kuris / kuri
Which with Kuris
Kuri knyga tavo? Which book is yours? · Kuris iš jūsų? Which of you?
How It Works
Choosing from a group. Use kuris when the options are known: Kuri knyga tavo – raudona ar mėlyna? (Which book is yours, the red one or the blue one?) Use koks when you ask about the kind or quality: Kokią knygą skaitai? (What kind of book are you reading?)
The forms.
kuris, kurio, kuriam, kurį, kuriuo, kuriame · kuri, kurios, kuriai, kurią, kuria, kurioje
Plural: kurie, kurių, kuriems, kuriuos, kuriais, kuriuose · kurios, kurių, kurioms, kurias, kuriomis, kuriose
Following the noun's case. The question word takes whatever case its noun needs: Kuriame name gyveni? (Which building do you live in? – locative), Kuriam draugui skambini? (Which friend are you calling? – dative), Su kuriuo draugu eini? (Which friend are you going with? – instrumental).
Which of you. Use iš with the genitive plural to name the group: Kuris iš jūsų kalba lietuviškai? (Which of you speaks Lithuanian?) Kurią iš šių suknelių pirksi? (Which of these dresses will you buy?)
Which in order. To ask about a position in a row, such as a floor or a time, Lithuanian also uses kelintas: Kelintame aukšte gyveni? See ordinal numbers. Kuris also joins relative clauses, as in knyga, kurią skaitau (the book that I am reading).
Examples (6)
- Kuri knyga tavo?
Which book is yours?
- Kuriame aukšte gyveni?
Which floor do you live on?
Word by Word: In-which floor live-you?
Aukšte is locative, so kuris becomes kuriame.
- Kuris iš jūsų kalba lietuviškai?
Which of you speaks Lithuanian?
- Kurio pyrago nori – obuolių ar vyšnių?
Which cake do you want, apple or cherry?
- Kuriomis dienomis dirbi?
Which days do you work?
- Su kuriuo draugu eini į kiną?
Which friend are you going to the cinema with?
Common Mistakes
Not matching the gender of the noun.
Kuris knyga tavo?Kuri knyga tavo?Knyga is feminine, so the question word is kuri.
Using the wrong case for the question word.
Kurį aukšte gyveni?Kuriame aukšte gyveni?Kurį is accusative. With locative aukšte, use the locative kuriame.
Using the nominative for a group after iš.
Kuris iš jūs žino atsakymą?Kuris iš jūsų žino atsakymą?Iš takes the genitive, so "of you" is iš jūsų.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Kuris asks for one member of a known choice set and agrees with its noun.
Related Patterns
- koks / kokiaWhat Kind with Koks
Koks asks what kind; kuris asks which one from a group.
Level 2 - Relative kuris / kuriRelative Clauses with Kuris
The same word joins relative clauses such as knyga, kurią skaitau.
Level 3 - Ordinal Numbers
Kelintas asks which one in order, such as a floor or a day.
Level 2 - kas / kąQuestion Word Kas
Kas asks who or what without a noun.
Level 1 - iš + genitiveFrom with Iš
Kuris iš jūsų uses iš with the genitive to name the group.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.