būna
Habitual Being with Būna
Lithuanian has two present forms of būti (to be). Yra describes how things are now or in general, and būna describes what is usually so or keeps happening: Žiemą čia būna šalta (It is usually cold here in winter).
How It Works
The forms
- aš būnu, tu būni, jis / ji būna
- mes būname, jūs būnate, jie / jos būna
These endings are the regular present endings in -a. The everyday present esu, esi, yra is irregular; see The Verb Būti in the Present.
Yra or būna?
- Dabar lauke yra šalta. (It is cold outside now.) One situation, right now.
- Žiemą lauke būna šalta. (It is usually cold outside in winter.) Something that happens again and again.
In the same way, Jis yra piktas can describe his current anger or his character, while Jis kartais būna piktas means he gets angry from time to time.
Taip būna
On its own, Taip būna (That happens) is a common way to comfort someone. Būna, kad ... means it sometimes happens that ...: Būna, kad pavėluoju. (Sometimes I am late.)
Negative forms
The negative is nebūna. When it says that something is not there, the thing goes into the genitive, just like after nėra: Vasarą čia nebūna sniego. (There is no snow here in summer.) See Absence With Nėra.
In the past
For things that usually happened in the past, use būdavo: Vaikystėje žiemos būdavo šaltos. (Winters used to be cold when I was a child.) See Past Habits With -davo. Books sometimes use the old form esti with the same meaning as būna.
Examples (6)
- Žiemą čia būna šalta.
It is usually cold here in winter.
Word by Word: In-winter here is-usually cold.
- Taip būna.
That happens.
Word by Word: So happens.
People can say this to comfort someone after a small mishap. Its tone depends on the situation.
- Vakarais aš dažnai būnu namie.
In the evenings I am often at home.
Word by Word: In-the-evenings I often am-usually at-home.
- Kartais jis būna piktas.
Sometimes he gets grumpy.
Word by Word: Sometimes he is-usually angry.
- Pirmadieniais parduotuvė būna uždaryta.
The shop is closed on Mondays.
Word by Word: On-Mondays shop is-usually closed.
- Vasarą čia nebūna sniego.
There is no snow here in summer.
Word by Word: In-summer here not-is-usually of-snow.
After negative nebūna, the missing thing is in the genitive.
Common Mistakes
Using the third-person form būna with every subject.
Aš dažnai būna namie.Aš dažnai būnu namie.Būna has full person endings. With aš the form is būnu, and with tu it is būni.
Using būna for a single situation happening right now.
Dabar aš būnu labai pavargęs.Dabar aš esu labai pavargęs.The speaker means only right now, so the ordinary present esu fits. Būnu would say that he is often tired.
Keeping the nominative after negative nebūna.
Vasarą čia nebūna sniegas.Vasarą čia nebūna sniego.When nebūna says something is absent, the thing goes into the genitive, as it does after nėra.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Būna expresses repeated or characteristic being with its own present stem.
Related Patterns
- Past Habitual -davoPast Habits with -davo
Būdavo is the past-tense match of būna: what used to be so.
Level 4 - nėra + genitiveAbsence with Nėra
Negative nebūna takes the genitive for a missing thing, just like nėra.
Level 2 - Genitive After Negation
Genitive occurs with negated existence and normally replaces the accusative direct object under verbal negation.
Level 2 - estiBookish Habitual Esti (Recognition)
A bookish form with the same habitual meaning as būna.
Level 6
Words in This Pattern
Practice būna in Bubblegum
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