Lithuanian Declension - Adjectives

Adjectives

In Lithuanian language adjectives have three declensions determined by the singular and plural nominative case inflections. Adjectives are matched with nouns in terms of numbers, genders, and cases. Unlike nouns, which have two genders – masculine and feminine, adjectives have three (except -is, -ė adjectives), but the neuter adjectives (the third example in the table) have only one form, are not inflected.

• Most of the first type adjectives of the third declension are with the suffix -in-. These are easily made from nouns, adjectives, by adding the suffix -in-. When made from verbs, they are mostly made from a past passive participle: vìrti – to boil, vìrtas – boiled, virtìnis – which is boiled, made by boiling. Consequently the suffix is -t-in- for such adjectives. These variants of verbal derivation easily become nouns, in this case it is a noun virtìnis – dumpling (with mushrooms; curd; etc.; but dumplings with meat are called koldūnai). There are also some other word types having certain suffixes or prefixes in this declensional group: (of the first accentuation pattern) pern-ykšt-is – of yesteryear (pernai - in yesteryear); apy-geris – goodish, around good; po-geris – around good; prie-kurtis – somewhat deaf; (of the second accentuation pattern) ketvirt-ain-is, viln-on-is – woollen, graž-ut-ėl-is, rug-ien-is, maž-yl-is – tiny tot, ger-ul-is – goody, maž-ut-is – smally.
• Two adjectives of the third declension have long -ys: dešinỹs – right, kairỹs – left; plural nominative is dešinì, kairì; plural dative: dešiníems, kairíems. A short form of dìdelis, dìdelė is dìdis, didì (similar to pats, pati). Dešinys, kairys, didis have neutral gender of the u pattern: dešinu, kairu, didu. Pronominal forms: didỹsis, didžióji, dešinỹsis, dešinióji. An adjective didelis, didelė hasn't pronominal forms. The word didis has more mingled forms: nominative is sometimes didus; genitive masc.: didžio / didaus; accusative: didį (/ didų); plural masc. nom. didūs; other forms are of the regular pattern.
• Adjectives, except -inis type and an adjective didelis, can have pronominal (definite) forms
• Some other forms have variations in the standard language: pė́sčias, pėsčià, pė́sčia – pedestrian, afoot; pėsčiàsis, pėsčióji and pėstỹsis, pėsčióji (adjectival and substantival meanings).