Plural-Only Nouns

Level 3

Some nouns are always plural, even when there is only one: durys (a door), marškiniai (a shirt), akiniai (glasses). The words that agree with them are plural too: Šitie akiniai yra ant stalo.

How It Works

Common plural-only nouns

  • Things in two parts: akiniai (glasses), kelnės (trousers), žirklės (scissors), and also marškiniai (shirt)
  • Around the home: durys (door), lubos (ceiling), grindys (floor)
  • Time and events: metai (year), vestuvės (wedding), Kalėdos (Christmas), pietūs (lunch)
  • Money: pinigai (money) is almost always plural
  • Places: Trakai, Šiauliai, Druskininkai, Anykščiai

Agreement

Everything that agrees with these nouns is plural: Šitie akiniai yra ant stalo. (These glasses are on the table.) Uždaryk duris. (Close the door.) Gyvenu Šiauliuose. (I live in Šiauliai.) The verb does not show it, because yra, stovi and kainuoja are the same for one thing and for many. See Plural Nouns and Plural Case Endings.

Counting

For counting two to nine, use the special plural forms. The set begins vieneri, dveji, treji, ketveri, penkeri (feminine vienerios, dvejos, trejos): vieneri metai (one year), dvejos durys (two doors), treji marškiniai (three shirts). They change for case too: dvejus metus. For one, vieni metai is also used. Ten and higher numbers follow their usual patterns, such as dešimt metų. See Numbers for Plural-Only Nouns. For ages, metai also appears in Saying Your Age.

Examples (6)

  1. Mano akiniai yra ant stalo.

    My glasses are on the table.

    Word by Word: My glasses are on table.

    akiniai is plural, and yra is the same for one or many.

  2. Uždaryk duris, prašau.

    Close the door, please.

    Word by Word: Close doors, please.

    One door is still durys, so the accusative is the plural duris.

  3. Šiandien apsivilkau naujus marškinius.

    Today I put on a new shirt.

    Word by Word: Today (I) put-on new shirts.

    One shirt, but the adjective and noun are plural: naujus marškinius.

  4. Vasarą važiuosime į Trakus.

    In summer we will go to Trakai.

    Word by Word: In-summer (we) will-go to Trakai.

    The town name is plural, so after į it takes the accusative plural Trakus.

  5. Lietuvoje gyvenu jau dvejus metus.

    I have been living in Lithuania for two years now.

    Word by Word: In-Lithuania (I) live already two years.

    metai is counted with dveji, here in the accusative: dvejus metus.

  6. Vestuvės bus rugpjūtį.

    The wedding will be in August.

    Word by Word: Wedding will-be in-August.

    One wedding, but the noun vestuvės is plural.

Common Mistakes

  • Making a plural-only noun singular.

    Uždaryk durį, prašau.
    Uždaryk duris, prašau.

    Durys has no singular. One door is still durys, and its accusative is duris.

  • Using a singular adjective.

    Tavo marškiniai labai gražus.
    Tavo marškiniai labai gražūs.

    Marškiniai is plural, so the adjective is plural too: gražūs.

  • Counting with ordinary numbers.

    Nusipirkau du marškinius.
    Nusipirkau dvejus marškinius.

    Plural-only nouns are counted with dveji, treji and so on.

How It Connects

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

Plural-Only NounsLevel 3

Learn This First

Plural-only nouns use plural agreement even when naming one object.

Words in This Pattern

durysmarškiniaikelnėsakiniaimetaiTrakai