nuo + genitive

From and Since with Nuo

Level 2

Nuo takes the genitive and marks a starting point: nuo pirmadienio (from Monday), nuo stalo (off the table), toli nuo miesto (far from the city).

How It Works

Off a surface
Puodelis nukrito nuo stalo. (The cup fell off the table.) Verbs with the prefix nu- often pair with nuo.

Away from a place
Gyvename toli nuo miesto. (We live far from the city.)

From a time, since a time
nuo pirmadienio (from Monday), nuo rugsėjo (since September), Nuo kada? (Since when?) Lithuanian uses the present tense for something that started in the past and is still going on: Mokausi lietuvių kalbos nuo rugsėjo. (I have been learning Lithuanian since September.)

From a person
Nuo can name who something comes from, as in greetings: Linkėjimai nuo mamos! (Greetings from Mom!)

Nuo or iš?
Iš means out of something: iš dėžės (out of the box), iš Vilniaus (from Vilnius). Nuo means off a surface or away from it: nuo stalo (off the table). See From With Iš.

With iki
Nuo marks the start of a range and iki marks its end: nuo devynių iki penkių (from nine to five). See Until and As Far As With Iki.

Examples (6)

  1. Parduotuvė dirba nuo pirmadienio iki šeštadienio.

    The shop is open from Monday to Saturday.

    Word by Word: Shop works from Monday until Saturday.

  2. Puodelis nukrito nuo stalo.

    The cup fell off the table.

    Word by Word: Cup fell-off from table.

  3. Mes gyvename toli nuo miesto.

    We live far from the city.

    Word by Word: We live far from city.

  4. Mokausi lietuvių kalbos nuo rugsėjo.

    I have been learning Lithuanian since September.

    Word by Word: I-learn Lithuanian language since September.

    Lithuanian uses the present tense for an action that started in the past and is still going on.

  5. Linkėjimai nuo mano šeimos!

    Greetings from my family!

    Word by Word: Greetings from my family!

  6. Nuo kada tu čia gyveni?

    How long have you lived here?

    Word by Word: Since when you here live?

Common Mistakes

  • Using the accusative after nuo.

    Dirbu nuo pirmadienį.
    Dirbu nuo pirmadienio.

    Nuo always takes the genitive: pirmadienis becomes pirmadienio.

  • Using iš for taking something off a surface.

    Nuimk lėkštes iš stalo.
    Nuimk lėkštes nuo stalo.

    Iš means out of something. Iš stalo would mean from inside the table. Plates on top of the table come off it with nuo.

How It Connects

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

nuo + genitiveLevel 2From and Since with Nuo

Learn This First

Nuo marks a starting point in space or time.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern