Signification
Expressing fear or anxiety.
Contexte culturel
Lithuanians often use 'baisiai' (the adverb form) to mean 'very' in a positive sense, like 'baisiai gražu' (terribly beautiful). This can be confusing for learners! Fear in Lithuanian culture is historically linked to the forest. Many traditional fairy tales involve characters getting lost and feeling 'baisu' because of forest spirits. On Lithuanian TikTok or Instagram, you'll see 'Man baisu' used as a comment on cringe-worthy or shocking videos, similar to 'I'm dead' or 'This is terrifying.' Lithuanian parents often encourage children by saying 'Nėra ko bijoti' (There's nothing to fear) when a child says 'Man baisu.'
The Dative Rule
Almost all feelings in Lithuanian (cold, hot, sad, scary) use 'Man' (To me). Master this and you master Lithuanian emotions!
Don't be 'Baisus'
Avoid saying 'Aš esu baisus' unless you are dressed as a zombie for Halloween.
Signification
Expressing fear or anxiety.
The Dative Rule
Almost all feelings in Lithuanian (cold, hot, sad, scary) use 'Man' (To me). Master this and you master Lithuanian emotions!
Don't be 'Baisus'
Avoid saying 'Aš esu baisus' unless you are dressed as a zombie for Halloween.
Honesty is Key
Lithuanians value emotional honesty. Saying 'Man baisu' is not seen as weakness, but as being 'tikras' (real).
Teste-toi
Choose the correct way to say 'I am scared' in Lithuanian.
How do you say 'I am scared'?
'Man baisu' uses the dative case 'Man' which is the correct way to express this feeling.
Fill in the missing word to say 'We were scared.'
Mums ____ baisu.
'Buvo' is the past tense of 'to be' (it was).
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: You are about to jump with a parachute.
Fear is the most likely emotion before skydiving!
Complete the dialogue.
A: Ar nori žiūrėti šį siaubo filmą? B: Ne, ____.
'Man baisu' is the natural response to declining a horror movie.
Match the Lithuanian pronoun to its dative form used with 'baisu'.
Match the pairs:
These are the correct dative forms for expressing feelings.
🎉 Score : /5
Aides visuelles
I am vs. To me
Banque d exercices
5 exercicesHow do you say 'I am scared'?
'Man baisu' uses the dative case 'Man' which is the correct way to express this feeling.
Mums ____ baisu.
'Buvo' is the past tense of 'to be' (it was).
Situation: You are about to jump with a parachute.
Fear is the most likely emotion before skydiving!
A: Ar nori žiūrėti šį siaubo filmą? B: Ne, ____.
'Man baisu' is the natural response to declining a horror movie.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
These are the correct dative forms for expressing feelings.
🎉 Score : /5
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYes, but 'Man neramu' (I'm uneasy) might be more accurate for small things.
It is always 'Man'. 'Mano' means 'my' and is incorrect here.
Just add 'ne': 'Man nebaisu'.
It's a bit too informal. Better to say 'Aš šiek tiek jaudinuosi' (I'm a bit nervous).
'Baisu' is the state of being scared. 'Baisiai' is an adverb meaning 'terribly' or 'very'.
Yes, very often! It's a staple in Lithuanian pop and rock lyrics about love and life.
No, because it's an impersonal construction, it stays 'baisu' for everyone.
Grammatically, it's better to say 'Man baisu vorų' (Genitive) or 'Aš bijau vorų'.
Yes, it's neutral. It's neither rude nor overly formal.
Exactly the same: 'Mama, man baisu!'
Expressions liées
Aš bijau
similarI fear
Man šiurpu
specialized formI get the creeps
Baimės akys didelės
similarFear has big eyes
Man ramu
contrastI am calm
Nėra ko bijoti
builds onThere is nothing to fear
