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Introduction to Lithuanian Basics:
Lesson 18

By Linas

The word for that (as in that thing) is…:

That

Answer: Tas
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If you change it a bit by replacing t with k (which is such a question-letter) you get the word for who. Guess how you say who in Lithuanian:

Who

Answer: Kas
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If you want to ask who somebody is, you simply say “Who you are” with a rising intonation (you don’t change the word order as English does). Try asking it informally:

Who are you?

Answer: Kas tu esi?
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What about:

Who has it.

Answer: Kas tai turi?
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Remember the last lesson and say it with emphasizing “it”.

Who has IT?

Answer: Kas turi tai?
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You already know that almost everything that applies to tas also applies to taip. So, if tas means like that and k is the question letter… can you guess what kaip? means:

Kaip

Answer: How
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We will be getting back to this later. Now, let’s concentrate on kas.

You will need to ask people formally. Use jūs and ask who you are?

Who are you?

Answer: Kas jūs esate?
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You see how it works: you don’t change the word order for questions in Lithuanian so you just put kas in front. Try this with it is. First, say:

It is.

Answer: Tai yra.
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Now, say:

Who is it?

Answer: Kas tai yra?
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Do you remember how to say he does:

He does.

Answer: Jis daro.
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Ask:

Who does it.

Answer: Kas tai daro?
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What about:

Who doesn’t do it?

Answer: Kas to nedaro?
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Who wants it?

Answer: Kas to nori?
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You can also ask things like:

Who’s speaking?

Answer: Kas kalba?
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Lithuanians would sometimes phrase that sentence as:

Who’s speaking here?

Answer: Kas čia kalba?
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As you see, kas is a very useful word. There is a lot more to how it can be used but we need to learn some other important things before we can do that. We’re going to put that off to a future lesson for now.