Rules For Using Lithuanian Prepositions Correctly
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Lithuanian prepositions are small but powerful words that link nouns to other parts of a sentence.
They tell us about location, time, direction, and relationships between objects.
The most critical rule in Lithuanian grammar is that every preposition requires the following noun to be in a specific case.
You can never use a preposition with a noun in its basic dictionary form.
The noun’s ending must change depending on which preposition you choose to use.
Table of contents:
The golden rule of Lithuanian prepositions
Lithuanian has seven different noun cases.
However, prepositions are only ever used with three of them: the Genitive, Accusative, and Instrumental cases.
You’ll never use a preposition with the Nominative, Dative, Locative, or Vocative cases.
If you memorize which case goes with which preposition, your sentences will always be grammatically correct.
Prepositions with the genitive case
The Genitive case (kilmininkas) is the most common case used with prepositions in Lithuanian.
These prepositions usually describe origin, static location, or the absence of something.
When you use these words, the noun following them must take a Genitive ending.
| Preposition | Meaning | Example in Lithuanian |
|---|---|---|
| iš | from / out of | Iš namo (out of the house) |
| ant | on / on top of | Ant stalo (on the table) |
| iki | until / as far as | Iki ryto (until morning) |
| prie | at / near / by | Prie jūros (near the sea) |
| be | without | Be cukraus (without sugar) |
Prepositions with the accusative case
The Accusative case (galininkas) is closely associated with motion or direction.
Prepositions that take the Accusative show movement toward a destination or passage through space.
Make sure to change the noun to its Accusative form when using these action-oriented words.
| Preposition | Meaning | Example in Lithuanian |
|---|---|---|
| į | to / into | Į miestą (into the city) |
| pas | to / at someone’s place | Pas gydytoją (to the doctor) |
| per | across / through | Per gatvę (across the street) |
| pro | through / past | Pro langą (through the window) |
| apie | about | Apie tave (about you) |
Prepositions with the instrumental case
The Instrumental case (įnagininkas) is used to describe companionship or physical position.
Only a few prepositions take the Instrumental case in everyday speech.
The absolute most important one you’ll use daily is su, which translates directly to “with”.
| Preposition | Meaning | Example in Lithuanian |
|---|---|---|
| su | with | Su draugu (with a friend) |
| po | under / beneath | Po stalu (under the table) |
| ties | by / at / right by | Ties riba (at the limit) |
Prepositions that change meaning based on case
A few Lithuanian prepositions can take more than one case.
The meaning of the preposition changes completely depending on the grammatical case you pair it with.
The word už is a perfect example of this rule.
When used with the Genitive case, už means “behind”.
Šuo yra už namo.
When used with the Accusative case, už changes to mean “for” (as in paying for something or doing something in exchange).
Ačiū už pagalbą.
The word po is another common preposition with dual meanings.
When paired with the Genitive case, it indicates time and means “after”.
Aš miegosiu po darbo.
When paired with the Instrumental case, po indicates location and means “under” or “beneath”.
Katė yra po stalu.
