BrixBloks Grammar Apps

In simple sentences you can think: who + does what + to what. Example: Aš geriu kavą. The subject (aš, tu, jis/ji, mes, jūs, jie/jos) normally comes first, then the verb, then the object or place. Word order can move for emphasis, but S–V–O is a safe pattern for beginners.

Memory tip: When you are unsure, put the subject first, then the verb, then the rest: Aš + darau + ką / kur.

A common masculine pattern is -as → -ai: stalas → stalai, draugas → draugai. Feminine often uses -a → -os: knyga → knygos, mergina → merginos, and -ė → -ės: gatvė → gatvės. Articles do not exist, so the ending and context show whether a noun is singular or plural.

Memory tip: Always learn a noun together with one plural example: stalas/stalai, knyga/knygos, draugas/draugai. You will quickly see the main patterns.

The noun stalas can mean 'a table' or 'the table'. To be more exact you can use demonstratives such as šitas/šis (this), tas (that): šitas stalas, ta knyga. Adjectives also have special definite forms, but at A1 level it is enough to use simple adjective + noun and add šis/tas when you want 'this' or 'that'.

Memory tip: Do not try to translate 'a' and 'the'. Use šis/ši/tas/ta only when you really want to point to something specific.

A simple pattern is possessive + noun: mano butas (my flat), tavo krepšys (your bag), jo mašina (his car), jos knyga (her book). To say "X’s" you put the owner in the genitive before the noun: draugo namas (friend’s house), Annos knyga (Anna’s book). Pronouns also have genitive forms, but for A1 level using mano/tavo/jo/jos/mūsų/jūsų/jų is usually enough.

Memory tip: Memorise the basic set: mano, tavo, jo, jos, mūsų, jūsų, jų. Then plug in everyday nouns: namas, telefonas, darbas, šeima.

To make a yes/no question you can put ar at the beginning: Ar tu gyveni Vilniuje? Word order usually stays S–V–O. Wh-questions begin with a question word: kur (where), kas (who/what as subject), ką (what as object), kada (when), kodėl (why), kaip (how), kiek (how much/many). The verb then follows.

Memory tip: Use this template: [question word] + [tu/jūs] + [verb] + [rest]. For example: Kur tu gyveni?, Kada jūs atvykstate?, Kodėl tu mokaisi lietuviškai?

To say 'not', put ne at the beginning of the verb and write it together: skaitau → neskaitau (I don’t read), valgau → nevalgau (I don’t eat). With the verb būti 'to be', the negative present form is nėra: Jis yra namuose → Jo nėra namuose (He is not at home).

Memory tip: Think of the positive sentence first, then add ne- at the beginning of the verb: suprantu → nesuprantu, žinau → nežinau. For 'yra' use 'nėra'.

Use būti to say who or what something is and how or where it is: Aš esu studentas, Ji yra gydytoja, Namas yra didelis, Mes esame namuose. In fast speech some forms are shortened, but for A0–A1 you can use the full forms.

Memory tip: Repeat the chain several times: esu, esi, yra, esame, esate, yra. Then build tiny sentences: Aš esu…, Tu esi…, Jis yra…

Important prepositions: ant (on), po (under), prie (by/near), už (behind), prieš (in front of), šalia (next to). They are followed by a noun in the correct case: ant stalo (on the table), prie lango (by the window), po kėde (under the chair). Some common place words have special 'at/in' forms: namuose (at home), darbe (at work), mokykloje (at school).

Memory tip: Learn ready-made chunks: namuose, darbe, mokykloje, ant stalo, po stalu, prie durų, už namo. Use them as single pieces at first.

Many adjectives have masculine -as and feminine -a: geras/graži, naujas/nauja, mažas/maža. In plural they often end in -i/-os: geri/gražios. Adjectives normally come before the noun: gražus miestas, didelis namas, sena knyga. In the predicate they also agree: Miestas yra gražus.

Memory tip: When you learn a new adjective, always say masculine + feminine: didelis/didelė, gražus/graži, naujas/nauja.

For example, dirbti (to work) makes: aš dirbau, tu dirbai, jis/ji dirbo, mes dirbome, jūs dirbote, jie/jos dirbo. The same pattern appears with kalbėti: kalbėjau, kalbėjai, kalbėjo… and many other verbs. Use time words like vakar (yesterday), užvakar (the day before yesterday), praėjusią savaitę (last week) to make the past clear.

Memory tip: Start with one or two very common verbs and learn the full past chain: dirbti → dirbau/dirbai/dirbo…, gyventi → gyvenau/gyvenai/gyveno…

From skaityti (to read) you get: aš skaitysiu, tu skaitysi, jis/ji skaitys, mes skaitysime, jūs skaitysite, jie/jos skaitys. Combine with words like rytoj (tomorrow), vėliau (later), kitą savaitę (next week), kitais metais (next year). In everyday speech people sometimes also use the present with a future time word: Rytoj aš dirbu iš namų.

Memory tip: Think: present stem + future endings -siu, -si, -s, -sime, -site, -s. Practise them with a few verbs you use a lot: dirbti, važiuoti, skaityti.

Use galėti + infinitive for ability: Aš galiu kalbėti lietuviškai (I can speak Lithuanian). Use turėti + infinitive for obligation: Aš turiu dirbti (I have to work). Use norėti + infinitive for desire: Aš noriu miegoti (I want to sleep). The main verb stays in the infinitive form.

Memory tip: Practise three starters: Aš galiu…, Aš turiu…, Aš noriu…. Then add verbs you know: dirbti, mokytis, eiti, važiuoti, pirkti.

Many adjectives form the comparative with -esnis/-esnė: didelis → didesnis/didesnė (bigger), mažas → mažesnis/mažesnė (smaller), geras → geresnis/geresnė (better). You can add už: Šis namas didesnis už tą namą (This house is bigger than that one). The superlative often uses -iausias/-iausia: didžiausias miestas (the biggest city), geriausias filmas (the best film).

Memory tip: Start with three very common families: geras – geresnis – geriausias; didelis – didesnis – didžiausias; mažas – mažesnis – mažiausias.

For one person (tu) the imperative often looks like the verb stem with -k: eik! (go!), skaityk! (read!), klausyk! (listen!). For more than one person (jūs) or polite speech you use -kite: eikite!, skaitykite!, klausykite! To sound polite add prašau (please): Prašau, ateik; Prašau, palaukite.

Memory tip: Learn a small set of everyday commands: Ateik!, Eik!, Klausyk!, Pažiūrėk!, Palauk!, Ateikite!, Palaukite!, Prašau, atsisėskite.