Meaning
Being very old or near death.
Cultural Background
Lithuanians often use dark humor to cope with difficult realities like aging. This idiom is a prime example of 'juodas humoras'. In rural areas, the proximity to nature and the cycle of life makes death a less taboo subject than in urban Western cultures. Classic authors often used this phrase to describe the decay of the nobility or the end of an era. In the Vilnius tech scene, this idiom is used cynically to describe startups that have lost their funding.
Watch your audience
Never use this with someone who is sensitive about their age unless you are very close friends.
Use for objects
It's a great, natural way to complain about old technology or cars.
Meaning
Being very old or near death.
Watch your audience
Never use this with someone who is sensitive about their age unless you are very close friends.
Use for objects
It's a great, natural way to complain about old technology or cars.
Dark humor
Lithuanians appreciate the irony of this phrase; don't be afraid to use it for self-deprecation.
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing word in the idiom.
Mano senas kompiuteris jau viena ____ kape.
The idiom is 'viena koja kape' (one foot in the grave).
Which situation is best for using this idiom?
When would you say 'Viena koja kape'?
The idiom is used for things or people that are near their end.
Match the Lithuanian phrase with its English equivalent.
Match the following:
These are common health-related idioms.
Complete the dialogue with the correct form.
A: Ar tavo mašina dar važiuoja? B: Vos vos, ji jau ____.
The context 'Vos vos' (barely) suggests the car is dying.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesMano senas kompiuteris jau viena ____ kape.
The idiom is 'viena koja kape' (one foot in the grave).
When would you say 'Viena koja kape'?
The idiom is used for things or people that are near their end.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These are common health-related idioms.
A: Ar tavo mašina dar važiuoja? B: Vos vos, ji jau ____.
The context 'Vos vos' (barely) suggests the car is dying.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsIt can be. It's informal and blunt. Use it with friends, not strangers.
Yes! It's very common to say 'Aš jau viena koja kape' when you are tired or feeling old.
It literally means 'One foot in the grave'.
Usually, we keep the phrase as is, even for multiple people: 'Jie viena koja kape'.
Yes, it's a common metaphor for a failing company.
No, 'kicking the bucket' means you are dead. This means you are *almost* dead.
Yes, mostly ironically to describe being tired or hungover.
It is the locative case (vietininkas).
Yes, 'silpnos sveikatos' (of weak health) is much more polite.
Yes, it's often used for very old dogs or cats.
Related Phrases
Ant mirties slenksčio
similarOn the threshold of death
Atiduoti dūšią
builds onTo give up the soul
Sveikas kaip ridikas
contrastHealthy as a radish
Kratyti kojas
synonymTo shake the legs (kick the bucket)
