, ką daryti: ar pasilikti namie, ar važiuoti pas draugus.
12.14 Vaikystėje svajojau tapti gydytoju, bet tapau mokytoju.
12.15 Jei tiesos negali pasakyti, geriau nutylėk.
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These are the grammar rules for "to" (the infinitive) in Lithuanian:
1. The form of the infinitive
Every Lithuanian infinitive ends in -ti. It is the form you look up in a dictionary.
Ordinary verbs: valgyti, skaityti, dirbti, eiti, būti, gulėti, vairuoti Reflexive verbs (-tis): juoktis, mokytis, maudytis, ilsėtis Prefixed reflexive verbs (-si- after the prefix): pa-si-imti, nu-si-pirkti, su-si-pažinti, pa-si-likti, pa-si-vaikščioti Negative (written as one word): nedaryti, nerūkyti, nevalgyti
The infinitive does not change for person, number or tense. "To work" is dirbti whoever works and whenever.
2. After verbs: the infinitive as a complement
Many verbs take an infinitive directly, with nothing in between: - norėti "want": Noriu valgyti (12.1) - mokėti "know how to": Ar moki plaukti? (12.2) - pradėti "begin": Pradėjo lyti (12.4) - mėgti "like": Mėgstu skaityti (12.5) - galėti "be able": negaliu ateiti (12.6) - turėti "have to": turiu dirbti (12.6; Lesson 11) - išmokti "learn": išmokti vairuoti (12.8) - svajoti "dream of": svajojau tapti (12.14) - nepamiršti "not forget": Nepamiršk pasiimti… (Genre Section)
Some verbs name the person in the dative and the action in the infinitive: Gydytojas patarė man vaikščioti "The doctor advised me to walk" (12.10). Siūlyti "suggest" works in the same way.
Note mokėti + infinitive (12.2): it means "to know how to, to be able to (a skill)". Use it for swimming, driving or a language: Moku plaukti. "I can swim." Use galėti for possibility: Negaliu ateiti. "I can't come."
3. Purpose: "(in order) to"
- Same subject, after a verb of motion (eiti, važiuoti, atvažiuoti, ateiti, bėgti): the bare infinitive. Einu nusipirkti duonos (12.7). Atvažiavau mokytis (12.11). - Different subject, or after other verbs: kad + conditional. Mama pasiėmė vaikus, kad galėtume pailsėti (12.12): Mum took the children; we rest. - Never kad + infinitive. The State Commission of the Lithuanian Language (VLKK) and the standard grammars treat kad + infinitive for purpose as a loan construction and an error. Say Susirinkome pasikalbėti or Susirinkome, kad pasikalbėtume, and never Susirinkome, kad pasikalbėti.
4. After impersonal words and adjectives
Neuter adjectives and impersonal words take an infinitive, and the person concerned is in the dative: - Malonu susipažinti (12.3), "Pleasant to get acquainted." - Sunku pasakyti (12.9), "Hard to say." - Man reikia išmokti (12.8), "To me it is necessary to learn." - galima / negalima "it is allowed / not allowed": Ar galima maudytis? (Genre Section) - per šalta "too cold": Maudytis per šalta "It's too cold to swim."
5. The infinitive as a subject or after a noun
The infinitive can stand as the subject: Pasivaikščioti prie jūros – tikras malonumas "To walk by the sea is a real pleasure" (Genre Section). After a noun it means "a … to do something": Laikas gimti "a time to be born" (Section F).
6. Question word + infinitive
Ką daryti? "What is to be done?" Nežinau, ką daryti (12.13). Kur pavalgyti? "Where can one eat?" Yra kur pavalgyti "There are places to eat" (Genre Section). This is the same pattern as Nėra ką veikti "There's nothing to do" (Lesson 11, 11.22).
7. The genitive spreads to the infinitive
When the main verb is negated, the direct object of the infinitive normally goes into the genitive as well, even though the infinitive itself is not negated: - Jei tiesos negali pasakyti… (12.15): pasakyti tiesą, but negali pasakyti tiesos. - Nepamiršk pasiimti maudymosi kostiumo (Genre Section): pasiimti kostiumą, but nepamiršk pasiimti kostiumo.
The genitive also appears for an indefinite quantity, as in Lesson 11: nusipirkti duonos "to buy (some) bread" (12.7).
8. Instructions and prohibitions
Signs and instructions often use a bare infinitive: Nerūkyti! "No smoking!" Neliesti! "Do not touch!" This is impersonal and official. To a person, use the imperative: Nerūkyk! Nerūkykite!
Common Mistakes
- Mistake: translating the "to" as a word. Noriu į valgyti. Correct: Noriu valgyti. - Mistake: kad + infinitive for purpose. Atvažiavau, kad mokytis. Correct: Atvažiavau mokytis. or Atvažiavau, kad mokyčiausi. - Mistake: the reflexive particle at the end of a prefixed verb. pamaudytis, nupirktis. Correct: pasimaudyti, nusipirkti. (Pamaudyti without -si- means "to bathe someone else".) - Mistake: accusative after a negated verb. Nepamiršk pasiimti skėtį. Correct: Nepamiršk pasiimti skėčio. - Mistake: nominative for the person with impersonal words. Aš reikia eiti. Aš sunku pasakyti. Correct: Man reikia eiti. Man sunku pasakyti. - Mistake: galėti for a learned skill. Ar gali plaukti? asks "Are you able (allowed, free) to swim now?" For "Can you swim?" say Ar moki plaukti? - Mistake: writing the spoken short form. noriu valgyt. Correct in writing: noriu valgyti.
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The infinitive in the dictionary and on the street
Every Lithuanian verb is listed in the dictionary under its -ti form, so learners meet the infinitive first. On the street you meet it on signs: Nerūkyti, Neliesti, and on doors and gates, Pašaliniams įeiti draudžiama "No entry for unauthorised persons". The impersonal infinitive suits notices because it addresses no one in particular.
Getting acquainted
Malonu susipažinti "Nice to meet you" (12.3) is the standard phrase on being introduced, and Man taip pat "Me too" is the usual reply. The verb susipažinti ("to get acquainted with each other") is reflexive, because both people do it.
Speech and writing
In everyday speech, especially fast speech, the final -i of the infinitive is very often dropped: reikia eit, noriu miegot, nėr ką veikt. You will hear these forms all the time. In writing, in school and in formal speech the full -ti is the norm.
The norm and "kad"
Lithuanian language care (kalbos kultūra) watches closely for kad + infinitive (Susirinkome, kad aptarti…). It is common in careless official writing, probably under the influence of Russian чтобы + infinitive and Polish żeby + infinitive. The VLKK lists it among the errors to be corrected. A learner who writes Susirinkome aptarti… or …, kad aptartume… sounds more correct than many native speakers.
An older form of purpose
Older Lithuanian and some dialects also have a separate purpose form, the supine (būdinys), ending in -tų. It was used after verbs of motion, in the slot where the standard language now puts the infinitive. You may meet it in folk songs and older literature, but you do not need it for modern Lithuanian. The infinitive does its work.
Proverbs
Lithuanian proverbs often build on the infinitive. Jei tiesos negali pasakyti, geriau nutylėk (12.15) is one. Another, from the Lithuanian Wikiquote collection on work, is Darbą dirbti netingėsi – bado neregėsi, "If you are not too lazy to work, you will not go hungry".
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Source: Mokytojo (Koheleto) knyga (Ecclesiastes) 3:1–4, in the Lithuanian Bible translated by Antanas Rubšys (Old Testament) and Česlovas Kavaliauskas (New Testament), ecumenical edition of the Lithuanian Bible Society, 1999, as published at biblija.lt. Verses 2–4 agree word for word with the text quoted in the Lithuanian Wikiquote article Laikas (Koh 3).
Context: The Teacher (Mokytojas, Hebrew Qoheleth) opens his third chapter with a list of fourteen pairs of opposites: "a time to … and a time to …". In Lithuanian every one of these "to"s is an infinitive standing after the noun laikas ("time"). Few short texts show the infinitive so densely: twenty-six infinitives in verses 2–8, twelve of them in the three verses given below.
F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
F.1a Viskam for-everything yra there-is metas a-season ir and kiekvienam for-every reikalui matter tinkamas a-fitting laikas time po under dangumi heaven
F.1b Viskam /vʲɪsˈkɐm/ everything.DAT yra /iːˈrɐ/ be.3.PRES metas /ˈmʲætɐs/ season.M.NOM.SG ir /ɪr/ and kiekvienam /kʲiɛkvʲiɛˈnɐm/ every.M.DAT.SG reikalui /ˈrʲɛɪkɐlʊɪ/ matter.M.DAT.SG tinkamas /ˈtʲɪŋkɐmɐs/ fitting.M.NOM.SG laikas /ˈlɐɪkɐs/ time.M.NOM.SG po /poː/ under dangumi /dɐŋɡʊˈmʲɪ/ sky.M.INST.SG
F.2a Laikas a-time gimti to-be-born ir and laikas a-time mirti to-die laikas a-time sodinti to-plant ir and laikas a-time rauti to-uproot kas what pasodinta is-planted
F.2b Laikas /ˈlɐɪkɐs/ time.M.NOM.SG gimti /ˈɡʲɪmtʲɪ/ be-born.INF ir /ɪr/ and laikas /ˈlɐɪkɐs/ time.M.NOM.SG mirti /ˈmʲɪrtʲɪ/ die.INF laikas /ˈlɐɪkɐs/ time.M.NOM.SG sodinti /soːˈdʲɪntʲɪ/ plant.INF ir /ɪr/ and laikas /ˈlɐɪkɐs/ time.M.NOM.SG rauti /ˈrɐʊtʲɪ/ uproot.INF kas /kɐs/ what.NOM pasodinta /pɐˈsoːdʲɪntɐ/ plant.PASS.PTCP.PAST.N
F.3a Laikas a-time žudyti to-kill ir and laikas a-time gydyti to-heal laikas a-time griauti to-tear-down ir and laikas a-time statyti to-build
F.3b Laikas /ˈlɐɪkɐs/ time.M.NOM.SG žudyti /ʒʊˈdʲiːtʲɪ/ kill.INF ir /ɪr/ and laikas /ˈlɐɪkɐs/ time.M.NOM.SG gydyti /ˈɡʲiːdʲiːtʲɪ/ heal.INF laikas /ˈlɐɪkɐs/ time.M.NOM.SG griauti /ˈɡrʲɛʊtʲɪ/ demolish.INF ir /ɪr/ and laikas /ˈlɐɪkɐs/ time.M.NOM.SG statyti /stɐˈtʲiːtʲɪ/ build.INF
F.4a Laikas a-time verkti to-weep ir and laikas a-time juoktis to-laugh laikas a-time gedėti to-mourn ir and laikas a-time šokti to-dance
F.4b Laikas /ˈlɐɪkɐs/ time.M.NOM.SG verkti /ˈvʲɛrktʲɪ/ weep.INF ir /ɪr/ and laikas /ˈlɐɪkɐs/ time.M.NOM.SG juoktis /ˈjuɔktʲɪs/ laugh.INF.REFL laikas /ˈlɐɪkɐs/ time.M.NOM.SG gedėti /ɡʲɛˈdʲeːtʲɪ/ mourn.INF ir /ɪr/ and laikas /ˈlɐɪkɐs/ time.M.NOM.SG šokti /ˈʃoːktʲɪ/ dance.INF
F-B: Original Text with Translation
Viskam yra metas, ir kiekvienam reikalui tinkamas laikas po dangumi. Laikas gimti ir laikas mirti, laikas sodinti ir laikas rauti, kas pasodinta. Laikas žudyti ir laikas gydyti, laikas griauti ir laikas statyti. Laikas verkti ir laikas juoktis, laikas gedėti ir laikas šokti.
"For everything there is a season, and a fitting time for every matter under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build. A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance."
(Our translation, following the Lithuanian closely.)
F-C: Original Text Only
Viskam yra metas, ir kiekvienam reikalui tinkamas laikas po dangumi. Laikas gimti ir laikas mirti, laikas sodinti ir laikas rauti, kas pasodinta. Laikas žudyti ir laikas gydyti, laikas griauti ir laikas statyti. Laikas verkti ir laikas juoktis, laikas gedėti ir laikas šokti.
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
- laikas + infinitive (F.2–F.4): "a time to …". The infinitive depends on the noun, exactly as English "to" + verb does. Lithuanian uses the same pattern in everyday speech: Laikas eiti! "Time to go!" Laikas miegoti. "Time for bed." - No verb "is": Laikas gimti has no yra. Lists, proverbs and headings often leave out the verb "to be". Verse 1 states it once (Viskam yra metas), and the list that follows does without it. - metas and laikas: two words for "time". Metas is a set or proper time, a season or moment: pats metas "just the right time". Laikas is time in general. The translator uses metas once, in the heading line, and then laikas throughout. - juoktis (F.4): the one reflexive verb in the passage, ending in -tis. "To laugh" is reflexive in Lithuanian. - kas pasodinta (F.2): "what (has been) planted". Pasodinta is the neuter past passive participle of pasodinti, and again there is no yra. Neuter forms refer to an unspecified "what". - Viskam … kiekvienam reikalui (F.1): datives of purpose or benefit, "for everything", "for every matter". - po dangumi (F.1): po + instrumental = "under (location)": po dangumi "under the sky, under heaven". - Sound and rhythm: in Lithuanian the infinitive stands at the end of each half-line, so the passage chimes with -ti … -ti … -ti. The Lithuanian text keeps the parallelism of the Hebrew original without any help from rhyme.
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Rūta and her brother Tomas (from Lessons 10 and 11) plan a Saturday trip in May. The conversation is about wanting, needing, suggesting, being allowed and not forgetting, and almost every line hangs an infinitive on one of these. Direct speech opens with a dash, as is usual in Lithuanian.
Part A: Interlinear Construed Text
12.16a Tomai Tomas ką what nori you-want veikti to-do šeštadienį on-Saturday
12.16b Tomai /ˈtoːmɐɪ/ Tomas.VOC ką /kaː/ what.ACC nori /ˈnoːrʲɪ/ want.2SG.PRES veikti /ˈvʲɛɪktʲɪ/ do.INF šeštadienį /ʃɛʃˈtaːdʲiɛnʲiː/ Saturday.M.ACC.SG
12.17a Norėčiau I-would-like ilgai long miegoti to-sleep ir and nieko nothing nedaryti not-to-do
12.17b Norėčiau /noːˈrʲeːtʃɛʊ/ want.1SG.COND ilgai /ɪlʲˈɡɐɪ/ long miegoti /mʲiɛˈɡoːtʲɪ/ sleep.INF ir /ɪr/ and nieko /ˈnʲiɛkoː/ nothing.GEN nedaryti /nʲɛdɐˈrʲiːtʲɪ/ NEG-do.INF
12.18a Negalima one-cannot visą the-whole dieną day gulėti to-lie lovoje in-bed
12.18b Negalima /nʲɛˈɡaːlʲɪmɐ/ NEG-allowed.IMPERS visą /ˈvʲɪsaː/ whole.F.ACC.SG dieną /ˈdʲiɛnaː/ day.F.ACC.SG gulėti /ɡʊˈlʲeːtʲɪ/ lie.INF lovoje /ˈloːvoːjɛ/ bed.F.LOC.SG
12.19a Siūlau I-suggest nuvažiuoti to-drive prie to jūros the-sea
12.19b Siūlau /ˈsʲuːlɐʊ/ suggest.1SG.PRES nuvažiuoti /nʊvɐˈʒʲuɔtʲɪ/ PFV-travel.INF prie /prʲiɛ/ by jūros /ˈjuːroːs/ sea.F.GEN.SG
12.20a Prie to jūros the-sea Bet but ten there reikia one-needs važiuoti to-drive tris three valandas hours
12.20b Prie /prʲiɛ/ by jūros /ˈjuːroːs/ sea.F.GEN.SG Bet /bʲɛt/ but ten /tʲɛn/ there reikia /ˈrʲɛɪkʲɛ/ need.3.PRES važiuoti /vɐˈʒʲuɔtʲɪ/ travel.INF tris /trʲɪs/ three.ACC valandas /vɐlɐnˈdɐs/ hour.F.ACC.PL
12.21a Galime we-can išvažiuoti to-set-off anksti early ir and grįžti to-return vakare in-the-evening
12.21b Galime /ˈɡaːlʲɪmʲɛ/ can.1PL.PRES išvažiuoti /ɪʃvɐˈʒʲuɔtʲɪ/ out-travel.INF anksti /ɐŋkˈstʲɪ/ early ir /ɪr/ and grįžti /ˈɡrʲiːʃtʲɪ/ return.INF vakare /vɐkɐˈrʲɛ/ evening.M.LOC.SG
12.22a Pakeliui on-the-way galėsime we-will-be-able užsukti to-drop-in pas at močiutę Grandma's
12.22b Pakeliui /pɐkʲɛˈlʲʊɪ/ on-the-way galėsime /ɡɐˈlʲeːsʲɪmʲɛ/ can.1PL.FUT užsukti /ʊʒˈsʊktʲɪ/ drop-in.INF pas /pɐs/ at(a-person's) močiutę /moːˈtʃʊtʲæː/ grandmother.F.ACC.SG
12.23a Gerai fine bet but tu you turėsi will-have vairuoti to-drive Aš I noriu want pamiegoti to-have-a-nap mašinoje in-the-car
12.23b Gerai /ɡʲɛˈrɐɪ/ well bet /bʲɛt/ but tu /tʊ/ you.NOM.SG turėsi /tʊˈrʲeːsʲɪ/ must.2SG.FUT vairuoti /vɐɪˈruɔtʲɪ/ drive.INF Aš /ɐʃ/ I.NOM noriu /ˈnoːrʲʊ/ want.1SG.PRES pamiegoti /pɐmʲiɛˈɡoːtʲɪ/ PFV-sleep.INF mašinoje /mɐʃɪˈnoːjɛ/ car.F.LOC.SG
12.24a Sutarta agreed Nepamiršk don't-forget pasiimti to-take maudymosi bathing kostiumo suit
12.24b Sutarta /ˈsʊtɐrtɐ/ agree.PASS.PTCP.PAST.N Nepamiršk /nʲɛpɐˈmʲɪrʃk/ NEG-forget.2SG.IMP pasiimti /pɐsʲɪˈɪmtʲɪ/ PFV-REFL-take.INF maudymosi /ˈmɐʊdʲiːmoːsʲɪ/ bathing.M.GEN.SG.REFL kostiumo /koːsʲˈtʲʊmoː/ suit.M.GEN.SG
12.25a Ar Q jau already galima it-is-possible maudytis to-swim Juk after-all dar still tik only gegužė May
12.25b Ar /ɐr/ Q jau /jɐʊ/ already galima /ˈɡaːlʲɪmɐ/ allowed.IMPERS maudytis /ˈmɐʊdʲiːtʲɪs/ bathe.INF.REFL Juk /jʊk/ after-all dar /dɐr/ still tik /tʲɪk/ only gegužė /ɡʲɛɡʊˈʒʲeː/ May.F.NOM.SG
12.26a Maudytis to-swim gal perhaps ir indeed per too šalta cold bet but pasivaikščioti to-take-a-walk prie by jūros the-sea tikras a-real malonumas pleasure
12.26b Maudytis /ˈmɐʊdʲiːtʲɪs/ bathe.INF.REFL gal /ɡɐl/ perhaps ir /ɪr/ indeed per /pʲɛr/ too šalta /ˈʃaːltɐ/ cold.IMPERS bet /bʲɛt/ but pasivaikščioti /pɐsʲɪvɐɪkʃˈtʃoːtʲɪ/ PFV-REFL-walk.INF prie /prʲiɛ/ by jūros /ˈjuːroːs/ sea.F.GEN.SG tikras /ˈtʲɪkrɐs/ real.M.NOM.SG malonumas /mɐloːˈnʊmɐs/ pleasure.M.NOM.SG
12.27a O and kur where pietausime will-we-have-lunch Nenoriu I-don't-want visą the-whole dieną day badauti to-starve
12.27b O /oː/ and kur /kʊr/ where pietausime /pʲiɛˈtɐʊsʲɪmʲɛ/ have-lunch.1PL.FUT Nenoriu /nʲɛˈnoːrʲʊ/ NEG-want.1SG.PRES visą /ˈvʲɪsaː/ whole.F.ACC.SG dieną /ˈdʲiɛnaː/ day.F.ACC.SG badauti /bɐˈdɐʊtʲɪ/ starve.INF
12.28a Palangoje in-Palanga yra there-is kur where pavalgyti to-eat Ten there daug many kavinių cafés
12.28b Palangoje /pɐlɐŋɡoːˈjɛ/ Palanga.F.LOC.SG yra /iːˈrɐ/ be.3.PRES kur /kʊr/ where pavalgyti /pɐˈvaːlɡʲiːtʲɪ/ PFV-eat.INF Ten /tʲɛn/ there daug /dɐʊk/ many kavinių /kɐˈvʲɪnʲuː/ café.F.GEN.PL
12.29a Na well gerai all-right įtikinai you-convinced-me Einu I'm-going ieškoti to-look-for maudymosi bathing kostiumo suit
12.29b Na /nɐ/ well gerai /ɡʲɛˈrɐɪ/ well įtikinai /iːtʲɪkʲɪˈnɐɪ/ convince.2SG.PAST Einu /ɛɪˈnʊ/ go.1SG.PRES ieškoti /iɛʃˈkoːtʲɪ/ seek.INF maudymosi /ˈmɐʊdʲiːmoːsʲɪ/ bathing.M.GEN.SG.REFL kostiumo /koːsʲˈtʲʊmoː/ suit.M.GEN.SG
12.30a Puiku great Tik just nepamiršk don't-forget nustatyti to-set žadintuvo the-alarm-clock
12.30b Puiku /pʊɪˈkʊ/ great.IMPERS Tik /tʲɪk/ only nepamiršk /nʲɛpɐˈmʲɪrʃk/ NEG-forget.2SG.IMP nustatyti /nʊstɐˈtʲiːtʲɪ/ set.INF žadintuvo /ʒɐdʲɪnˈtʊvoː/ alarm-clock.M.GEN.SG
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Part B: Dialogue with Idiomatic Translation
12.16 – Tomai, ką nori veikti šeštadienį? → "Tomas, what do you want to do on Saturday?"
12.17 – Norėčiau ilgai miegoti ir nieko nedaryti. → "I'd like to sleep in and do nothing at all."
12.18 – Negalima visą dieną gulėti lovoje! → "You can't lie in bed all day!"
12.19 Siūlau nuvažiuoti prie jūros. → "I suggest we drive to the seaside."
12.20 – Prie jūros? Bet ten reikia važiuoti tris valandas. → "To the seaside? But it's a three-hour drive."
12.21 – Galime išvažiuoti anksti ir grįžti vakare. → "We can set off early and come back in the evening."
12.22 Pakeliui galėsime užsukti pas močiutę. → "On the way we can drop in on Grandma."
12.23 – Gerai, bet tu turėsi vairuoti. Aš noriu pamiegoti mašinoje. → "All right, but you'll have to drive. I want to have a nap in the car."
12.24 – Sutarta. Nepamiršk pasiimti maudymosi kostiumo! → "Deal. Don't forget to bring your swimsuit!"
12.25 – Ar jau galima maudytis? Juk dar tik gegužė. → "Can you swim already? It's only May."
12.26 – Maudytis gal ir per šalta, bet pasivaikščioti prie jūros – tikras malonumas. → "It may be too cold to swim, but a walk by the sea is a real pleasure."
12.27 – O kur pietausime? Nenoriu visą dieną badauti. → "And where will we have lunch? I don't want to starve all day."
12.28 – Palangoje yra kur pavalgyti. Ten daug kavinių. → "There are places to eat in Palanga. There are lots of cafés."
12.29 – Na gerai, įtikinai. Einu ieškoti maudymosi kostiumo. → "Oh, all right, you've talked me into it. I'm off to look for my swimsuit."
12.30 – Puiku! Tik nepamiršk nustatyti žadintuvo. → "Great! Just don't forget to set your alarm."
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Part C: Dialogue in Lithuanian Only
– Tomai, ką nori veikti šeštadienį?
– Norėčiau ilgai miegoti ir nieko nedaryti.
– Negalima visą dieną gulėti lovoje! Siūlau nuvažiuoti prie jūros.
– Prie jūros? Bet ten reikia važiuoti tris valandas.
– Galime išvažiuoti anksti ir grįžti vakare. Pakeliui galėsime užsukti pas močiutę.
– Gerai, bet tu turėsi vairuoti. Aš noriu pamiegoti mašinoje.
– Sutarta. Nepamiršk pasiimti maudymosi kostiumo!
– Ar jau galima maudytis? Juk dar tik gegužė.
– Maudytis gal ir per šalta, bet pasivaikščioti prie jūros – tikras malonumas.
– O kur pietausime? Nenoriu visą dieną badauti.
– Palangoje yra kur pavalgyti. Ten daug kavinių.
– Na gerai, įtikinai. Einu ieškoti maudymosi kostiumo.
– Puiku! Tik nepamiršk nustatyti žadintuvo.
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Part D: Grammar Notes for the Genre Section
- Verbs + infinitive. nori veikti (12.16), norėčiau miegoti (12.17), siūlau nuvažiuoti (12.19), galime išvažiuoti… grįžti (12.21), galėsime užsukti (12.22), turėsi vairuoti, noriu pamiegoti (12.23), nenoriu badauti (12.27). The finite verb changes for person and tense (noriu, nori, norėčiau), and the infinitive never changes. - Two infinitives joined by ir. išvažiuoti anksti ir grįžti vakare (12.21), miegoti ir nieko nedaryti (12.17): one modal verb governs both. - Impersonal words + infinitive. Negalima… gulėti (12.18), reikia važiuoti (12.20), galima maudytis (12.25), per šalta (12.26). None of them has a grammatical subject. - Infinitive as subject. Pasivaikščioti prie jūros – tikras malonumas (12.26): "To take a walk by the sea [is] a real pleasure." The dash stands for the missing yra, as in proverbs. Maudytis at the start of the same sentence is the topic: "As for swimming, …". - Purpose after a verb of motion. Einu ieškoti… (12.29): "I'm going to look for…". There is no word for "in order to", just as in 12.7. - Question word + infinitive. Yra kur pavalgyti (12.28) "there is where to eat" = "there are places to eat". The negative is Nėra kur pavalgyti "There's nowhere to eat". - Genitive spreading from the negative. Nepamiršk pasiimti maudymosi kostiumo (12.24), nepamiršk nustatyti žadintuvo (12.30): the imperative is negated, so the objects of pasiimti and nustatyti are genitive. Ieškoti (12.29) always takes the genitive: ieškoti kostiumo. Nieko nedaryti (12.17): the infinitive itself is negated, so nieko is genitive, and Lithuanian keeps both negatives ("not to do nothing"). - Reflexive infinitives. maudytis (12.25, 12.26) "to bathe, swim"; with a prefix the particle moves: pasiimti (12.24), pasivaikščioti (12.26). - maudymosi kostiumas (12.24, 12.29): "swimsuit", literally "suit of bathing". Maudymosi is the genitive of the reflexive verbal noun maudymasis, and the reflexive -si stays at the end. - Prepositions of "to". prie jūros (12.19, 12.20) "to/by the sea" (genitive); pas močiutę (12.22) "to Grandma's" (accusative). These "to"s are prepositions, not infinitive markers. - Vocative. Tomai (12.16) from Tomas: masculine names in -as take -ai in the vocative. - Sutarta (12.24): the neuter past passive participle of sutarti, "(it is) agreed". It is the usual one-word answer to a plan. - Palangoje (12.28): locative of Palanga, the best-known resort on the Lithuanian coast.
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- The ending -ti is never stressed and always soft: valgyti /ˈvaːlɡʲiːtʲɪ/, miegoti /mʲiɛˈɡoːtʲɪ/, vairuoti /vɐɪˈruɔtʲɪ/, nustatyti /nʊstɐˈtʲiːtʲɪ/. Reflexive -tis: maudytis /ˈmɐʊdʲiːtʲɪs/, juoktis /ˈjuɔktʲɪs/. - Devoicing before -ti: dirbti /ˈdʲɪrptʲɪ/, grįžti /ˈɡrʲiːʃtʲɪ/. The spelling keeps b and ž, because the other forms of the verb have them: dirba, grįžo. - The letters of the stem stay: gulėti, skaityti, būti, grįžti, gedėti. Dropping a dot, an ogonek or a macron changes the word or makes it wrong. - -si- after a prefix: pa-si-imti, nu-si-pirkti, su-si-pažinti, pa-si-vaikščioti, pa-si-likti. Without a prefix it stands at the end: maudytis, mokytis. - ne- is joined: nedaryti, nepamiršk, nenoriu, negalima. - Spoken short forms (eit, miegot, veikt) belong to speech only. - Punctuation: a comma before nes (12.6), bet (12.14, 12.23, 12.26) and kad (12.12), and before an indirect question (Sunku pasakyti, kada…, 12.9; Nežinau, ką daryti, 12.13). Ar…, ar… "whether… or…" takes a comma before the second ar (12.13). There is no comma before a purpose infinitive: Einu į parduotuvę nusipirkti duonos (12.7). A dash replaces the missing yra in 12.26 and in the proverb Darbą dirbti netingėsi – bado neregėsi.
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Course Index: [latinum.substack.com/p/index](https://latinum.substack.com/p/index)