aukštyn / žemyn / pirmyn
Upward, Downward and Forward
These words in -yn express direction: aukštyn (up), žemyn (down), pirmyn (forward). Use them for movement or the direction of a gaze: Lipk laiptais aukštyn.
How It Works
1. The main words.
- aukštyn: up, upward. Žiūrėk aukštyn! (Look up!)
- žemyn: down, downward. Liftas važiuoja žemyn. (The lift is going down.)
- pirmyn: forward, ahead. Žengėme žingsnį pirmyn. (We took a step forward.)
- atgal: back, backward. Jis žengė du žingsnius atgal. (He took two steps back.)
2. More words in -yn. The same ending appears in tolyn (farther on), artyn (closer) and gilyn (deeper). With vis they mean more and more: vis aukštyn (higher and higher).
3. Direction versus location. Like namie and namo, Lithuanian keeps where to apart from where:
- Direction: Lipk aukštyn. Location: Jis gyvena aukštai. (He lives high up.)
- Direction: Eik žemyn. Location: Laukiu tavęs apačioje. (I'm waiting for you downstairs.)
4. No preposition. These words already contain the direction, so they never take į: Eik aukštyn, not Eik į aukštyn. With a noun, use į instead: Eik į viršų (Go to the top).
5. Time. Pirmyn and atgal can move clocks: Laikrodžius reikia pasukti valanda pirmyn (The clocks have to be turned forward an hour). For ago, use prieš: prieš dvejus metus (two years ago).
Examples (6)
- Lipk laiptais aukštyn.
Climb up the stairs.
Laiptais is the instrumental of route, and aukštyn gives the direction.
- Liftas važiuoja žemyn.
The lift is going down.
- Žiūrėk aukštyn!
Look up!
Looking toward something also counts as direction.
- Žengėme žingsnį pirmyn.
We took a step forward.
Also used figuratively: we made progress.
- Laikrodžius reikia pasukti valanda pirmyn.
The clocks have to be turned forward an hour.
Valanda is instrumental: by an hour.
- Jis žengė du žingsnius atgal.
He took two steps back.
Atgal has no -yn, but it belongs to the same group.
Common Mistakes
Using a direction word for a location.
Jis gyvena aukštyn.Jis gyvena aukštai.Aukštyn means upward and gives a direction. To say where someone lives, use aukštai.
Adding į before a direction word.
Eik į aukštyn.Eik aukštyn.Aukštyn already means toward the top, so no preposition is needed.
Using žemyn for a place.
Laukiu tavęs žemyn.Laukiu tavęs apačioje.To name the place where you are waiting, use apačioje. Žemyn gives a direction instead.
Related Patterns
- namie / namoAt Home and Homeward
Another pair that separates where from where to.
Level 2 - į + accusativeInto and to with Į
The preposition for direction with nouns, never used with -yn words.
Level 1 - Locative of Place
The locative, used for where something is.
Level 1 - eiti / važiuotiGoing on Foot and by Vehicle
Common verbs of movement that combine with these words.
Level 2 - Instrumental of Route
Says which way you go: laiptais aukštyn.
Level 3 - Old Direction Cases: laukan, vakaropOld Direction Cases: Laukan and Vakarop (Recognition)
Old direction forms such as laukan, related to -yn words.
Level 6
Words in This Pattern
Practice aukštyn / žemyn / pirmyn in Bubblegum
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