Possibility With -mas

Passive Participles Meaning Able to Be

Level 6

Valgomas grybas can mean an edible mushroom, not only a mushroom that is being eaten.

How It Works

Ability or suitability. Valgomas can mean edible, and suprantamas understandable. The object need not be undergoing the action now.

Negation. Nesuprantamas tekstas can mean an incomprehensible text. Nepakeičiamas darbuotojas describes an irreplaceable employee. These meanings may become established adjective-like uses.

Form and context. The endings vary with the verb and agreement: skaitomas, valgoma, suprantami. Do not assume every -mas form has a possibility meaning; šiuo metu skaitoma knyga can describe a book being read now.

Examples (4)

  1. Tai valgomas grybas.

    That is an edible mushroom.

  2. Šis tekstas lengvai suprantamas.

    This text is easy to understand.

  3. Ji nepakeičiama darbuotoja.

    She is an irreplaceable employee.

  4. Užrašas beveik neįskaitomas.

    The writing is almost illegible.

Common Mistakes

  • Ignoring agreement with a feminine noun.

    Tai valgomas uoga.
    Tai valgoma uoga.

    Uoga is feminine, so use feminine valgoma.

How It Connects

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

Possibility With -masLevel 6Passive Participles Meaning Able to Be

Learn This First

A present passive participle can describe a possibility or property rather than a current event.

Words in This Pattern

valgomas