Prefix nu-

The Prefix Nu-

Level 3

Nu- has three everyday jobs: going over to a place, as in nueiti į parduotuvę; moving down or off, as in nulipti nuo kėdės and nuimti kepurę; and getting something done, as in nupirkti duonos.

How It Works

1. Going over to a place

nueiti (to go over to, on foot), nuvažiuoti (to go over to, by vehicle), nunešti (to take something over to): Nunešk laišką į paštą. (Take the letter to the post office.) Compare at-, which means coming here: ateiti, atnešti. See The Prefix At-.

2. Down and off

nulipti (to climb down, to get off), nukristi (to fall down), nuimti (to take off or down), nusiimti (to take off your own hat or glasses). The surface you leave goes with nuo + genitive: Katė nušoko nuo stalo. (The cat jumped off the table.) See From and Since With Nuo and Prefixes Paired With Prepositions.

3. Getting it done

With some verbs, nu- mainly makes the action complete: pirkti → nupirkti (to buy), piešti → nupiešti (to draw), fotografuoti → nufotografuoti (to take a photo). Other verbs use pa- for this, so learn each verb with its usual prefix. See The Prefix Pa- and Ongoing Versus Completed Actions.

Reflexive verbs

-si- goes right after nu-: nusiprausti, nusipirkti, nusiimti. See Reflexive -si- After a Prefix.

Examples (6)

  1. Nueisiu į parduotuvę ir nupirksiu duonos.

    I will go over to the shop and buy some bread.

    Word by Word: (I) will-go-over into shop and will-buy of-bread.

    Nueisiu describes going toward the shop from the starting viewpoint; nupirksiu presents the future purchase as a whole event.

  2. Vaikas nulipo nuo medžio.

    The child climbed down from the tree.

    Word by Word: Child climbed-down from tree.

  3. Puodelis nukrito ant grindų.

    The cup fell onto the floor.

    Word by Word: Cup fell-down onto floor.

  4. Nusiimk kepurę, čia šilta.

    Take off your hat, it's warm in here.

    Word by Word: Take-off-your hat, here warm.

    -si- sits right after nu-.

  5. Rytoj nuvažiuosime prie jūros.

    Tomorrow we will drive to the seaside.

    Word by Word: Tomorrow (we) will-drive-over to sea.

  6. Kas nupiešė šį paveikslėlį?

    Who drew this picture?

    Word by Word: Who drew this picture?

    Here nu- simply makes the drawing a finished action.

Common Mistakes

  • Dropping nuo after a nu- verb of coming down.

    Nulipk stalo!
    Nulipk nuo stalo!

    The surface you climb down from needs nuo + genitive. The prefix nu- does not replace the preposition.

  • Using nu- for coming toward the speaker.

    Nueik čia, noriu tau kai ką parodyti.
    Ateik čia, noriu tau kai ką parodyti.

    Nueiti means going over there, away from the speaker. For coming here, use at-: ateik.

How It Connects

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

Prefix nu-Level 3The Prefix Nu-

Learn This First

Nu- can express movement away, downward movement or removal.