Short Plural Endings in Speech

Level 4

In everyday speech, the we and you (plural) endings often lose their final -e: dirbame → dirbam, dirbate → dirbat, būsime → būsim.

How It Works

Where the -e drops

  • Present: dirbame → dirbam, tikite → tikit, žinome → žinom
  • Past: kalbėjome → kalbėjom, sakėte → sakėt
  • Future: būsime → būsim, dirbsite → dirbsit
  • Commands: eikime → eikim, palaukite → palaukit

Only the we and you (plural) forms shorten this way. See The Present Tense, The Future Tense and Commands With -k and -kite.

Everyday phrases

  • Einam! (Let's go!) In speech, the present einam often works as a suggestion.
  • Susitiksim rytoj! (See you tomorrow!)
  • Ką veikiat? (What are you up to?)

Which one to write
The State Commission of the Lithuanian Language treats both forms as correct. Choose by style; for example, full forms can suit reports and official texts, while short forms often suit chats and informal speech.

Do not confuse
Speech also shortens the infinitive (dirbti → dirbt), which is a different form. Jūs dirbat means you work; dirbt means to work. See Colloquial Short Forms (Recognition).

Examples (6)

  1. Mes dirbam iki šešių.

    We work until six.

    Word by Word: We work until six.

    Short for dirbame.

  2. Einam į kavinę!

    Let's go to the café!

    Word by Word: We-go to café!

  3. Ką veikiat savaitgalį?

    What are you doing this weekend?

    Word by Word: What do-you-all this weekend?

    Short for veikiate.

  4. Vakar ilgai kalbėjom.

    We talked for a long time yesterday.

    Word by Word: Yesterday long we-talked.

    Short for kalbėjome.

  5. Susitiksim rytoj!

    See you tomorrow!

    Word by Word: We-will-meet tomorrow!

    Short for susitiksime.

  6. Palaukit minutėlę!

    Wait a moment!

    Word by Word: Wait a-little-minute!

    Short for palaukite.

Common Mistakes

  • Dropping the whole ending instead of only the final -e.

    Mes dirba iki šešių.
    Mes dirbam iki šešių.

    Dirba is the form for he, she and they. The short we form keeps the -m: dirbam.

  • Using the short infinitive instead of the you (plural) form.

    Ar jūs dirbt šiandien?
    Ar jūs dirbat šiandien?

    Dirbt is a short form of the infinitive dirbti. With jūs, the verb form is dirbat or dirbate.

How It Connects

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Short Plural Endings in SpeechLevel 4

Learn This First

Short plural verb endings are variants of familiar full present forms.