Atsakydavau

Atsakydavau is Lithuanian and represents the first-person singular imperfect past tense form of the verb atsakyti, meaning to answer or to reply. This form signals a habitual or repeated action in the past, equivalent to “I used to answer” or “I would answer” in English. It is commonly used in storytelling or descriptions of past routines.

The verb atsakyti is related to the root sak- and is formed with a prefix that gives the sense of replying or responding. In its imperfect past form, atsakydavau expresses something that happened regularly in the past rather than a single completed event. It can occur with time markers or adverbs that indicate repetition, such as dažnai (often) or visada (always), to emphasize the habitual nature of the action.

Examples:

- Aš atsakydavau į klausimus per pamoką. Translation: I would answer questions during the lesson.

- Kai mane paklausdavo, aš atsakydavau ramiai. Translation: When I was asked, I would answer calmly.

Notes:

Atsakydavau contrasts with the future form atsakysiu (I will answer) and the present atsakau (I answer). Its nuances include habituality and a sense of routine rather than a one-off event. As with other Lithuanian imperfect past forms, context and accompanying adverbs help clarify whether the action is described as a past habit or a conditional/repeated pattern.