Ilgiau

Ilgiau is a Lithuanian adverb that signifies a longer duration or greater extent, roughly translating to “longer” or “for a longer time.” It is the comparative form of the adverb ilgai, which means “for a long time.” In usage, ilgiau is employed to express lengthening of time or to compare durations between actions.

In practice, ilgiau is commonly used with verbs of duration to indicate that something lasted more time than another reference point. Examples include: Aš laukiau ilgiau. (I waited longer.) Ji dirbo ilgiau nei įprasta. (She worked longer than usual.) Tai užtruko ilgiau, nei planuota. (It took longer than planned.) The form is invariable and does not change for gender or number, as is typical of Lithuanian adverbs.

Morphology and related forms: ilgiau is related to ilgai (for a long time) and to the adjective ilgas (long). The corresponding comparative adjective form is ilgesnis, which describes something longer in a descriptive sense, while ilgiau specifically modifies actions by indicating duration. The word is widely used in everyday Lithuanian, in both spoken and written contexts.

Notes: In comparative constructions, ilgiau often appears with negation or with a comparison marker like nei (than) to establish a reference point for the longer duration. Its meaning is distinct from forms that describe the quality of being long, which lean on the adjective ilgas and its derivatives. See also ilgai, ilgesnis.