Doing Things to Each Other

Level 3

Some reflexive verbs mean each other: Jie susitiko kavinėje. (They met at a café.) Jie bučiuojasi. (They are kissing.) The reflexive does the job of English each other.

How It Works

Each other in one word

Compare a plain verb with its reflexive partner. Mama bučiuoja vaiką. (Mom kisses the child.) One person does it to another. Jie bučiuojasi. (They are kissing.) Both do it to each other. Common verbs of this kind:

  • susitikti (to meet), susipažinti (to meet for the first time, to get to know each other)
  • sveikintis (to greet each other), atsisveikinti (to say goodbye)
  • kalbėtis (to talk, to have a chat), susitarti (to agree, to arrange)
  • bučiuotis (to kiss), apsikabinti (to hug), ginčytis (to argue)

Plural subject, or su + instrumental

Mes susipažinome universitete. (We met at university.) Aš susipažinau su Rūta universitete. (I met Rūta at university.) See With: Su and We With Su: Me and Someone.

Prefixed forms

Many of these verbs have a prefix, so -si- sits right after it: susitikome, atsisveikinome, apsikabino. See Reflexive -si- After a Prefix.

Verbs without a reciprocal form

Many verbs have no reflexive form for this meaning. Then Lithuanian uses vienas kitą: Jie myli vienas kitą. (They love each other.) To stress the idea, a reciprocal verb can also add vienas su kitu: Jie ilgai kalbėjosi vienas su kitu. See Each Other With Vienas Kitą.

Examples (6)

  1. Jie susitiko kavinėje.

    They met at a café.

    Word by Word: They met-each-other in-café.

  2. Kur jūs susipažinote?

    Where did you two meet?

    Word by Word: Where you got-to-know-each-other?

    Susipažinti is for meeting someone for the first time.

  3. Susitarėme susitikti šeštadienį.

    We agreed to meet on Saturday.

    Word by Word: (We) agreed to-meet on-Saturday.

  4. Kaimynai visada sveikinasi.

    The neighbours always greet each other.

    Word by Word: Neighbours always greet-each-other.

  5. Vakar ilgai kalbėjausi su mama telefonu.

    Yesterday I had a long talk with my mom on the phone.

    Word by Word: Yesterday long (I) talked with mom by-phone.

    One subject, so the other person comes with su + instrumental.

  6. Stotyje jie apsikabino ir atsisveikino.

    At the station they hugged and said goodbye.

    Word by Word: At-station they hugged-each-other and said-goodbye.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding vienas kitą to a reciprocal reflexive verb.

    Mes susitikome vienas kitą kavinėje.
    Mes susitikome kavinėje.

    Susitikti already means to meet each other and cannot take an accusative object. Leave out vienas kitą.

  • Using the plain verb when you mean each other.

    Jie bučiuoja.
    Jie bučiuojasi.

    For the intended meaning “they kiss each other”, use bučiuojasi. Bučiuoja describes kissing someone; its object can be omitted when understood from context.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Doing Things to Each OtherLevel 3

Learn This First

Reciprocal reflexive verbs describe participants acting with each other.

Words in This Pattern

susitiktikalbėtis