gi
Emphatic Gi
Gi is a small spoken particle that adds weight to the word before it. After a command it urges: Ateik gi! (Do come!). After a question word it adds surprise: Kurgi jis? (Where on earth is he?). After a statement it reminds: Aš gi sakiau! (But I told you!)
How It Works
Three common jobs
- After a command, gi makes it urgent or warm: Ateik gi! (Do come!) Sakyk gi! (Come on, tell me!) See Commands With -k and -kite.
- After a question word, gi works like on earth or then: Kas gi čia vyksta? (What on earth is going on here?) Kodėl gi ne? (Why not?)
- After a word in a statement, gi points to something the listener should already know: Aš gi sakiau! (But I told you!) This is close to After All With Juk, with different common positions: Juk sakiau! and Aš gi sakiau!. These are patterns, not fixed sentence positions.
Spelling: together or apart?
Write gi as part of the word when that word has one syllable and never changes its form: kurgi, kaipgi, betgi, argi, negi. Write it as a separate word after words that change form or have more than one syllable: kas gi, ką gi, aš gi, kodėl gi, kada gi, ateik gi.
Words that already contain gi
Some everyday words were built with gi and are now single words: irgi (also), netgi (even), visgi (still, all the same) and kadangi (since). See Too and Also and Even With Net.
Register
Gi belongs to lively speech and dialogue. It can sound warm or impatient, depending on tone and context.
Examples (6)
- Ateik gi!
Do come!
Word by Word: Come gi!
A warm but insistent invitation.
- Kurgi jis dingo?
Where on earth did he go?
Word by Word: Where-gi he disappeared?
- Aš gi sakiau, kad lis!
But I told you it would rain!
Word by Word: I gi said, that it-will-rain!
- Kodėl gi ne?
Why not?
Word by Word: Why gi not?
- Kas gi čia vyksta?
What on earth is going on here?
Word by Word: What gi here is-happening?
- Betgi tu pažadėjai!
But you promised!
Word by Word: But-gi you promised!
Common Mistakes
Joining gi to a word with more than one syllable.
Kodėlgi tu vėluoji?Kodėl gi tu vėluoji?Kodėl has two syllables, so gi is written separately.
Writing gi apart after a short word that never changes.
Kur gi jis?Kurgi jis?Kur is one syllable and never changes its form, so gi is joined to it: kurgi.
Related Patterns
- jukAfter All with Juk
Juk also reminds the listener of something obvious, and often comes near the beginning of the sentence.
Level 4 - argi / nejaugiSurprised and Rhetorical Questions
Argi and negi are built with gi and ask surprised questions.
Level 5 - Commands: -k, -kiteCommands with -k and -kite
Gi often follows a command to make it more urgent.
Level 3 - kas / kąQuestion Word Kas
Kas gi and ką gi add emphasis to question words; gi is written apart from them.
Level 1 - irgi / taip patToo and Also
Irgi is an old combination of ir and gi that is now one word.
Level 1 - netEven with Net
Netgi is net with gi, a stronger even.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice gi in Bubblegum
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