Wishes With te-
te- + a third-person present form means let or may: Tegyvuoja Lietuva! (Long live Lithuania!) Tebūnie taip. (So be it.)
How It Works
1. The form. Join te- to the third-person present. It is written as one word:
- gyvuoja → tegyvuoja (long live)
- ateina → teateina (let him, her or them come)
- padeda → tepadeda (may it help)
The third person is the same for singular and plural, so teateina can mean let him, her or them come.
2. Old forms in -ie. A few fixed words keep an old ending: tebūnie (let it be), teesie (let it be, in prayers). You hear Tebūnie šviesa! (Let there be light!) and Tebūnie taip (So be it).
3. Where you meet it.
- Toasts and cheers: Tegyvuoja Lietuva!, Tegyvuoja jaunieji! (Long live the newlyweds!)
- Blessings and oaths: Tepadeda man Dievas (So help me God)
- Permission or giving in: Teateina, jei nori (Let him come if he wants)
4. Everyday speech. Outside fixed phrases, tegul with the present is far more common: Tegul ateina rytoj. Commands to the person you are talking to use the -k imperative instead.
5. Not tebe-. Tebe- means still, so tebegyvuoja means it is still alive. In the contrast taught here, te- marks the wish and tebe- marks continuation.
Examples (6)
- Tegyvuoja Lietuva!
Long live Lithuania!
Gyvuoja → tegyvuoja, written as one word.
- Tebūnie taip.
So be it.
An old fixed form of būti.
- Tebūnie šviesa!
Let there be light!
A famous line from the Bible.
- Tegyvuoja jaunieji!
Long live the newlyweds!
A toast at weddings. Jaunieji means the bride and groom.
- Tepadeda man Dievas.
So help me God.
The closing words of an oath.
- Teateina, jei nori.
Let him come if he wants.
Permission. Everyday speech would say Tegul ateina.
Common Mistakes
Writing te- as a separate word.
Te gyvuoja Lietuva!Tegyvuoja Lietuva!Te- is part of the verb and is joined to it.
Using tebe- when you mean a wish.
Tebegyvuoja Lietuva!Tegyvuoja Lietuva!The speaker means Long live Lithuania. Tebegyvuoja means that it is still alive.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Te- expresses a third-person wish or permission as part of the verb.
Related Patterns
- tebe-Still with Tebe-
Tebe- means still and must not be confused with te-.
Level 4 - Commands: -k, -kiteCommands with -k and -kite
The -k imperative gives commands to the person you are talking to.
Level 3 - Commands: -kimeLet's with -kime
The -kime form says let us.
Level 3 - su gimtadieniuHoliday Wishes with Su
Another set of fixed phrases for wishes and celebrations.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice Wishes With te- in Bubblegum
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