domėtis / rūpintis / džiaugtis + instrumental
Verbs That Take the Instrumental
After domėtis, rūpintis and džiaugtis, the thing or person goes in the instrumental: Domiuosi muzika. (I am interested in music.)
How It Works
The verbs
- domėtis (domisi, domėjosi): to be interested in: Domiuosi istorija.
- rūpintis (rūpinasi, rūpinosi): to take care of, to look after: Rūpinuosi vaikais.
- džiaugtis (džiaugiasi, džiaugėsi): to be glad about, to enjoy: Džiaugiuosi tavo sėkme.
- didžiuotis (didžiuojasi, didžiavosi): to be proud of: Didžiuojuosi tavimi.
- žavėtis (žavisi, žavėjosi): to admire: Žaviuosi jos balsu.
- naudotis (naudojasi, naudojosi): to use: Ar galiu pasinaudoti telefonu?
These are reflexive verbs; their present singular forms end in -si: aš domiuosi, tu domiesi, jis domisi. See Reflexive Verbs in -si.
The instrumental forms
sportas → sportu, menas → menu, šuo → šunimi, sėkmė → sėkme, vaikai → vaikais. Pronouns: aš → manimi, tu → tavimi, jis → juo, ji → ja. See Personal Pronoun Case Forms.
With ne-
The instrumental stays after a negated verb. Only an accusative object changes to the genitive, as in Genitive After Negation. With an unprefixed reflexive verb, ne- moves -si- after it: Nesidomiu politika. (I am not interested in politics.)
Rūpintis kuo and rūpintis dėl ko
Rūpintis kuo means to look after someone: rūpintis tėvais. Rūpintis dėl ko means to worry about something: rūpintis dėl ateities. Do not use apie with rūpintis.
Examples (6)
- Domiuosi muzika ir menu.
I am interested in music and art.
Word by Word: I-interest-myself music-INS and art-INS.
- Ar domiesi sportu?
Are you interested in sports?
Word by Word: Q you-interest-yourself sport-INS?
- Kas rūpinsis šunimi, kai išvažiuosime?
Who will look after the dog when we leave?
Word by Word: Who will-take-care dog-INS, when we-will-leave?
šuo has an irregular instrumental: šunimi.
- Džiaugiuosi tavo sėkme.
I am glad about your success.
Word by Word: I-rejoice your success-INS.
- Tėvai labai didžiuojasi savo sūnumi.
The parents are very proud of their son.
Word by Word: Parents very are-proud own son-INS.
- Ar galiu pasinaudoti tavo telefonu?
Can I use your phone?
Word by Word: Q (I) can use your phone-INS?
Common Mistakes
Adding apie after rūpintis.
Reikia rūpintis apie vaikus.Reikia rūpintis vaikais.Rūpintis apie ką is a translation of other languages and is not used in standard Lithuanian. The person you look after goes in the instrumental: vaikais.
Using the accusative after domėtis.
Domiuosi sportą.Domiuosi sportu.Domėtis takes the instrumental, not a direct object in the accusative: sportas becomes sportu.
How It Connects
Learn This First
These verbs select an instrumental complement without a preposition.
Related Patterns
- bijoti / klausytis / pasiilgti + genitiveFeelings and Listening with the Genitive
Another group of feeling verbs, which take the genitive instead.
Level 3 - laukti / ieškoti / prašyti + genitiveVerbs That Take the Genitive
Common verbs that take the genitive.
Level 2 - padėti / dėkoti / skambinti + dativeVerbs That Take the Dative
Common verbs that take the dative.
Level 2 - laikyti / vadinti + instrumentalConsidering and Calling with the Instrumental
Later, more verbs use the instrumental to name a role.
Level 5
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.