Language/Lithuanian/Grammar/Singular-and-Plural-Nouns

Lithuanian Grammar → Nouns and Pronouns → Singular and Plural Nouns

As a Lithuanian language teacher, I often find that students struggle with forming and using singular and plural nouns correctly. In this lesson, I'll show you the rules for forming and using singular and plural nouns in Lithuanian, as well as some interesting cultural information related to these grammar concepts.

Understanding Nouns in Lithuanian

In Lithuanian, all nouns belong to one of three genders: masculine, feminine, or neuter. This gender is indicated by the ending of the noun, and must be memorized as there are no fixed rules.

In the singular form, Lithuanian nouns inflect for case, meaning their endings change depending on their grammatical case (nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, instrumental, locative, and vocative). However, in the plural form, Lithuanian nouns only inflect for case and number.

When forming the plural nouns, there are several basic rules to follow.

Basic Rules for Forming Plural Nouns

1. For most masculine nouns ending in -as, -is, -us and a stress syllable, add -ai to form the plural (for example, "vyras" (man) becomes "vyrai" (men)). 2. For most masculine nouns ending in -is, -ys and a stress syllable, add -iai to form the plural (for example, "vaikas" (child) becomes "vaikai" (children)). 3. For masculine nouns that end in a consonant, add -ai to form the plural (for example, "stalas" (table) becomes "stalai" (tables)). However, there are some exceptions to this rule, such as "vanduo" (water), which becomes "vandens" (waters). 4. For feminine nouns ending in a vowel, add -s to form the plural (for example, "ranka" (hand) becomes "rankos" (hands)). 5. For feminine nouns ending in -a, add -os to form the plural (for example, "ona" (grandmother) becomes "onos" (grandmothers)). 6. For neuter nouns, add -ia to form the plural (for example, "laukas" (field) becomes "laukai" (fields)).

There are, of course, some exceptions to these rules, and with practice, you will learn them. For now, let's focus on the basics.

Using Plural Nouns in Sentences

Once you've formed the plural noun, how do you use it in a sentence? Here are some examples to guide you:

- "Mano draugai yra Lietuvos piliečiai." (My friends are Lithuanian citizens.) - "Mokyklos taisyklės yra labai svarbios." (School rules are very important.) - "Laikysimės karantino taisyklių." (Let's follow the quarantine rules.) - "Miesto gatvės visada būna triukšmingos." (City streets are always noisy.) - "Stebėdami laiką, mes pamatėme keletą dailių saulėlydžių." (Watching the time, we saw several beautiful sunsets.) - "Mūsų kelionėje matėme įvairių nuostabių gamtos reiškinių." (In our trip we saw different wonderful natural phenomena). - "Geležinkelio stotyje sėdėjo daug pavargusių žmonių." (There were many tired people sitting at the train station.)

Notice how the plural noun agrees in number with the verb and other adjectives in the sentence.

Interesting Cultural Information

Language and culture are closely linked, and Lithuanian is no exception. Here are some interesting cultural facts related to singular and plural nouns in Lithuanian:

- Lithuanian language distinguishes only between masculine and feminine genders, but in reality, there is also another gender called 'neuter'. Therefore, it may be difficult for learners to identify them. - When speaking about age in Lithuanian, it is considered polite to use a plural noun, even when referring to one person (e.g. saying "jums" for "you" rather than "tu"). This acknowledges the wisdom and respect that comes with age. - Lithuanian language has dual form, which means that in addition to the singular and plural forms, there is also a special form for exactly two objects. It is the archaic form, not used in modern language.

Practice Exercises

To reinforce your understanding of singular and plural nouns in Lithuanian, try these exercises:

1. Rewrite the following sentences in the plural form:

- "Aš turiu didelę knygą." (I have a big book.) - "Maža mergaitė mėgsta raudoną suknelę." (The little girl likes a red dress.) - "Žalias obuolys yra mano mėgstamiausias vaisius." (Green apple is my favorite fruit.)

2. Translate the following sentences into Lithuanian:

- "I saw three horses in the field." - "The children are playing in the park." - "She only speaks Lithuanian with her grandparents."

Conclusion

In this lesson, we've covered the basics of forming and using singular and plural nouns in Lithuanian, including some cultural information related to these concepts. By understanding these rules and practicing them through exercises, you'll be able to communicate more effectively in Lithuanian. In the next lesson, we'll continue with pronouns, another important part of Lithuanian grammar.

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

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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

  ---

Lithuanian Traditions and Customs

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Traditional Cuisine

Related Lessons

• Questions
• Pronouns
• Conjugation
• Word Order
• Nominative and Accusative Cases
• How to Use Be
• Gendered Nouns
• Adjectives
• Give your Opinion

Sources

• Lithuanian Plural
• Lithuanian declension - Wikipedia
• Lithuanian Plural | LEARN101.ORG