The Three Principal Parts
Learn every verb as three forms: the infinitive, the present he/she does and the past he/she did. For example, dirbti – dirba – dirbo (to work – works – worked).
How It Works
Three forms, one verb
Dictionaries and textbooks list each verb with three forms:
- dirbti – dirba – dirbo (to work)
- skaityti – skaito – skaitė (to read)
- kalbėti – kalba – kalbėjo (to speak)
- eiti – eina – ėjo (to go on foot)
- gerti – geria – gėrė (to drink)
The third-person forms are the same for one person and for many: jis dirba, jie dirba.
What each form gives you
- The present (dirba) gives every present form: dirbu, dirbi, dirbame. Its last vowel, -a, -i or -o, shows which endings to use. See The Present Tense.
- The past (dirbo, skaitė) gives every past form. It ends in -o or -ė, and the two take different endings. See Simple Past in -o and Simple Past in -ė.
- The infinitive (dirbti) gives the future, dirbsiu, and other forms you will meet later. See The Infinitive in -ti.
Why you need all three
Often the stem stays the same, but not always. It can change between the forms: pirkti – perka – pirko (to buy), gerti – geria – gėrė (to drink). The ending can be hard to guess too: mylėti – myli (to love) but kalbėti – kalba (to speak). See Vowel Changes in the Principal Parts.
Būti is special: būti – yra – buvo. See The Verb Būti in the Present.
Examples (6)
- dirbti – dirba – dirbo
to work – works – worked
A verb with a regular stem and a past in -o.
- skaityti – skaito – skaitė
to read – reads – read
The past ends in -ė, so it takes the -ė endings.
- eiti – eina – ėjo
to go – goes – went
The present and past cannot be guessed from the infinitive.
- Aš dirbu banke.
I work at a bank.
Word by Word: I work at-bank.
dirbu is built from the present form dirba.
- Vakar skaičiau knygą.
Yesterday I read a book.
Word by Word: Yesterday (I) read book.
skaičiau is built from the past form skaitė.
- Jis ėjo namo.
He went home.
Word by Word: He went homeward.
ėjo is the third principal part of eiti.
Common Mistakes
Building the present from the infinitive.
Aš norėju kavos.Aš noriu kavos.The present comes from the second principal part: norėti, nori, norėjo, so the form is noriu.
Guessing the past from the present.
Vakar jis matojo Rūtą.Vakar jis matė Rūtą.The past comes from the third principal part: matyti, mato, matė. Learn it with the verb.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The infinitive, present and past principal parts identify the stems needed for other forms.
Related Patterns
- Past -oSimple Past in -o
The past endings for verbs whose third part ends in -o.
Level 2 - Past -ėSimple Past in -ė
The past endings for verbs whose third part ends in -ė.
Level 2 - Vowel Changes in the Principal Parts
Verbs whose root vowel changes between the parts.
Level 3 - Future -s-The Future Tense
The future, built from the infinitive.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
- Present -n- and -st-Present Stems with -n- and -st-Level 3
- Conditional: -čiau, -tum, -tųThe Conditional MoodLevel 4
- Verbal Nouns: -imas, -ymasVerbal Nouns in -imasLevel 4
- One Quick Action: -telėtiOne Quick Action with -telėtiLevel 5
- Present Passive Participle -masPresent Passive ParticipleLevel 5
- Gerunds: -ant, -usGerunds in -ant and -usLevel 5
- Present Active Participle -antisPresent Active ParticipleLevel 5
- Noun-Derived Verbs: -auti, -uotiVerbs from Nouns in -auti and -uotiLevel 6
And 1 more in the full list.
Practice The Three Principal Parts in Bubblegum
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