Meaning
The process of acquiring new linguistic skills.
Cultural Background
Lithuanians are very proud of their language's antiquity. Learning it is seen as a sign of deep respect for their history. In the Baltics, being trilingual (Lithuanian, English, Russian/German) is often the baseline for employment. The 'Lietuvių kalbos institutas' (Institute of the Lithuanian Language) is the official guardian of the language and sets the standards for how it is taught. The 'Knygnešiai' (Book Smugglers) risked their lives to bring Lithuanian books into the country during the 19th-century ban, making the act of learning the language a heroic deed.
The Genitive Rule
Always remember that 'mokytis' is hungry for the Genitive case. Never use the Accusative!
Reflexive Endings
Be careful with the reflexive endings; they change for every person (aš mokausi, tu mokaisi).
Meaning
The process of acquiring new linguistic skills.
The Genitive Rule
Always remember that 'mokytis' is hungry for the Genitive case. Never use the Accusative!
Reflexive Endings
Be careful with the reflexive endings; they change for every person (aš mokausi, tu mokaisi).
Context Matters
Use 'mokytis' to sound more natural and humble than 'studijuoti' in casual conversation.
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct form of the verb 'mokytis' in the present tense.
Aš _______ lietuvių kalbos.
The first person singular ('I') form of 'mokytis' is 'mokausi'.
Choose the correct case for the word 'kalba'.
Mums patinka mokytis ______.
The verb 'mokytis' requires the genitive plural form 'kalbų'.
Complete the dialogue with the most natural phrase.
Jonas: Ką tu veiki vakarais? Eglė: ___________.
'Aš mokausi kalbų' is the correct way to say 'I am learning languages'.
Match the Lithuanian phrase with its English translation.
Match the following:
These are the standard present tense conjugations of the reflexive verb.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesAš _______ lietuvių kalbos.
The first person singular ('I') form of 'mokytis' is 'mokausi'.
Mums patinka mokytis ______.
The verb 'mokytis' requires the genitive plural form 'kalbų'.
Jonas: Ką tu veiki vakarais? Eglė: ___________.
'Aš mokausi kalbų' is the correct way to say 'I am learning languages'.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These are the standard present tense conjugations of the reflexive verb.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questionsBecause the reflexive verb 'mokytis' historically implies a partitive action (learning 'of' something), which requires the genitive case in Lithuanian.
Yes, you can say 'mokytis groti pianinu', but 'mokytis kalbų' is a specific collocation for linguistics.
It is neutral. It can be used in both very formal and very informal situations.
You say 'Aš mokausi savarankiškai'.
'Mokintis' is a common but non-standard variant. Stick to 'mokytis' for correct, standard Lithuanian.
Related Phrases
studijuoti kalbas
similarTo study languages (academically)
išmokti kalbą
builds onTo have learned a language
mokyti kitus
contrastTo teach others
kalbų mokėjimas
specialized formLanguage proficiency
