The Locative and Place

The Locative Singular

59.The locative answers kur? (where?) and means in or at. It is remarkable for needing no preposition: the ending alone carries the sense that English must express with a separate word. Vilniuje is "in Vilnius" entire.

Aš gyvenu Vilniuje.

I live in Vilnius. — Vilnius is a -us noun

Ji dirba universitete.

She works at the university.

Knyga yra kavinėje.

The book is in the café.

• [1] "At home" is namie, an old form standing outside the paradigm; name would be understood as "in the building".

The Locative Plural

60.The locative plural is built on the plural stem and ends in -uose, -ose or -ėse. It too takes no preposition.

Vaikai yra namuose.

The children are at home. — the plural is the ordinary way of saying 'at home' of several people

Ką tu skaitai knygose?

What do you read in books?

Direction with Į

61.Where the locative says where a thing is, the preposition į with the accusative says where it is going. The pair is exact, and the case is what carries the difference: mieste, in the town; į miestą, into the town. Verbs of motion — eiti, to go on foot; važiuoti, to go by vehicle — take it.

Aš einu į kavinę.

I am going to the café.

Aš esu kavinėje.

I am in the café.

Jie važiuoja į Vilnių.

They are travelling to Vilnius.

The Place Prepositions

62.Prepositions of place govern the genitive, with the single exception of į. Ant (on), prie (by, near), už (behind), po (under, in the sense of place, with the instrumental) and iš (out of) were begun in ¶33; set beside the locative they complete the ways of saying where a thing is.

Katė yra po stalu, o knyga ant stalo.

The cat is under the table, and the book on it.

Mes stovime prie namo.

We are standing by the house.

The Place Adverbs

63.Three adverbs answer kur? without any noun: čia (here), ten (there), namie (at home). Like all adverbs they never change. Kur itself asks the question, and a place answer stands in whatever form the sense requires — a locative, or a preposition with its case.

Kur tu esi? — Čia.

Where are you? — Here.

Jis yra namie.

He is at home.

Ten dirba mano brolis.

My brother works there.

Going on Foot and Going by Vehicle

64.Lithuanian distinguishes what English does not: eiti is to go on foot, važiuoti to go by any vehicle. Choosing wrongly is not a small error — einu į Vilnių says you propose to walk there. Both take į with the accusative for the destination.

Aš einu į kavinę.

I am walking to the café.

Aš važiuoju į Kauną.

I am travelling to Kaunas.