virš + genitive
Above with Virš
Virš means above or over and takes the genitive: Lempa kabo virš stalo. (The lamp hangs above the table.)
How It Works
1. The form. The noun after virš goes into the genitive:
- stalas → virš stalo (above the table)
- miestas → virš miesto (over the city)
- durys → virš durų (above the door)
- aš → virš manęs (above me)
2. Virš, ant and po.
- Lempa kabo virš stalo. The lamp is above the table and does not touch it.
- Lempa stovi ant stalo. The lamp stands on the table.
- Katė miega po stalu. The cat is sleeping under the table.
3. Moving over something. Virš ežero skraido paukščiai. (Birds are flying over the lake.)
4. On a scale. Virš also marks a point above a level: virš nulio (above zero), virš jūros lygio (above sea level). In weather reports you will also hear penki laipsniai šilumos (five degrees above zero) and penki laipsniai šalčio (five degrees below zero).
5. Amounts in careful language. For English over a hundred, careful Lithuanian prefers daugiau kaip or daugiau nei (more than): Atėjo daugiau kaip šimtas žmonių. (More than a hundred people came.) See Than: Negu, Nei and Už.
Examples (6)
- Lempa kabo virš stalo.
The lamp hangs above the table.
Stalas becomes stalo in the genitive.
- Mūsų butas yra virš kavinės.
Our flat is above a café.
Kavinė becomes kavinės in the genitive.
- Virš ežero skraido paukščiai.
Birds are flying over the lake.
Virš also describes movement over something.
- Laikrodis kabo virš durų.
The clock hangs above the door.
Durys is plural-only, so its genitive is durų.
- Dieną temperatūra pakils virš nulio.
During the day, the temperature will rise above zero.
Virš marks a point above a level on a scale.
- Šis miestelis yra šimtą metrų virš jūros lygio.
This town is a hundred metres above sea level.
The distance šimtą metrų is in the accusative of measure.
Common Mistakes
Using the accusative after virš.
Lempa kabo virš stalą.Lempa kabo virš stalo.Virš always takes the genitive, even though aplink and per take the accusative.
Using ant for something high above, not touching.
Lėktuvas skrenda ant miesto.Lėktuvas skrenda virš miesto.In this spatial contrast, ant describes support on a surface. A plane flies over the city without touching it, so use virš.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Virš selects a genitive landmark that is below something.
Related Patterns
- po + instrumentalUnder with Po
Po with the instrumental means under, the opposite of virš.
Level 3 - aplink + accusativeAround with Aplink
Another place word, but it takes the accusative.
Level 4 - tarp + genitiveBetween and Among with Tarp
Also takes the genitive and describes position: between.
Level 3 - Comparison: negu / nei / užThan: Negu, Nei and Už
Daugiau kaip and daugiau nei are preferred for more than an amount in careful standard usage.
Level 3 - Accusative of Measure
Measures like šimtą metrų virš jūros lygio use the accusative of measure.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice virš + genitive in Bubblegum
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