ilgalaikiai

Ilgalaikiai is a Lithuanian term formed from the adjective ilgalaikis, meaning long-term or lasting over a long period. In contemporary usage, ilgalaikiai can function as an adjective describing things that span a long duration, or as a substantive referring to groups of people or entities defined by their duration. The form is commonly seen in formal, administrative, and everyday contexts.

The word appears across various domains. Common collocations include ilgalaikiai projektai (long-term projects), ilgalaikiai darbuotojai (long-term employees), ilgalaikiai klientai (long-term clients), ilgalaikiai įsipareigojimai (long-term obligations), and ilgalaikiai gyventojai (long-term residents). It is also used in contexts such as ilgalaikė priežiūra or ilgalaikė pagalba to denote services or support sustained over time. In policy and planning discourse, ilgalaikiai is often contrasted with trumpalaikiai (short-term), to differentiate durations in budgets, programs, and strategic goals.

Morphology and usage notes. Ilgalaikiai is the plural form of the adjective and is frequently used as a noun to refer to groups characterized by extended duration, for example, “šie ilgalaikiai” indicating these long-term ones. The term can describe people, arrangements, or activities, and it generally implies planning, commitment, or continuity beyond a short horizon. In Lithuanian grammar, it harmonizes with related nouns in gender and number when used in phrases (e.g., ilgalaikiai projektai, ilgalaikiai klientai).

See also: short-term (trumpalaikiai), long-term care, long-term planning.