Colloquial Short Forms (Recognition)

Level 5

In fast, relaxed speech Lithuanians often drop a final vowel: būti → būt, daryti → daryt, eiti → eit, reikia → reik. Reik eit namo. means Reikia eiti namo. (We need to go home.)

How It Works

What gets shortened

  • The infinitive: -ti → -t. daryti → daryt, eiti → eit, valgyti → valgyt. See The Infinitive in -ti.
  • reikia → reik: Man reik pailsėt. = Man reikia pailsėti. (I need to rest.) See Needing With Reikia.
  • A final reflexive -si → -s: mokausi → mokaus, juokiesi → juokies. This only happens when the reflexive is at the end of the word. See Reflexive Verbs in -si.

Speech shortens other endings too: short plural verb endings such as dirbam (Short Plural Endings in Speech) and short locatives such as Lietuvoj (Short Locatives in Speech and Song).

The short form is not a new tense
Eit is still an infinitive, as in Reik eit. To say I am going, use the finite form aš einu. Infinitives can also stand in independent questions such as Ką daryt? (What should I do?).

When to use them
Recognize these forms when you listen. In texts to friends they sound natural, but in essays, forms and work emails write the full forms: būti, daryti, reikia, mokausi.

Examples (6)

  1. Reik eit namo.

    We need to go home.

    Word by Word: Need to-go home.

    Full form: Reikia eiti namo.

  2. Nenoriu nieko daryt.

    I don't want to do anything.

    Word by Word: I-don't-want nothing to-do.

    Full form: Nenoriu nieko daryti.

  3. Einam valgyt!

    Let's go and eat!

    Word by Word: Let's-go to-eat!

    Full form: Einame valgyti!

  4. Aš dabar mokaus lietuvių kalbos.

    I'm learning Lithuanian now.

    Word by Word: I now am-learning Lithuanian language.

    Full form: mokausi.

  5. Kodėl juokies?

    Why are you laughing?

    Word by Word: Why you-laugh?

    Full form: Kodėl juokiesi?

  6. Gal galim susitikt rytoj?

    Maybe we can meet tomorrow?

    Word by Word: Maybe we-can to-meet tomorrow?

    Full form: Gal galime susitikti rytoj?

Common Mistakes

  • Using the short infinitive as if it were a present-tense verb.

    Aš eit į darbą.
    Aš einu į darbą.

    Eit is a shortened infinitive (eiti), not a person form. For I am going, use the present einu.

  • Adding the spoken -s when the reflexive is already inside the verb.

    Aš nesimokaus.
    Aš nesimokau.

    After ne- the reflexive moves inside as -si-, so there is no reflexive left at the end to shorten.

  • Using reik with a nominative subject.

    Aš reik vandens.
    Man reik vandens.

    Reik is just reikia, so the person who needs something is still in the dative: man.

How It Connects

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Colloquial Short Forms (Recognition)Level 5

Learn This First

Colloquial infinitive, reikia and reflexive shortenings are recognized through the corresponding full forms.

Words in This Pattern

būtidaryti