Vadovauti

Vadovauti is a Lithuanian verb meaning to lead, head, or be in charge of something or someone. It denotes taking responsibility for guiding and directing a group, organization, project, or process. The verb is transitive and typically requires a dative object, indicating who or what is being led, for example vadovauti įmonei (to lead a company) or vadovauti komandai (to lead a team).

Etymology and related terms: vadovauti derives from the noun vadovas, meaning leader or guide, with the verbal suffix -auti. Related nouns include vadovavimas (leadership, the act of leading) and vadovybė (the leadership, authorities). A related verb with broader governance sense is valdyti (to govern or manage), which is used in somewhat different contexts.

Usage and nuances: vadovauti emphasizes active direction and responsibility. It is commonly used in politics, business, military, sports, and academia to describe assuming or exercising leadership. The construction is typically with a dative object: vadovauti kam? or vadovauti kamui? in standard modern Lithuanian, for example vadovauja miestui (he leads the city), vadovauti įmonei (to head a company), vadovauti komandai (to lead a team).

Conjugation and examples: present tense forms include aš vadovauju, tu vadovauji, jis vadovauja, mes vadovaujame, jūs vadovaujate, jie vadovauja. Past tense commonly appears as vadovavo (he/she led) or vadovavau (I led). Examples: Ji vadovauja miestui. Mes vadovaujame projektui.

See also: leadership, management, vadovavimas, vadovybė.