keli / keletas
Several: Keli and Keletas
keli / kelios + agreeing noun: keli draugai, kelios knygos. keletas + genitive plural: keletas draugų, keletas knygų.
How It Works
1. Keli, kelios. They agree with the noun in gender and case:
- Masculine: keli, kelių, keliems, kelis, keliais, keliuose
- Feminine: kelios, kelių, kelioms, kelias, keliomis, keliose
Atėjo keli draugai (Several friends came). Nusipirkau kelias knygas (I bought several books).
2. Keletas. It changes like a masculine noun, and the counted noun is always genitive plural:
- keletas, keleto, keletui, keletą, keletu, kelete
Turiu keletą klausimų (I have a few questions). Po keleto dienų viskas paaiškėjo (A few days later everything became clear).
3. Related words. Keliolika means about eleven to nineteen and takes the genitive: keliolika metų (a dozen or so years). With plural-only nouns, use keleri, kelerios: keleri metai (several years).
Examples (6)
- Atėjo keli draugai.
Several friends came.
Keli agrees with draugai: both are nominative plural.
- Nusipirkau kelias knygas.
I bought several books.
Kelias is the feminine accusative, agreeing with knygas.
- Turiu keletą klausimų.
I have a few questions.
Keletą is accusative; klausimų stays genitive plural.
- Palaukite keletą minučių.
Please wait a few minutes.
- Kalbėjau su keliais kolegomis.
I talked with several colleagues.
After su, keli becomes the instrumental keliais.
- Po keleto dienų viskas paaiškėjo.
A few days later everything became clear.
After po, keletas becomes the genitive keleto.
Common Mistakes
Using the nominative plural after keletas.
Keletas draugai atėjo.Keletas draugų atėjo.Keletas expresses a quantity and takes a genitive plural noun: draugų.
Using the masculine form with a feminine noun.
Nusipirkau kelis knygas.Nusipirkau kelias knygas.Knyga is feminine, so the form must be kelias, not kelis.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Keli agrees with its noun, while keletas takes a genitive plural complement.
Related Patterns
- kiek + genitiveHow Many and How Much
Kiek asks how many; keli and keletas give a rough answer.
Level 2 - dešimt / vienuolika + genitiveTen and Up with the Genitive
Keliolika takes the genitive like the numbers eleven to nineteen.
Level 2 - Numbers for Plural-Only Nouns
Keleri and kelerios are used with plural-only nouns.
Level 3 - kai kas / kai kurieSome with Kai
Kai kurie means some of a group, while keli means several.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice keli / keletas in Bubblegum
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