Pastarasis

Pastarasis is a term in the Lithuanian language that functions as a demonstrative adjective or pronoun meaning “the latter” or “the second of two items mentioned.” It is used to refer back to the second element in a sequence, contrasting with the first element, typically indicated by pirmasis (the first). The masculine singular form pastarasis is used when the noun it modifies is masculine; other gender and number forms align with the noun in a sentence.

In usage, pastarasis appears in formal writing, academic prose, and careful narration where a distinction between two previously mentioned items is required. It helps avoid repetition by pointing to the item already discussed rather than restating it.

Etymology and related forms: Pastarasis is part of a family of demonstratives that indicate order. It is related to other ordinal or sequential terms in Lithuanian, such as pirmasis (the first) and antras (the second). The exact form changes with gender, number, and case to maintain agreement with the modified noun.

See also: pirmasis, antras, paskutinis.

Notes: The term is linguistic in use and primarily of interest in discussions of Lithuanian grammar, syntax, or language education. It is not widely adopted as a proper noun or as a term outside Lithuanian-language contexts.