Lithuanian Negation and Case Changes

Vocabulary flashcards covering Lithuanian verb negation, case changes from accusative to genitive, modal verb negation, and question formation.

ne-

Prefix added to a Lithuanian verb to make it negative (e.g., geriu -> negeriu; einu -> neinu).

Accusative to Genitive Negation Shift

The rule in Lithuanian where an affirmative object in the accusative case commonly changes to the genitive case when the verb is negated.

Aš geriu kavą

Lithuanian for "I drink coffee." (Shows an affirmative object in the accusative case).

Aš negeriu kavos

Lithuanian for "I don't drink coffee." (Shows a negated object changing to the genitive case).

Aš valgau obuolį

Lithuanian for "I eat an apple." (Shows an affirmative object in the accusative case).

Aš nevalgau obuolio

Lithuanian for "I don't eat an apple." (Shows a negated object changing to the genitive case).

Aš skaitau knygą

Lithuanian for "I read the book." (Shows an affirmative object in the accusative case).

Aš neskaitau knygos

Lithuanian for "I don't read the book." (Shows a negated object changing to the genitive case).

Aš matau vyrą

Lithuanian for "I see the man." (Shows an affirmative object in the accusative case).

Aš nematau vyro

Lithuanian for "I don't see the man." (Shows a negated object changing to the genitive case).

norėti

Lithuanian verb meaning "to want", which commonly takes the genitive case for the desired object.

Aš noriu kavos

Lithuanian for "I want coffee." (Shows the verb norėti taking an object in the genitive case).

Aš nenoriu kavos

Lithuanian for "I don't want coffee." (Shows that the object of norėti remains in the genitive case when negated).

Aš galiu eiti

Lithuanian for "I can go." (Demonstrates a modal verb paired with an infinitive).

Aš negaliu eiti

Lithuanian for "I can't go." (Demonstrates negation attaching to the conjugated modal verb before an infinitive).

Ar tu dirbi?

Lithuanian for "Do you work?" (Demonstrates a question formed using the particle ar).

Tu nedirbi

Lithuanian for "You don't work." (Demonstrates a negated present-tense verb).

ko

The genitive question form used in negative questions such as "Ko tu nevalgai?".

Ko tu nevalgai?

Lithuanian for "What don't you eat?" (Demonstrates a question using the genitive question word ko).