Things That Happen by Themselves

Level 4

English uses the same verb in I opened the door and the door opened. Lithuanian adds -si- for the second one: Jis atidarė duris → Durys atsidarė.

How It Works

1. Common pairs.

  • atidaryti → atsidaryti (to open something → to open)
  • uždaryti → užsidaryti (to close something → to close)
  • įjungti → įsijungti (to switch something on → to come on)
  • išjungti → išsijungti (to switch something off → to go off)
  • pradėti → prasidėti (to start something → to begin)
  • baigti → baigtis (to finish something → to end)
  • keisti → keistis (to change something → to change)

The -si- goes after the prefix, as explained in Reflexive -si- After a Prefix.

2. Starting and ending. English says the lesson starts with the same verb as the teacher starts the lesson. Lithuanian uses the reflexive verb when the event itself starts or ends:

  • Mokytoja pradeda pamoką. (The teacher starts the lesson.)
  • Pamoka prasideda devintą. (The lesson starts at nine.)
  • Filmas baigėsi vėlai. (The film ended late.)

For start doing, use pradėti with an infinitive. See Starting and Stopping.

3. Opening hours. Shops and offices open and close with the reflexive verb: Parduotuvė atsidaro aštuntą ir užsidaro devintą. (The shop opens at eight and closes at nine.)

4. Not every verb needs -si. Some verbs already describe a change without naming a cause: Automobilis sugedo. (The car broke down.) Stiklinė sudužo. (The glass broke.) Learn them as they come.

5. Naming the doer. To say who or what did it, use the plain verb with a subject: Vėjas atidarė langą. (The wind opened the window.) For the passive, see Passive Voice With Būti.

Examples (6)

  1. Durys atsidarė.

    The door opened.

    The sentence describes the door opening without saying what caused it.

  2. Parduotuvė užsidaro devintą.

    The shop closes at nine.

    Opening hours use the reflexive verb.

  3. Kompiuteris išsijungė.

    The computer switched off.

    The -si- goes right after the prefix iš-.

  4. Pamokos prasideda aštuntą valandą.

    Classes start at eight o'clock.

    The event itself begins, so the verb is prasidėti.

  5. Filmas baigėsi vėlai.

    The film ended late.

    Baigti means to finish something; baigtis means to come to an end.

  6. Per tuos metus miestas labai pasikeitė.

    The city changed a lot over those years.

    Pasikeisti describes a change that no one is named as causing.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the plain verb when something happens by itself.

    Durys atidarė.
    Durys atsidarė.

    Atidaryti describes someone or something opening an object. To describe the door opening, use atsidaryti.

  • Using pradėti for an event that begins.

    Pamoka pradeda devintą.
    Pamoka prasideda devintą.

    Pradėti means to start something. When the lesson itself begins, use prasidėti.

  • Adding -si- to a verb that never takes it.

    Automobilis susigedo.
    Automobilis sugedo.

    Sugesti already means to break down by itself, so it has no -si-.

How It Connects

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

Things That Happen by ThemselvesLevel 4

Learn This First

A reflexive verb can present a change without naming an external doer.