Lithuanian is one of the oldest spoken languages in the world, full of unique words and idioms which help native speakers express their thoughts. Here’s our list of the most interesting Lithuanian expressions which would be useful to have in English.
Dievinu
Dievas means God in Lithuanian language, so if we translate the word dievinu in English, it would mean adjusting something to be like God. Lithuanians use this word to express feeling something that exceeds perfect, in their eyes.
Pasikaustęs
Particle -si
Lithuanian language has this beautiful particle, -si, which indicates a person doing something to themselves. For example, to move is judėti but to move yourself is pasijudinti.
Baltas pavydas
Baltas pavydas literally means white envy. Lithuanians can be jealous, without any negativity or nastiness. You might use this phrase if a friend is going on a fancy holiday, when you’re working late or doing something boring.
Laukiu nesulaukiu
There are moments in life when you just cannot wait for something to happen, because you are impatient or too excited. Lithuanians use the phrase laukiu nesulaukiu, which literally means I wait but cannot wait.
-el, -uk
Lithuanian language has a lot of suffixes which make words sound smaller and more adorable. The most commonly used are -el and -uk. For example, namas is a house and namelis is a little house.
Vabzdulynas
When traveling, there is nothing worse than getting stuck in a beautiful place with millions of other tourists surrounding you. Vabzdulynas is the perfect word to describe such a thing. It translates as ‘crawling with insects,’ and is used when you are unable to walk freely, due to tourist overcrowding.
Neprieinamas
When someone tries really hard to seduce another, to no avail, Lithuanians would say they were neprieinama. It has a similar meaning to the English word unreachable, but it carries more power and emphasis on how impossible it is to end up with a person you love.
Akimirksnins
This word is the equivalent of the English phrase ‘a blink of an eye’ however, it also has a number of other meanings. For example, when a mom wants her kids to help her right away, instead of saying ‘now’, she might say akimirksniu.
Nemesk kelio dėl takelio
Every language has its own unique idioms which sound funny if translated to other languages. Nemesk kelio dėl takelio literally translates into English as ‘don’t throw a road for a smaller road,’ and serves as a reminder not give up on our dreams for momentary pleasures and distractions.
Nekažką
A slang word used by youngsters in Lithuania, which perfectly describes a terrible situation. For example, when one student asks another ‘how was the exam?’ and the answer is nekažką, it means it has gone really badly.
Nepakartojama
Lithuanians use this word to describe a perfect situation which will never happen again. The word literally translates to ‘unable to repeat.’ For example, if someone said šis vakaras buvo nepakartojama, it would mean something along the lines of ‘this evening was beyond incredible’.
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
