Negali

Negali is a Lithuanian word that expresses inability and translates to “cannot” or “unable to” in English. It is the negative present-tense form of the verb galėti, which means “to be able.” In use, negali signals that the subject lacks the ability or permission to perform an action, without specifying the reason.

In present tense, negali appears with different subjects as a negative form. Common forms include: aš negaliu (I cannot), tu negali (you cannot), jis ji negali (he/she cannot). For plural subjects: mes negalime (we cannot), jūs negalite (you cannot), jie jos negali (they cannot). While negali is often heard in the 2nd singular and 3rd singular contexts, the full paradigm follows the standard Lithuanian present-tense system with the negation particle ne- prefixed to the verb stem.

Negali differs from negalima, which expresses general prohibition or unpermitted action rather than a specific inability. For example, negaliu eiti means “I cannot go,” while negalima eiti means “it is not allowed to go.” The two forms can cooccur in discourse to distinguish inability from prohibition.

Etymology and grammar: negali is formed by attaching the negation ne- to the present-tense stem of galėti. The construction is common across Lithuanian verbs and relies on the same negation strategy used with other tenses and moods.

See also: galėti, Lithuanian grammar, negalima.