Kas nutiko?
What happened?
Phrase in 30 Seconds
The essential way to ask 'What happened?' or 'What's wrong?' in any Lithuanian social situation.
- Means: 'What happened?' or 'What's the matter?'
- Used in: Accidents, seeing someone sad, or entering a messy room.
- Don't confuse: With 'Kas tu?', which means 'Who are you?'
Explanation at your level:
뜻
Asking about an event or problem.
문화적 배경
In Lithuania, asking 'Kas nutiko?' is often followed by a long, honest explanation. Unlike in some Western cultures where 'How are you?' is a formality, this question invites a real conversation. On Lithuanian social media (Facebook, Instagram), 'Kas nutiko?' is a common comment on cryptic status updates, often shortened to just 'Kas?' in very informal contexts. In a Lithuanian office, 'Kas nutiko?' is used to address technical failures or missed deadlines. It is direct but not necessarily aggressive. In villages, neighbors are very observant. If they see a strange car in your yard, they might come over and ask 'Kas nutiko?' out of a mix of curiosity and communal care.
Use it for empathy
If someone looks sad, 'Kas nutiko?' is the kindest thing you can say in Lithuanian.
Don't use Accusative
Never say 'Ką nutiko?'. It's a very common beginner mistake.
뜻
Asking about an event or problem.
Use it for empathy
If someone looks sad, 'Kas nutiko?' is the kindest thing you can say in Lithuanian.
Don't use Accusative
Never say 'Ką nutiko?'. It's a very common beginner mistake.
Add 'tau'
Adding 'tau' (to you) makes it more personal: 'Kas tau nutiko?'
Be ready for the answer
Lithuanians take this question seriously and will likely give you a detailed answer.
셀프 테스트
Fill in the missing word to ask 'What happened?'
___ nutiko?
'Kas' is the nominative form used for the subject of the sentence.
Which sentence is correct to ask 'What happened to you?'
Choose the correct option:
The person to whom something happens must be in the dative case ('tau').
Complete the dialogue.
A: Tu atrodai labai liūdnas. B: Taip, man skauda galvą. A: O ne! ___?
'Kas nutiko?' is the appropriate response to seeing someone in distress.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: You see a car crash on the street.
You use this phrase to inquire about an accident or event.
🎉 점수: /4
시각 학습 자료
Nutiko vs. Atsitiko
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문It is neutral. You can use it in almost any situation, from family dinners to business meetings.
They are 99% interchangeable. 'Atsitiko' is slightly more common for accidents, while 'nutiko' is more general.
No. 'What's up?' as a greeting is 'Kas naujo?' or 'Kaip sekasi?'. 'Kas nutiko?' implies something is wrong.
You can start with 'Niekas' (Nothing) or explain the event: 'Aš pamečiau raktus' (I lost my keys).
Because the event is the subject of the sentence. In Lithuanian, subjects are always in the nominative case ('Kas').
Yes, the form 'nutiko' stays the same for both singular and plural subjects.
Yes, if you see them in trouble (e.g., they fell down or their car broke). It's seen as helpful.
Only if your tone is aggressive. With a soft tone, it sounds very caring.
Yes, 'Kas yra?' is a shorter, more casual version often used among friends.
Lithuanian doesn't have a past perfect like English, so 'Kas nutiko?' covers both 'What happened?' and 'What had happened?'.
관련 표현
Kas atsitiko?
synonymWhat happened?
Kas darosi?
similarWhat's going on?
Kas yra?
similarWhat is it? / What's wrong?
Kas įvyko?
formalWhat occurred?
Kas naujo?
contrastWhat's new?
Kas per...?
builds onWhat kind of...?
어디서 쓸까?
Seeing a friend crying
A: Kas nutiko? Kodėl tu verki?
B: Aš pamečiau savo piniginę.
Coming home to a mess
Mama: Vaikai, kas čia nutiko?
Vaikas: Mes tiesiog žaidėme...
Late for a meeting
Vadovas: Jūs vėluojate. Kas nutiko?
Darbuotojas: Atsiprašau, buvo didelės spūstys.
Computer crash
A: Mano kompiuteris išsijungė!
B: Kas nutiko? Ar paspaudei ką nors?
Hearing a loud noise
Kaimynas: Kas nutiko? Kas per garsas?
Kitas kaimynas: Manau, kad nukrito medis.
Reading a shocking headline
A: Ar matei naujienas?
B: Ne, kas nutiko?
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Kas' as 'Case' and 'Nutiko' as 'No-Tea-Go'. 'The Case of the No-Tea-Go'—What happened to the tea?
Visual Association
Imagine a detective with a magnifying glass looking at a broken clock. The clock hands are frozen, and he whispers 'Kas nutiko?'
Rhyme
Kas nutiko? / Širdį pernieko.
Story
You walk into a room and see your cat wearing a tiny hat. You are so confused you drop your keys. You look at the cat and say 'Kas nutiko?'. The cat just meows.
Word Web
챌린지
Next time you see a piece of news or a strange photo on social media, say 'Kas nutiko?' out loud before reading the caption.
In Other Languages
¿Qué pasó?
Spanish uses the preterite, Lithuanian uses the simple past.
Qu'est-ce qui s'est passé ?
French requires a reflexive verb ('se passer').
Was ist passiert?
German uses an auxiliary verb; Lithuanian does not.
何があったの? (Nani ga atta no?)
Japanese focuses on the existence of an event rather than the 'happening' action.
ماذا حدث؟ (Madha hadath?)
Arabic has different forms for formal (Fusha) and dialects.
发生了什么? (Fāshēngle shénme?)
Word order is often reversed compared to Lithuanian.
무슨 일이에요? (Museun irieyo?)
Korean uses a noun-based approach ('what matter').
O que aconteceu?
Portuguese often includes the definite article 'O' before 'que'.
Easily Confused
Learners hear 'Kas' and think it's the same question.
Remember that 'tu' is 'you'. 'Kas tu?' is 'Who are you?', which is very different from 'What happened?'.
Both are used when meeting someone.
'Kaip sekasi?' is 'How is it going?' (general). 'Kas nutiko?' is 'What happened?' (specific event/problem).
자주 묻는 질문 (10)
It is neutral. You can use it in almost any situation, from family dinners to business meetings.
They are 99% interchangeable. 'Atsitiko' is slightly more common for accidents, while 'nutiko' is more general.
No. 'What's up?' as a greeting is 'Kas naujo?' or 'Kaip sekasi?'. 'Kas nutiko?' implies something is wrong.
You can start with 'Niekas' (Nothing) or explain the event: 'Aš pamečiau raktus' (I lost my keys).
Because the event is the subject of the sentence. In Lithuanian, subjects are always in the nominative case ('Kas').
Yes, the form 'nutiko' stays the same for both singular and plural subjects.
Yes, if you see them in trouble (e.g., they fell down or their car broke). It's seen as helpful.
Only if your tone is aggressive. With a soft tone, it sounds very caring.
Yes, 'Kas yra?' is a shorter, more casual version often used among friends.
Lithuanian doesn't have a past perfect like English, so 'Kas nutiko?' covers both 'What happened?' and 'What had happened?'.