akuzatyvas

Akuzatyvas, in Lithuanian grammar, is the direct object case. It marks the noun phrase that receives the action of a transitive verb and is one of seven grammatical cases used to express syntactic and semantic relations in the language.

Form and usage: The form of the akuzatyvas changes according to the noun’s declension, gender, number, and animacy. It commonly appears when a noun functions as the object of a verb, answering questions such as ką? (what). The akuzatyvas also governs adjectives and pronouns that precede the noun, which must agree in case, number, and gender. For example: aš skaitau knygą (I read a book) – knygą is in the accusative singular feminine; gerą knygą means “a good book” with the adjective in the accusative as well.

Examples:

- Aš matau knygą. (I see a book.)

- Jis matė žmogų. (He saw a person.)

- Mes skaitome knygas. (We read books.)

- Gerą knygą reikia skaityti. (A good book should be read.)

Animacy and declension influence: In Lithuanian, the exact endings of the akuzatyvas depend on the noun’s declension class and whether the noun is animate or inanimate, singular or plural. This affects both nouns and their accompanying adjectives or pronouns.

Relation to other cases: The akuzatyvas is distinct from the nominative, which marks the subject; the genitive, which often marks possession or partitive meaning; and other cases that indicate various grammatical roles such as indirect objects, instruments, or locations.

Etymology and scope: The term akuzatyvas reflects the Lithuanian designation for the accusative case, a standard category found across many Indo-European languages. In Lithuanian grammar, it is essential for constructing clear direct-object meanings and for proper agreement with modifiers.