· 6 min read
Lithuanian for English Speakers: How to Start
By Language Lab editorial team
Learn Lithuanian as an English speaker: what kind of language it is, how long it takes, the 32-letter alphabet, where to find study material and first phrases.
Lithuanian is a Baltic language, written in a 32-letter alphabet based on Latin, and one of the oldest living Indo-European languages. That age is what makes it demanding: it has preserved archaic grammatical forms, and one national language institute calls it the most conservative of the Indo-European languages. The US State Department places Lithuanian in Category III, hard languages, at about 44 weeks or 1,012 class hours for English speakers. So plan for steady work over a long period. Start with the alphabet and its sounds, learn words inside whole phrases so that the changing forms come with them, and use graded material: Lithuania's National Library publishes a list of self-study publications for learners from beginner to advanced. Study by testing yourself and spacing your reviews, and speak from the first week.
Lithuanian at a glance
| Lithuanian | |
|---|---|
| Family | Indo-European; one of the Baltic languages, with Latvian |
| Script | A 32-letter alphabet based on Latin |
| Official status | Official language of Lithuania; an official language of the European Union |
| State Department category | Category III, about 44 weeks (1,012 class hours) |
| Known for | Archaic grammatical forms |
What kind of language it is
Lithuanian and Latvian are the Eastern Baltic languages, and France's national institute for oriental languages, Inalco, calls them the last of the Baltic languages. Inalco describes Lithuanian as the most conservative of the Indo-European languages: in grammatical structure it is in some respects still close to the Sanskrit or Ancient Greek spoken 2,500 years ago. Lithuania's National Library puts it in similar terms, as one of the oldest living Indo-European languages in the world, with archaic grammatical forms and a rich vocabulary. For a learner this has a practical meaning. Lithuanian is distantly related to English, since both are Indo-European, but it belongs to a different branch and has kept far more of the old grammar.
How long it takes
The US State Department lists Lithuanian in Category III, which it describes as hard languages with significant linguistic or cultural differences from English: about 44 weeks, or 1,012 class hours. Its figures are the time usually expected to reach a speaking and listening score of 3 on the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) scale, with a typical week of 23 hours in class and 17 hours of self-study, and it notes that actual time varies with ability, prior language-learning experience and time in the classroom. At 10 hours a week, 1,012 hours is about 101 weeks. The Department previously published this list under the name Foreign Service Institute (FSI); an archived version of the page gives identical class-hour totals to the current one.
| Language | State Department category | Class time |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish, French | Category I | 30 weeks |
| German | Category II | About 36 weeks (828 class hours) |
| Lithuanian, Latvian, Polish, Russian | Category III | About 44 weeks (1,012 class hours) |
| Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean | Category IV | 88 weeks (2,200 class hours) |
Start with the alphabet
The BBC's language profile describes the modern Lithuanian script as a 32-letter alphabet based on Latin, with some additional letters. You can see them in the first words you will learn: ačiū, thank you, and atsiprašau, I'm sorry. The script is Latin, so there is no new alphabet to decode. Learn the additional letters and their sounds with audio before you learn any grammar.
Learn words in phrases
Because Lithuanian has kept so many grammatical forms, the most efficient habit for a beginner is to learn each new word inside a short, complete phrase, so that the form and the meaning are stored together, and to collect several phrases for every common word.
Where to find study material
The Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania has compiled a list of publications for independent study of Lithuanian, for non-native speakers. The material is adapted to different levels, from beginners to advanced, and is chosen to develop reading, writing, listening and speaking and to explain the structure and use of the language in everyday situations. The publications are held in the library's Lithuanian Studies Reading Room and on its iBiblioteka.lt portal.
First phrases
| Lithuanian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Labas. | Hello. |
| Viso gero. | Goodbye. |
| Ačiū. | Thank you. |
| Taip. | Yes. |
| Ne. | No. |
| Ar jūs kalbate angliškai? | Do you speak English? |
| Atsiprašau, aš nekalbu lietuviškai. | I'm sorry, I don't speak Lithuanian. |
These come from the BBC's archived list of essential Lithuanian phrases.
A plan for English speakers
- Week one: the alphabet and its sounds, with audio.
- Daily: one lesson of a graded course, in order.
- Daily: five new phrases, said aloud.
- Test yourself: cover the Lithuanian and produce it from the English.
- Review each lesson after a day, a week and a month.
The last two steps follow the research: a 2013 review of learning techniques rated practice testing and distributed practice as high utility, and rereading and highlighting as low. Language Lab's Lithuanian course is built around voiced real-life scenarios with an AI tutor, so you can practise speaking between lessons.
Frequently asked
Is Lithuanian hard for English speakers?
The US State Department places it in Category III, hard languages, at about 44 weeks or 1,012 class hours.
How long does it take to learn Lithuanian?
About 44 weeks of full-time classes, or 1,012 class hours, by the US State Department's figures. At 10 hours a week that is about 101 weeks.
What language family is Lithuanian in?
It is an Indo-European language of the Baltic group. Its only living close relative is Latvian.
Is Lithuanian similar to Russian or Polish?
They belong to different groups. Russian and Polish are Slavic languages; Lithuanian is a Baltic language, grouped with Latvian.
Why is Lithuanian called an old language?
It has preserved archaic grammatical forms. Inalco describes it as the most conservative of the Indo-European languages, in some respects still close to Sanskrit or Ancient Greek.
What alphabet does Lithuanian use?
A 32-letter alphabet based on Latin, with some additional letters.
Sources: US Department of State, National Foreign Affairs Training Center, Foreign Language Training; Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales (Inalco), Lithuanian; Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania, Useful for non-native speakers; BBC Languages, European Languages: Lithuanian, and Quick Fix essential Lithuanian phrases (archived); UCLA, Background Information (Ukrainian) and Background Information (Croatian); Dunlosky et al., Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2013. Checked on 13 October 2026. Photo: Trakai Island Castle, Lithuania, Pierre André Leclercq / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
