Language/Lithuanian/Grammar/Genitive-Case
As a Lithuanian language teacher, I have been teaching Lithuanian grammar for 20 years. Today, we will explore the essential rules for using genitive case in Lithuanian and how to use it to show possession.
What is Genitive Case?
Genitive case is one of the seven cases in Lithuanian grammar. It is used to show possession and is often translated to "of" in English. For example, "the book of the teacher" would be "mokytojo knyga" in Lithuanian.
Forming Genitive Case
To form genitive case in Lithuanian, we generally add "-o" to the end of the noun. However, there are some exceptions where we add "-io" or "-jo" instead. Additionally, some nouns have irregular genitive forms which must be memorized.
Here are the general rules for forming genitive case:
- For masculine singular nouns ending in a consonant, add "-o". For example, "stalo" (table).
- For masculine singular nouns ending in "-as", "-is" or "-us", change the ending to "-o". For example, "gydytojo" (doctor's).
- For feminine singular nouns ending in "-a", add "-os". For example, "knygos" (book's).
- For feminine singular nouns ending in "-ė", add "-ės". For example, "vadybininkės" (manager's).
- For neuter singular nouns ending in "-as", add "-o". For example, "lauko" (field's).
- For neuter singular nouns ending in "-is", "-ys" or "-us", change the ending to "-o". For example, "dangaus" (sky's).
- For plural nouns of all genders, add "-ų". For example, "studentų" (students').
Here are some examples of how to form genitive case:
| Lithuanian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| stalo | [stɑlɔ] | table's |
| gydytojo | [ɡidˈʑotɔ] | doctor's |
| knygos | [kˈnʲɔɡɔs] | book's |
| vadybininkės | [vɐdʲɪbʲɪnʲɪŋkʲeːs] | manager's |
| lauko | [lɑʊkɔ] | field's |
| dangaus | [dɐŋˈɡɑʊs] | sky's |
| studentų | [stʊdʲɛnˈtuː] | students' |
Examples of Genitive Case in Use
Here are some examples to illustrate how genitive case is used in Lithuanian:
- "Jonas automobilis" (Jonas' car) becomes "Jono automobilis" (the car of Jonas).
- "Mokykla knyga" (School book) becomes "Mokyklos knyga" (the book of the school).
- "Raudona rožė" (Red rose) becomes "Raudonos rožės" (the rose of the red).
Using Genitive Case to Show Possession
As mentioned earlier, genitive case is used to show possession. To express possession in Lithuanian, we generally use the formula:
Noun in genitive case + yra + possessor
For example:
- "Mano knyga yra ant stalo" (My book is on the table).
- "Mano dukra yra mokytojo klasėje" (My daughter is in the teacher's class).
Notice how "my" is expressed using "mano" and "teacher's" is expressed using "mokytojo" in genitive case.
Conclusion
Congratulations on completing this lesson on genitive case in Lithuanian. With practice, you will become more comfortable forming and using genitive case to show possession. Keep up the good work!