Rankomis

Rankomis is a Lithuanian adverbial form meaning “by hand” or “with hands.” It is derived from the noun ranka (hand) with an instrumental suffix, and it denotes the manner in which an action is performed, emphasizing manual effort rather than machine involvement.

Grammatical notes: Rankomis functions as an adverbial modifier of manner. It typically appears with verbs to show manual execution and does not change for gender or number. It can be used in various tenses and voices, and is commonly found in both spoken and written Lithuanian.

Usage and nuance: The term is used to describe actions carried out without tools or machines, highlighting human skill, care, or a personal touch. It appears in contexts such as cooking, crafts, assembly, and restoration, and can be contrasted with mašiniškai (mechanically) or automatiniu būdu (in an automatic way).

Examples:

- Rankomis minkė tešlą. (They kneaded the dough by hand.)

- Rankomis rinko gėles. (They picked flowers by hand.)

- Rankomis nudažė lentą. (They painted the plank by hand.)