Praeityje

Praeityje is a Lithuanian adverb that means “in the past” or “historically.” It refers to times earlier than the present and is commonly used to situate statements about events, practices, or conditions that no longer apply. The word is standard in formal and literary Lithuanian as well as in historical or retrospective writing.

In usage, praėityje helps convey antiquity or a retrospective perspective. It often introduces statements about how life, technology, society, or culture differed in earlier periods. For example: „Praeityje šios žemės priklausė didikams.“ and „Praeityje medicina buvo daug kitokia nei šiandien.“ The term is flexible in narrative and expository prose and can frame discussions of historical change or tradition.

Etymologically, praeityje is rooted in the concept of the past (praeitis) and is the standard adverbial form used to denote temporal distance. It appears alongside related expressions such as anksčiau, anksčiau laikais, and seniau, which convey similar notions of earlier times, though with slightly different nuance or emphasis. Praeityje contrasts with dabar or dabartyje, which denote the present.

See also: Lithuanian language, time adverbs, historical writing.