greitai

Greitai is a common Lithuanian adverb meaning quickly or fast. It describes the manner or speed of an action and is typically used to indicate how something is done rather than what is done. In everyday speech, it can modify verbs directly: for example, Jis greitai bėgo (He ran quickly) and Ji greitai atsakė (She answered quickly).

Etymology and form: Greitai is derived from the adjective greitas (fast) and functions as an adverb in standard Lithuanian grammar. As an adverb, it does not change for gender, number, or case. For comparison, the adverbial form greičiau is used to express a greater speed, as in Jis greičiau bėgo nei aš (He ran faster than I did). Another related construction can convey degree or frequency using combinations like greitai ir efektyviai (quickly and effectively).

Usage notes: Greitai appears across registers from everyday conversation to journalism and literature. It can convey urgency or immediacy when paired with verbs of action, and it is compatible with various auxiliary verbs and negation. While synonymous terms exist (such as greitai kartu su kitais adverbiais), greitai remains the straightforward choice for “quickly” in most standard contexts.

See also: Lithuanian adjectives related to speed, such as greitas (fast), and other adverbs indicating manner of movement like lėtai (slowly) and ramiai (calmly).