Nouns: Vocative Case — Lithuanian Grammar

The vocative is the case of direct address - the form you use when you call someone or speak straight to them by name or title. English has no special form for this (we just say "Tom!"), but Lithuanian changes the ending, and you hear it constantly in greetings and conversation.

Calling Someone

Aleksai!
Alex! (calling him; from Aleksas)
Mama, kur tu?
Mum, where are you?
Labas, drauge!
Hello, friend! (from draugas)
Vaikinai!
Guys! (plural)

Polite and Formal Address

The vocative appears in set polite forms and titles, and at the opening of letters and messages:

Laba diena, pone.
Good day, sir. (from ponas)
Ačiū, daktare.
Thank you, doctor. (from daktaras)
Prašom, ponia.
Here you are, madam.

The Singular Endings

The vocative singular usually swaps the nominative ending for a different vowel:

-as → -e: ,
-is → -i:
-a → -a (often unchanged):
-ė → -e:
-us → -au:

The Plural

In the plural, the vocative simply borrows the nominative plural form:

Vyrai!
Men!
Vaikai!
Children!

First Names

Personal names take the vocative just like other nouns, which is why you hear them constantly when people are called or greeted:

Tomai!
Tom! (from Tomas)
Jonai, ateik!
Jonas, come (here)! (from Jonas)
Rūta, kaip sekasi?
Rūta, how are you? (a feminine name in -a is often unchanged)

Adjectives in Address

When an adjective stands with the name or title, it takes the definite form - the long -asis / -oji ending - while the noun itself takes the vocative. You will see this most in the polite openings of letters:

Mielasis drauge!
Dear friend!
Gerbiamasis pone!
Dear / respected sir!
Brangioji mama!
Dear mum!

Casual Speech

In relaxed, everyday speech the vocative is sometimes replaced by the plain nominative, especially with first names - both are heard. But the true vocative is the polite, careful choice, and the one you should use when writing or addressing someone formally.

When You Hear It

You will meet the vocative mostly in greetings, calls, and the openings of messages - short, frequent, and very human. It is well worth recognising even before you can form every one yourself, because addressing a person by name is one of the first things you do in any conversation.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Lithuanian course

7 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 9. A few of them, with the words “Nouns: Vocative Case” is about in bold:

Sveiki, daktare. Aš turiu problemą.
Hello, Doctor. I have a problem.
Lesson 91

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