niekas

Lithuanian

Alternative forms

• (colloquial) nieks

Etymology

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *neikas, equivalent to nie- +‎ kas; compare Proto-Slavic *nikъto (“nobody”), *ničь, *ničьto (“nothing”). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ne (“no”) + *kʷos (“what”) with an additional element, perhaps *éy (“he, the”); see jis (“he”). Cognate with Avestan 𐬥𐬀𐬈𐬗𐬌𐬱 (naeciš), Ossetian ницы (nicy, “nothing”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /nʲiə.kɐs/

Pronoun

niẽkas stress pattern 2 or 4

1. nobody; (with negation) anybody
2. nothing; (with negation) anything

   Àš sù jaĩs neturiù niẽko beñdro - I don't have anything in common with them

   Rė́žėsi į̃ kìtą automobìlį ir̃ nuvažiavo lýg niẽkur niẽko - He crashed into another car and drove on as if nothing happened.

Declension

Noun

niekas

1. nothing, trifle, triviality (an unsignificant or low-value thing)
2. nobody, nonentity (insignificant, contemptable person)

   Jìs manè niekù laĩko ― He thinks of me as a no-one.

Declension

Derived terms

See also

• niekur, niekada, niekai, niekaip

References