A Lithuanian noun has seven cases. You have met all of them in this course. Each one answers a question, and when you are not sure which form you need, ask that question.
Seven cases, seven questions
| Case | Question | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | who? what? · Micius is asleep. | ||
| who? what? · Micius is asleep. | |||
| Genitive | · | · · | of what? · whose? · Ona's key · without the cat · from the capital |
| of what? · whose? · Ona's key · without the cat · from the capital | |||
| Dative | to whom? for whom? · a cake for the neighbours | ||
| to whom? for whom? · a cake for the neighbours | |||
| Accusative | · | · | whom? what? · when? · holds the cat · on Monday |
| whom? what? · when? · holds the cat · on Monday | |||
| Instrumental | · | · | with what? · with whom? · with milk · by train |
| with what? · with whom? · with milk · by train | |||
| Locative | · | where? · in the capital · in the courtyard | |
| where? · in the capital · in the courtyard | |||
| Vocative | · · | ||
The nominative names who or what does it, or what something is. The genitive says whose, and comes after no, , , , , and numbers 10 to 20 and multiples of ten. The dative says to or for whom: , . The accusative is the thing you have, take or see, and days and times. The instrumental says with or by, the locative where, and the vocative calls someone.
The singular: the same nouns through every case
| Case | Question | -as | -ys | -a | -ė |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | |||||
| Genitive | |||||
| Dative | |||||
| Accusative | |||||
| Instrumental | |||||
| Locative | |||||
| Vocative | · | · | · | ||
| Meaning | house | room | photo | café |
The plural: the same nouns again
| Case | Question | -ai | -iai | -os | -ės |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | |||||
| Genitive | |||||
| Dative | |||||
| Accusative | |||||
| Instrumental | |||||
| Locative | |||||
| Vocative | |||||
| Meaning | houses | rooms | photos | cafes |
In the plural, the vocative is the same as the nominative: Children! The genitive plural always ends in -ų: , .
Prepositions choose their case
| Prepositions | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Genitive | ||
| · · · · · · | from · without · by · on · from · until · after · after the festival | |
| from · without · by · on · from · until · after · after the festival | ||
| Accusative | ||
| · · | into, to · during, through · ago · to the café | |
| into, to · during, through · ago · to the café | ||
| Instrumental | ||
| · | with · under · under the table | |
| with · under · under the table | ||
takes the genitive when it means after, and the instrumental when it means under.
Visi sėdi kieme prie ilgo stalo.Everyone is sitting in the courtyard at a long table.
Tomai! Jūs laikote katiną!Tomas! You're holding the cat!
Tomai! Jūs laikote katiną!Tomas! You're holding the cat!
Rūta iškepė tortą visiems kaimynams.Rūta baked a cake for all the neighbours.
Ona duoda jums paskutinį puslapį.Ona gives you the last page.
Liepą važiuosime traukiniu prie ežero.In July we'll take the train to the lake.
Liepą važiuosime traukiniu prie ežero.In July we'll take the train to the lake.
Practice 1/7 · Finding words
Find the words
Tap the nouns in the genitive (ko? kieno?).
.
It's Ona's key from the attic.
? , !
A flat without a cat? No, thank you!
? , !
A flat without a cat? No, thank you!
.
We'll go to the lake.
.
We'll go to the lake.
– !
The date is from last Monday!
– !
The date is from last Monday!
.
Here's the key to your room.
.
Micius is sitting by the café.
.
Micius is sitting by the café.
.
Here's the key to the house.
.
There are lots of houses and cafés in the capital.
!
I've got lots of photos from the festival!
.
Anna is coming from the capital.
.
Anna is coming from the capital.
Practice 2/7 · The right form
Which case?
Ask the question, then choose the form.
Micius miega .
Micius is asleep in the suitcase.
Tomas laiko .
Tomas is holding the cat.
Rūta iškepė tortą .
Rūta baked a cake for the neighbours.
Liepą važiuosime .
In July we'll go by train.
Liepą važiuosime .
In July we'll go by train.
Ačiū, !
Thank you, Tomas!
Ačiū, !
Thank you, Tomas!
Čia kandiklis.
Here's Jonas's mouthpiece.
Pokalbis buvo .
The interview was in the capital.
Pokalbis buvo .
The interview was in the capital.
Visi sėdi .
Everyone is sitting in the courtyard.
Pokalbis buvo .
The interview was on Monday.
Pokalbis buvo .
The interview was on Monday.
Kavą su , prašau.
A coffee with milk, please.
Kavą su , prašau.
A coffee with milk, please.
Kambarys and kavinė, case by case
Ask the question, then choose the form.
Mano mažas.
My room is small.
Mano mažas.
My room is small.
Štai jūsų raktas.
Here's the key to your room.
Šiam reikia naujos lovos.
This room needs a new bed.
Turime vieną su pusryčiais.
We've got one room with breakfast.
Tai butas su vienu .
It's a flat with one room.
Micius miega tavo .
Micius is asleep in your room.
Rūtos labai graži.
Rūta's café is very pretty.
Micius sėdi prie .
Micius is sitting by the café.
Pieną perku .
I buy the milk for the café.
Einu į .
I'm going to the café.
Einu į .
I'm going to the café.
Practice 3/7 · Questions
Ask the question, then answer
Answer the questions.
Kas yra jūsų name?
What is there in your house?
Kur šventės nuotraukos?
Where are the festival photos?
Ką mėgsta Anna?
What does Anna like?
Kur miega Micius?
Where does Micius sleep?
Kur jūs matėte Oną?
Where did you see Ona?
Ko daug sostinėje?
What is there a lot of in the capital?
Kam Rūta kepa pyragus?
Who does Rūta bake cakes for?
Su kuo Elzė atėjo?
What did Elzė come with?
Kas miega ant nuotraukų?
Who is asleep on the photos?
Ar kas nors namie?
Is anybody at home?
Practice 4/7 · Fill the gaps
The last evening
Fill the gaps with the words from the box.
Visi sėdi prie ilgo .
Everyone is sitting in the courtyard at a long table.
Tomas laiko ant .
Tomas is holding Micius in his arms.
Ona duoda paskutinį .
Ona gives you the last page.
Liepą Anna atvažiuos pas .
In July Anna is coming to visit me.
Liepą Anna atvažiuos pas .
In July Anna is coming to visit me.
Visi sėdi kieme, o miega .
Everyone is sitting in the courtyard, and Micius is asleep in the room.
Turime vieną su pusryčiais.
We've got one room with breakfast.
Tai butas su vienu .
It's a flat with one room.
Pieną perku , o tortą kepu .
I buy the milk for the café, and I bake the cake for the neighbours.
Rūtos labai graži. Einu į !
Rūta's café is very pretty. I'm going to the café!
Rūtos labai graži. Einu į !
Rūta's café is very pretty. I'm going to the café!
Pokalbis buvo , . Paskui buvo kava su .
The interview was on Monday, in the capital. Afterwards there was coffee with milk.
Pokalbis buvo , . Paskui buvo kava su .
The interview was on Monday, in the capital. Afterwards there was coffee with milk.
Practice 5/7 · Building sentences
Put the words in order
Put the words in order.
I'm staying, because here everyone knows my name.
I'm staying, because here everyone knows my name.
Tomas is holding the cat in his arms.
In July we'll take the train to the lake.
In July we'll take the train to the lake.
Ona gives you the last page.
There are five rooms in our house.
There are five rooms in our house.
The festival photos are in Rūta's café.
Anna likes old houses and small cafés.
Micius sleeps in every room of the house.
I'm asleep in all the photos!
Elzė came with the photos.
Practice 6/7 · In situations
The right words
Choose the right words for the situation.
Ona hands you the last page of the form. Thank her.
You say:
Ona's calling form is the same as her name.
Ona hands you the last page of the form. Thank her.
You say:
Ona's calling form is the same as her name.
Tell Anna you'll go to the lake by train.
You say:
Tell Anna you'll go to the lake by train.
You say:
Tell everyone why you are staying.
You say:
What they know is the object: vardą.
Tell everyone why you are staying.
You say:
What they know is the object: vardą.
Ask Rūta who the cake is for.
You say:
For whom is kam?, the dative question.
Ask Rūta who the cake is for.
You say:
For whom is kam?, the dative question.
Ona asks how your room is. Say it's small but nice.
You say:
Ona asks how your room is. Say it's small but nice.
You say:
Rūta tells you who else she bakes for, besides the neighbours.
Rūta says:
At the hotel, the manager shows you a room and says it needs a new bed.
Mindaugas says:
Reikia takes the dative for who needs it, kambariui, and the genitive for what is needed, lovos.
Tomas asks if anyone is at home in Ona's flat. Nobody is.
You say:
Tomas asks if anyone is at home in Ona's flat. Nobody is.
You say:
Elzė calls Micius in from the courtyard.
Elzė says:
Calling someone takes the vocative: Miciau!
Tomas has held Micius all evening. Thank him.
You say:
Tomas has held Micius all evening. Thank him.
You say:
Practice 7/7 · Matching
Questions and cases
Match the pairs.
Unit complete