buvo beeinąs

Interrupted Action with Be-

Level 5

būti + be- + present active participle describes an action that was underway or about to begin when another event occurred: Buvau beeinąs, kai paskambino telefonas. (I was just about to leave when the phone rang.)

How It Works

1. The form. Take the present active participle, add be- in front and use it with būti:

  • eiti → einąs → beeinąs: buvau beeinąs (a man speaking)
  • a woman: beeinanti; plural: beeiną (men), beeinančios (women)
  • reflexive: ruoštis → besiruošiąs, with -si- after be-

2. What it means. It can describe an ongoing action, or one about to start when something else happens: Buvome bepradedą valgyti, kai atėjo svečiai (We were just starting to eat when the guests arrived). With jau it can mean almost: Jau buvau bepamirštąs (I had almost forgotten).

3. Other tenses. The past with buvau is by far the most common. Forms with esu, būdavau and būsiu exist in grammars but are rare.

4. Do not confuse it with buvau + -ęs. The past perfect says an action was already finished: Buvau išėjęs means I had already left. Buvau beeinąs can mean I was about to leave or was already on my way.

5. Style. This is a literary form. In everyday speech, people say Jau ruošiausi išeiti, kai… (I was getting ready to leave when…) or use vos ne- for almost: Vos nepamiršau (I almost forgot).

Examples (5)

  1. Buvau beeinąs, kai paskambino telefonas.

    I was just about to leave when the phone rang.

    Said by a man. Eiti → einąs → beeinąs.

  2. Ji buvo beužmieganti, kai kažkas pasibeldė.

    She was just falling asleep when someone knocked.

    The feminine form beužmieganti agrees with ji.

  3. Buvome bepradedą valgyti, kai atėjo svečiai.

    We were just starting to eat when the guests arrived.

    Bepradedą is masculine plural.

  4. Vaikas buvo beverkiąs, bet mama jį nuramino.

    The child was about to cry, but his mother calmed him down.

    The child was beginning or about to cry; his mother stopped that development.

  5. Jau buvau bepamirštąs, kad šiandien tavo gimtadienis.

    I had almost forgotten that today is your birthday.

    Here the speaker nearly forgot, but then remembered.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the past perfect when the action was only about to start.

    Buvau išėjęs, kai paskambino telefonas.
    Buvau beeinąs, kai paskambino telefonas.

    The speaker means they were about to leave. Buvau išėjęs means they had already left.

  • Not making the participle agree with a woman.

    Ji buvo beeinąs, kai paskambino telefonas.
    Ji buvo beeinanti, kai paskambino telefonas.

    Beeinąs is masculine singular. For ji, use beeinanti.

How It Connects

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buvo beeinąsLevel 5Interrupted Action with Be-

Learn This First

Be- with a present active participle and būti describes an ongoing or interrupted action.

Words in This Pattern

būti