turėti

Having with Turėti

Level 1

Turiu brolį. = I have a brother. · Neturiu laiko. = I don't have time.

How It Works

The forms. Turėti belongs to the -i group: aš turiu, tu turi, jis, ji turi, mes turime, jūs turite, jie, jos turi. See present verbs in -i.

Specific objects use the accusative. Use these forms for the people and things in these examples: brolis → Turiu brolį, sesuo → seserį, šuo → Ji turi šunį, vaikai → Jie turi du vaikus. See the accusative direct object.

An unspecified amount. The genitive can also appear without negation: Turiu laiko. means “I have time”. Here laiko expresses an amount rather than a specific bounded object.

Negative: genitive. After neturiu, neturi and other negative forms, the object goes into the genitive: Neturiu laiko. (I don't have time.) Neturime automobilio. (We don't have a car.) See the genitive after negation.

Asking. Ar turite laisvą kambarį? (Do you have a free room?) is a polite way to ask in shops and hotels.

Not for age. Lithuanian does not "have" years. Age uses the dative: Man dvidešimt metų. (I am twenty.) See saying your age.

Must. Turėti plus an infinitive means "to have to": Turiu eiti. (I have to go.) See must with turėti.

Examples (6)

  1. Turiu brolį ir seserį.

    I have a brother and a sister.

    Both objects are accusative: brolis → brolį, sesuo → seserį.

  2. Ji turi šunį.

    She has a dog.

    Šuo → šunį in the accusative.

  3. Ar turite laisvą kambarį?

    Do you have a free room?

    A polite question with the jūs form turite.

  4. Jie turi du vaikus.

    They have two children.

  5. Neturiu laiko.

    I don't have time.

    After the negative, laikas becomes genitive laiko.

  6. Mes turime naują butą.

    We have a new apartment.

    The adjective agrees with the accusative noun: naują butą.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving the object in the nominative.

    Turiu brolis.
    Turiu brolį.

    What you have is a direct object, so it takes the accusative: brolis → brolį.

  • Using the accusative after the negative.

    Neturiu laiką.
    Neturiu laiko.

    After a negated verb such as neturiu, the object goes into the genitive: laiko.

  • Using turėti for age.

    Aš turiu dvidešimt metų.
    Man dvidešimt metų.

    Age is not something you have in Lithuanian. Say it with the dative man and the number of years.

How It Connects

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

turėtiLevel 1Having with Turėti

Learn This First

Turėti combines the -i present pattern with an accusative object.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

turėti