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Lithuanian Out Loud is a podcast series designed for fans of the Lithuanian language. Come along with native Lithuanian author/lawyer Raminta and her North-American husband, Jack. They'll teach you Lithuanian along with tidbits about the history and culture of Raminta's homeland - Lietuva!

Music: Vieux Farka Toure - Ana {Pocket Remix} by pocketproductions (c) copyright 2007 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/pocketproductions/8916 Ft: Pocket (Richard Jankovich)

 

Nov 16, 2008

Prašom Palaukti Please Wait

Hi there, I’m Jack and I’m Raminta and welcome back to Lithuanian Out Loud where we offer the world the Lithuanian language.  Today we’re in the month of November which in Lithuanian is lapkritis.

According to Wikipedia, Eglė the Queen of Serpents is considered one of the most archaic and best-known Lithuanian fairy tales and the richest in references of Baltic mythology. Over a hundred slightly diverging versions of the plot have been collected. Its multi-layered mythological background has been an interest of Lithuanian and foreign researchers of Indo-European mythology.

Photograph: Grass Snake
Photographer: Funkai1 (Wikipedia)

Eglė is both a popular female name in Lithuania and also a noun meaning spruce tree. The serpents (žaltys) of the tale are grass snakes in Lithuanian, but because they inhabit the sea, the word may mean a mythical water snake.

pradėkime, let’s get started

The Lithuanian word prašom is used a lot.  You’ve probably heard it in every episode of Lithuanian Out Loud.  We often say, prašom pakartoti.  Pakartoti is the infinitive verb which means, to repeat.  So, prašom pakartoti translates as, please repeat.  You can use it on the street any time you don’t understand what is said.  It’s perfect for your lesson with a native Lithuanian speaker.

use this when handing someone something

here you go         
prašom

here you are         
prašom

this is for you      
prašom

thank you            
ačiū

it’s nothing          
nėra už ką

it’s nothing          
nėra už ką

when you say nėra už ką in normal conversation is sounds more like one word

it’s nothing          
nėra už ką

no sweat             
nėra už ką

it’s nothing          
nieko tokio

you’re welcome    
nieko tokio

no sweat              
nieko tokio

a friend brings you a drink and says,

here you go          
prašom

you reply,
thank you             
ačiū

the waiter says,
it’s nothing           
nėra už ką

you buy a book and hand the bookseller some money and you say,

here you go          
prašom

the bookseller says,
thank you              
dėkoju

and you reply,
it’s nothing          
nėra už ką

Dėkoju means the same thing as ačiū, it’s a little more formal and more polite.  Dėkui means the same as dėkoju.

thank you              
dėkoju

thank you                    
dėkui

thank you                    
dėkoju

thank you                    
dėkoju

thanks                         
dėkui

thanks                         
dėkui

thank you (formal)       
dėkui jums

thank you very much
labai dėkui

an official at the airport asks for your passport, you pull it out, hand it to her and you say,

here you go                
prašom

thank you                   
dėkoju

you’re welcome          
prašom

So, you can say prašom to mean, here you are, or here you go.  You can use it to say, you’re welcome.  You can also use prašom to invite someone after you’ve opened a door for them.

you open a car door for someone and you say,

please, allow me           
prašom

thank you                    
dėkoju

you’re welcome           
prašom

you open your front door and invite a friend in, you say,

please come in              
prašom

thank you                     
ačiū

it’s nothing                   
nėra už ką

you’re getting on a bus and you stand aside to let an elderly woman board before you,

please, you first             
prašom

thank you                     
dėkui jums

it’s nothing                    
nėra už ką

if we’re sitting on the bus and a pregnant woman gets on board and has nowhere to sit, you get up and offer her your seat, you say,

please, sit here              
prašom

thanks                         
dėkui

you’re welcome            
prašom

now, as we mentioned at the beginning of this episode, we can use prašom combined with the infinitive of a verb.  It’s a gentle way of suggesting someone do something.  Here are some quick examples…

please, sit down            
prašom, atsisėsti

please, give (me)            
prašom, paduoti

please, tell (me)             
prašom, pasakyti

please, repeat                
prašom, pakartoti

please, write                  
prašom, rašyti

please, take                   
prašom, paiimti

please, read (me)           
prašom, paskaityti

please, wait                   
prašom, palaukti

please, listen                 
prašom, klausyti

please, don’t smoke      
prašom, nerūkyti (rūkyti – to smoke)

please, come in            
prašom, užeiti

please, eat                     
prašom, valgyti

please, show (me)           
prašom, parodyti

please, advise (me)        
prašom, patarti

please, have a seat        
prašom, prisėsti

please, listen                
prašom, paklausyti

please, visit                    
prašom, apsilankyti

please, stand up            
prašom, atsistoti

or, during a language class we might use these…

please, speak Lithuanian
prašom kalbėti lietuviškai

please, speak English    
prašom kalbėti angliškai

Puiku!  Excellent!  You made it to the end of another episode!  Puiku!

Eglė The Queen of Serpents
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egl%C4%97

Alright!  That’s it for today!  Thanks for the download!  If you got anything out of this lesson please leave us a review on our iTunes page.

To leave us comments call our voicemail number that’s in the title of every show or call our Skype voicemail at Lithuanianoutloud – that’s one word, and leave us a message there.
If you’d like to see the Lithuanian spelling of any word in this series just go to WWW dot Lithuanian dot L I B S Y N dot com.  If you’d like to get these episodes every time a new one is available just go to iTunes and do a search for Lithuanian Out Loud and click subscribe.  It’s completely free.  But, if you don’t want to subscribe on iTunes, just send us an email asking us to alert you every time a new episode hits the internet.  And feel free to make copies of our episodes, put them on cds and pass them out to your friends.
Thanks to CCMixter.org, Ditto Ditto and Vieux Farka Toure for the podcast music.
Thanks for tuning in, tell your friends about us, we’ll see you on the next episode of Lithuanian Out Loud.
I’m Jack and I’ve never met a Lithuanian I didn’t like.  Viso gero!  Sudie!

Symbols of Lithuania
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbols_of_Lithuania

http://www.Lithuanian.Libsyn.com
Skype voicemail:  Lithuanianoutloud
email Raminta and Jack at: lithuanianoutloud@earthlink.net 
http://www.vieuxfarkatoure.com/
http://www.ccmixter.org/