Surnames: -ienė, -aitė, -ytė, -ė

Women's Surnames

Level 2

Traditional Lithuanian surname formation distinguishes male and female forms. From Kazlauskas you get Kazlauskienė (traditionally a married woman), Kazlauskaitė (traditionally an unmarried woman) and the neutral Kazlauskė.

How It Works

The three kinds of form

  • -ienė: traditionally a married woman or widow, usually from her husband's surname.
  • -aitė, -ytė, -utė, -iūtė: traditionally an unmarried woman, from her father's surname.
  • -ė: a short form that does not show marital status. The State Language Commission has allowed it since 2003. Traditional forms are also used.

How the ending is chosen (man → married, unmarried, neutral)

  • -as: Kazlauskas → Kazlauskienė, Kazlauskaitė, Kazlauskė
  • -is: Petraitis → Petraitienė, Petraitytė, Petraitė
  • -ys: Kairys → Kairienė, Kairytė, Kairė
  • -us: Adamkus → Adamkienė, Adamkutė, Adamkė

A surname in -ius takes -iūtė for the unmarried form: Kulėšius gives Kulėšiūtė. For the neutral option, a man's surname that already ends in -ė, such as Lapė, keeps the same form. Traditional suffixed forms are also possible. Two-syllable surnames in -us or -ius may also use -uvienė or -iuvienė, as in Rimkuvienė and Seiliuvienė.

Using the surnames in sentences
All these forms are feminine nouns in -ė, so they change like other -ė nouns: Kazlauskienės (of Mrs Kazlauskienė), Kazlauskienei (to her). See The Second Declension. When you speak to her directly, use the vocative: ponia Kazlauskiene!, panele Petraityte! See Vocative Address.

Men and women side by side
Ponas Kazlauskas ir ponia Kazlauskienė are Mr and Mrs Kazlauskas. Their daughter is Kazlauskaitė. Other nouns for people also distinguish gender: see Male and Female Person Nouns.

Examples (6)

  1. Mano mama – Ona Kazlauskienė.

    My mother is Ona Kazlauskienė.

    Word by Word: My mother – Ona Kazlauskienė.

  2. Jos dukra – Rūta Kazlauskaitė.

    Her daughter is Rūta Kazlauskaitė.

    Word by Word: Her daughter – Rūta Kazlauskaitė.

    Kazlauskas ends in -as, so the unmarried form is -aitė.

  3. Petraitytė dirba mokykloje.

    Ms Petraitytė works at a school.

    Word by Word: Petraitytė works in-school.

    Petraitis ends in -is, so the unmarried form is -ytė.

  4. Tai Jono Adamkaus dukra Ieva Adamkutė.

    This is Ieva Adamkutė, Jonas Adamkus's daughter.

    Word by Word: This Jonas's Adamkus's daughter Ieva Adamkutė.

    Adamkus ends in -us, so the unmarried form is -utė.

  5. Laba diena, ponia Petraitiene!

    Good afternoon, Mrs Petraitienė!

    Word by Word: Good day, Mrs Petraitienė!

    Petraitiene is the vocative, used when you speak to her directly.

  6. Po vestuvių ji pasirinko pavardę Kazlauskė.

    After the wedding she chose the surname Kazlauskė.

    Word by Word: After wedding she chose surname Kazlauskė.

    Kazlauskė is the neutral form that does not show marital status.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the masculine form when forming a traditional Lithuanian female surname.

    Ji yra Ona Kazlauskas.
    Ji yra Ona Kazlauskienė.

    In this traditional Lithuanian pattern, Kazlauskas is the masculine form; female forms include Kazlauskienė, Kazlauskaitė and Kazlauskė. Use a real person’s own surname when addressing her.

  • Adding -aitė to a surname in -is.

    Rūta Petraitaitė
    Rūta Petraitytė

    Surnames in -is and -ys take -ytė, so Petraitis gives Petraitytė.

  • Using the dictionary form when speaking to someone.

    Laba diena, ponia Kazlauskienė!
    Laba diena, ponia Kazlauskiene!

    When you address a person, the surname goes in the vocative, so -ienė becomes -iene.