Language/Lithuanian/Grammar/Present-Tense

Lithuanian → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Verbs and Tenses → Present Tense

As a Lithuanian language teacher for over 20 years, I have seen the struggles that my students face when learning the Lithuanian language. In this lesson, we will cover the present tense in Lithuanian, an essential component for forming basic sentences. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to conjugate regular and irregular verbs in the present tense and use common verb patterns in everyday situations.

What is the Present Tense?

Before we dive into the present tense, let's clarify what a tense is. In grammar, tense refers to the time of an action expressed by a verb. The present tense refers to an action that is happening now or regularly.

For example:

• I speak Lithuanian every day. (regular action)
• I am speaking Lithuanian right now. (happening now)

Let's move on to understanding how to form the present tense in Lithuanian.

Regular Verb Conjugation in the Present Tense

In Lithuanian, regular verbs are those that follow a specific pattern of conjugation. Here is the formula for forming the present tense of regular verbs:

| stem + -u (for 1st person singular) + personal endings

The stem of the verb is usually the infinitive form of the verb without the -ti ending. The following table shows the conjugation of the regular verb "kalbėti" (to speak) in the present tense.

Lithuanian	Pronunciation	English
kalbė-	kahl-BEH-	(I) speak	kalbė-u	kahl-BEH-oo	(I) speak	kalbė-i	kahl-BEH-ee	(you) speak	kalbė-ja	kahl-BEH-yah	(he/she/it) speaks	kalbė-ame	kahl-BEH-ah-meh	(we) speak	kalbė-ate	kahl-BEH-ah-teh	(you all) speak	kalbė-ja	kahl-BEH-yah	(they) speak

As you can see, the stem of the verb is "kalbė-" and the endings change based on the subject of the sentence. It is important to note that the -u ending is only used for the 1st person singular (I speak) and should not be used for any other subject.

Here are some other examples of regular verb conjugation in the present tense:

• Mes rašome knygą. (We are writing a book.)

Lithuanian	Pronunciation	English
rašo-	RAH-shoh-	(I) write	rašau	RAH-shah-oo	(I) write	rašai	RAH-shah-ee	(you) write	rašo	RAH-shoh	(he/she/it) writes	rašome	RAH-shoh-meh	(we) write	rašote	RAH-shoh-teh	(you all) write	rašo	RAH-shoh	(they) write

• Jie miega ryte. (They sleep in the morning.)

Lithuanian	Pronunciation	English
miego-	MYEH-goh-	(I) sleep	miegu	MYEH-goo	(I) sleep	miegi	MYEH-gee	(you) sleep	miego	MYEH-goh	(he/she/it) sleeps	miegame	MYEH-gah-meh	(we) sleep	miegate	MYEH-gah-teh	(you all) sleep	miego	MYEH-goh	(they) sleep

Now that we have covered the regular verb conjugation in the present tense, let's move on to the irregular verb conjugation.

Irregular Verb Conjugation in the Present Tense

Irregular verbs in Lithuanian do not follow a standard pattern of conjugation, so they require more memorization. Here are some examples of irregular verbs in the present tense:

• Aš esu studentas. (I am a student.) - the verb "būti" (to be)

Lithuanian	Pronunciation	English
es-	esh-	(I) am	es-u	eh-SOO	(I) am	e-si	EH-see	(you) are	y-ra	IH-rah	(he/she/it) is	e-same	eh-SAH-meh	(we) are	e-sate	eh-SAH-teh	(you all) are	y-ra	IH-rah	(they) are

• Aš gaunu laiškus. (I receive letters.) - the verb "gauti" (to receive)

Lithuanian	Pronunciation	English
gaun-	gow-n	(I) receive	gaunu	gow-noo	(I) receive	gauti	gow-tee	(you) receive	gauna	gow-nah	(he/she/it) receives	gauname	gow-nah-meh	(we) receive	gaunate	gow-nah-teh	(you all) receive	gauna	gow-nah	(they) receive

• Jis žino atsakymą. (He knows the answer.) - the verb "žinoti" (to know)

Lithuanian	Pronunciation	English
žino-	ZHI-noh-	(I) know	žinau	ZHI-nah-oo	(I) know	žinai	ZHI-nah-ee	(you) know	žino	ZHI-noh	(he/she/it) knows	žinome	ZHI-noh-meh	(we) know	žinote	ZHI-noh-teh	(you all) know	žino	ZHI-noh	(they) know

As you can see from these examples, irregular verbs in Lithuanian do not always follow a uniform pattern.

Common Verb Patterns

In addition to regular and irregular verb conjugation, there are common verb patterns in Lithuanian that will help you in everyday situations. Here are some examples:

• Noriu vaisių. (I want some fruit.) - the verb "norėti" (to want)

Lithuanian	Pronunciation	English
nore-	NOH-reh-	(I) want	noriu	noh-ryoo	(I) want	nori	noh-ree	(you) want	nori	noh-ree	(he/she/it) wants	norime	noh-REE-meh	(we) want	norite	noh-REE-teh	(you all) want	nori	noh-ree	(they) want

• Man patinka muzika. (I like music.) - the verb "patikti" (to like)

Lithuanian	Pronunciation	English
patin-	pah-TEEN-	(I) like	patinka	pah-TEEN-kah	(I) like	patinka	pah-TEEN-kah	(you) like	patinka	pah-TEEN-kah	(he/she/it) likes	patinka	pah-TEEN-kah	(we) like	patinka	pah-TEEN-kah	(you all) like	patinka	pah-TEEN-kah	(they) like

• Aš turiu kamerą. (I have a camera.) - the verb "turėti" (to have)

Lithuanian	Pronunciation	English
tur-	toor-	(I) have	turiu	TOO-ree-oo	(I) have	turi	TOO-ree	(you) have	turi	TOO-ree	(he/she/it) has	turime	too-REE-meh	(we) have	turite	too-REE-teh	(you all) have	turi	TOO-ree	(they) have

These verb patterns will help you to form basic sentences in Lithuanian and will also help you to understand verb patterns in other tenses, such as the past tense, which we will cover in a later lesson.

Conclusion

In this lesson, we have covered the basics of present tense conjugation in Lithuanian, including regular and irregular verb conjugation and common verb patterns. By understanding the present tense, you will be able to form simple sentences and hold basic conversations. As always, practice makes perfect, so make sure to practice these verb conjugations and patterns regularly. Best of luck in your Lithuanian language journey!

Table of Contents - Lithuanian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Introduction to Lithuanian

• Alphabet and Pronunciation
• Basic Sentence Structure

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Greetings and Introductions

• Common Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

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Nouns and Pronouns

• Noun Gender and Declension
• Personal Pronouns

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Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Telling Time

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Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

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Food and Dining

• Common Foods
• Dining Out

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Adjectives and Adverbs

• Describing People and Things
• Comparatives and Superlatives

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Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Asking for Directions

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Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Common Prepositions
• Connecting Ideas

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Shopping and Services

• Shopping Vocabulary
• Banking and Postal Services

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Lithuanian Traditions and Customs

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Traditional Cuisine