Repeated Movement: -inėti, -ioti
Going Around and Back and Forth
eiti → go on foot, often on a particular trip. vaikščioti → walking around, often, or as an ability. Same for važiuoti / važinėti, bėgti / bėgioti, skristi / skraidyti.
How It Works
Two verbs for one kind of motion. Many verbs of movement come in pairs. The partner often adds repeated or multidirectional movement; both can occur with a destination.
- eiti → vaikščioti, vaikščioja, vaikščiojo (walk around)
- važiuoti → važinėti, važinėja, važinėjo (drive or ride around)
- bėgti → bėgioti, bėgioja, bėgiojo (run about, jog)
- plaukti → plaukioti, plaukioja, plaukiojo (swim around)
- skristi → skraidyti, skraido, skraidė (fly around)
- nešti → nešioti, nešioja, nešiojo (carry around, wear)
When to use the partner verb.
- Around a place, often with po: vaikščioti po parką, važinėti po Europą.
- Again and again, or as a hobby: Savaitgaliais važinėjame dviračiais. (On weekends we go cycling.)
- As an ability, or what something does in general: Mūsų dukra jau vaikščioja. (Our daughter can already walk.) Pingvinai neskraido. (Penguins don't fly.)
When to use the plain verb. For a single planned trip, use the plain verb, often with į: Rytoj važiuosiu į Kauną. (Tomorrow I'm going to Kaunas.) The choice between eiti and važiuoti (on foot or by vehicle) works the same way for vaikščioti and važinėti.
Examples (6)
- Mėgstu vaikščioti po miestą.
I like walking around town.
Word by Word: I-like to-walk-around through town.
- Savaitgaliais važinėjame dviračiais.
On weekends we go cycling.
Word by Word: On-weekends we-ride-around by-bikes.
- Vaikai bėgioja kieme.
The children are running around in the yard.
- Mūsų dukra jau vaikščioja.
Our daughter can already walk.
The partner verb names walking as an ability.
- Kiekvieną vasarą plaukiojame ežere.
Every summer we swim in the lake.
- Einu į parduotuvę, grįšiu po valandos.
I'm going to the shop; I'll be back in an hour.
One trip to one place, so the plain verb eiti.
Common Mistakes
Using the "around" verb for one trip to one place.
Rytoj važinėsiu į Kauną.Rytoj važiuosiu į Kauną.For one trip tomorrow, use važiuosiu. Važinėsiu į Kauną is grammatical if you mean repeated trips to Kaunas.
Using the plain verb for what something can or does in general.
Pingvinai neskrenda.Pingvinai neskraido.For the general fact that penguins do not fly, use neskraido. Neskrenda can instead describe their not flying on a particular occasion.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Derived motion verbs describe repeated or multidirectional travel.
Related Patterns
- po + accusativeAround and Each with Po
Po with the accusative often says where you move around: po miestą.
Level 4 - į + accusativeInto and to with Į
Į marks a destination with either a particular trip or repeated trips; the intended meaning helps choose the verb.
Level 1 - The Three Principal Parts
Learn each partner verb with its own principal parts: vaikščioti, vaikščioja, vaikščiojo.
Level 2 - Instrumental of Route
The instrumental of route also describes movement: vaikščioti mišku.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice Repeated Movement: -inėti, -ioti in Bubblegum
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