Language/Lithuanian/Grammar/Genitive-Case

Lithuanian → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Genitive Case

In the beautiful tapestry of the Lithuanian language, the genitive case is a crucial thread that weaves together meaning, context, and possession. Understanding the genitive case will empower you to express relationships and ownership in a more nuanced way, enriching your communication skills. In this lesson, we will explore the essential rules for using the genitive case, focusing on how to indicate possession effectively.

This lesson is structured to provide a clear and comprehensive understanding of the genitive case. We will begin with an introduction to its importance and function, followed by detailed explanations and numerous examples. As you progress, you will engage in practical exercises designed to solidify your understanding. By the end of this lesson, you will have a solid foundation in using the genitive case in Lithuanian.

What is the Genitive Case?

The genitive case is often referred to as the "possessive case." In Lithuanian, it indicates relationships between nouns, particularly ownership or belonging. For instance, when you want to say "the book of the student," you will use the genitive form of "student."

Key Points:

• The genitive case shows possession or a relationship between nouns.

• It answers the question "Whose?" (e.g., "Whose book is this?")

• It is used with both animate (people) and inanimate (objects) nouns.

How to Form the Genitive Case

Forming the genitive case in Lithuanian can vary depending on the gender and the number (singular or plural) of the noun. Below, we'll break it down further:

Masculine Nouns

Masculine nouns typically end in a consonant. In the genitive case, they often change their endings. Here are the general rules:

1. Singular masculine nouns generally drop the final consonant or add a suffix.

2. Plural masculine nouns often change their endings to -ų.

Examples:

Lithuanian	Pronunciation	English
studento	studento	of the student
knygos	knygos	of the book
vyro	vyro	of the man
draugo	draugo	of the friend

Feminine Nouns

Feminine nouns usually end in -a. In the genitive case, they typically change their endings as follows:

1. Singular feminine nouns change -a to -os.

2. Plural feminine nouns often change their endings to -ų.

Examples:

Lithuanian	Pronunciation	English
mokytojos	mokytojos	of the teacher (female)
knygos	knygos	of the book
moters	moters	of the woman
draugės	draugės	of the friends (female)

Plural Nouns

For both masculine and feminine plural nouns, the genitive case often ends in -ų regardless of the original gender.

Examples:

Lithuanian	Pronunciation	English
mokytojų	mokytojų	of the teachers
studentų	studentų	of the students
knygų	knygų	of the books
draugų	draugų	of the friends

Using the Genitive Case in Sentences

Now that we understand how to form the genitive case, let's see how it is applied in sentences.

Examples in Context

1. The book of the student.

• Lithuanian: Studentų knyga.

• Pronunciation: Studentų knyga.

2. The house of the woman.

• Lithuanian: Moters namas.

• Pronunciation: Moters namas.

3. The car of the friend.

• Lithuanian: Draugo automobilis.

• Pronunciation: Draugo automobilis.

4. The dreams of the children.

• Lithuanian: Vaikų svajonės.

• Pronunciation: Vaikų svajonės.

5. The color of the sky.

• Lithuanian: Dangaus spalva.

• Pronunciation: Dangaus spalva.

6. The teacher's notebook.

• Lithuanian: Mokytojos užrašai.

• Pronunciation: Mokytojos užrašai.

7. The names of the cities.

• Lithuanian: Mėsto pavadinimai.

• Pronunciation: Mėsto pavadinimai.

8. The toys of the children.

• Lithuanian: Vaikų žaislai.

• Pronunciation: Vaikų žaislai.

9. The stories of the old man.

• Lithuanian: Senuko pasakojimai.

• Pronunciation: Senuko pasakojimai.

10. The paintings of the artist.

• Lithuanian: Dailininko paveikslai.

• Pronunciation: Dailininko paveikslai.

Exercises for Practice

Now it's time to put your knowledge to the test! Below are some exercises designed to reinforce your understanding of the genitive case.

Exercise 1: Form the Genitive Case

Transform the following nouns into their genitive case forms:

1. student (singular)

2. teacher (female, singular)

3. books (plural)

4. man (singular)

5. friends (plural)

Answers:

1. studento

2. mokytojos

3. knygų

4. vyro

5. draugų

Exercise 2: Translate to Lithuanian

Translate the following phrases into Lithuanian, using the genitive case:

1. The car of the teacher.

2. The house of the student.

3. The toys of the children.

4. The paintings of the artist.

5. The stories of the old woman.

Answers:

1. Mokytojos automobilis.

2. Studentų namas.

3. Vaikų žaislai.

4. Dailininko paveikslai.

5. Senos moters pasakojimai.

Exercise 3: Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the nouns in the genitive case:

1. Aš turiu ____ (student) knygą. (I have the book of the student.)

2. Tai ____ (teacher, female) užrašai. (These are the notes of the teacher.)

3. Mes matome ____ (friend) automobilį. (We see the friend's car.)

4. Dėdė atnešė ____ (child) žaislus. (Uncle brought the toys of the children.)

5. Moteris ieško ____ (man) namo. (The woman is looking for the man's house.)

Answers:

1. studento

2. mokytojos

3. draugo

4. vaikų

5. vyro

Exercise 4: Identify the Genitive Case

Identify the genitive case in the following sentences:

1. Tai yra mokytojos knyga. (This is the teacher's book.)

2. Aš turiu dailininko paveikslą. (I have the artist's painting.)

3. Moteris pasakoja istoriją apie draugo kelionę. (The woman tells a story about a friend's journey.)

4. Vaikai žaidžia su žaislais. (The children are playing with toys.)

5. Studentų namas yra čia. (The students' house is here.)

Answers:

1. mokytojos

2. dailininko

3. draugo

4. žaislais

5. studentų

Exercise 5: Create Your Own Sentences

Create five sentences in Lithuanian using the genitive case.

Example Sentences:

1. Knyga yra studento. (The book is of the student.)

2. Moteris turi draugės nuotrauką. (The woman has a picture of the friend.)

3. Vaikai žaidžia su draugo žaislais. (The children are playing with the friend's toys.)

4. Dailininkas piešia paveikslą moters. (The artist is painting a picture of the woman.)

5. Mokytojas skaito knygą apie senuko gyvenimą. (The teacher reads a book about the old man's life.)

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully navigated the complexities of the genitive case in Lithuanian. By understanding how to express possession and relationships between nouns, you have taken a significant step towards becoming proficient in the language. Practice using the genitive case in your conversations, and don't hesitate to experiment with different nouns. Your journey into the Lithuanian language is just beginning!

Table of Contents - Lithuanian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Lithuanian

• Alphabet and Pronunciation
• Basic Sentence Structure

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Common Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Nouns and Pronouns

• Noun Gender and Declension
• Personal Pronouns

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Telling Time

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Foods
• Dining Out

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Describing People and Things
• Comparatives and Superlatives

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Asking for Directions

  ---

Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Common Prepositions
• Connecting Ideas

  ---

Shopping and Services

• Shopping Vocabulary
• Banking and Postal Services

  ---

Lithuanian Traditions and Customs

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Traditional Cuisine

Sources

• Lithuanian declension - Wikipedia
• A few Remarks on the Lithuanian Vocative - Antanas Klimas

Other Lessons

• Questions
• Nouns
• Future Tense
• Give your Opinion
• Plurals
• Nominative and Accusative Cases
• Gendered Nouns
• Personal Pronouns
• How to Use Have
• Singular and Plural Nouns