How to Type in Lithuanian — Ą, Č, Ę, Ė, Į, Š, Ų, Ū, Ž Guide
Lithuanian uses 9 special characters: ą, č, ę, ė, į, š, ų, ū, ž. The keyboard (QWERTY-LT, often called ĄŽERTY) has a unique feature: the number row is replaced by these diacritics. Numbers require Shift.
Lithuanian's special characters
- Ą ą, Ę ę — vowels with ogonek (nasal vowels historically)
- Č č, Š š, Ž ž — caron diacritics (sh, ch, zh sounds)
- Ė ė — e with dot above
- Į į — i with ogonek
- Ų ų — u with ogonek
- Ū ū — u with macron
9 special characters all on the top row by default.
ĄŽERTY layout — number row replacement
Standard top row: ą č ę ė į š ų ū (where 1-8 are on QWERTY)
To type numbers: Shift + same key
- Shift+ą = 1
- Shift+č = 2
- ... etc.
ž is at top-right (where = is on QWERTY).
See QWERTY-LT layout deep-dive.
Practice the Lithuanian layout at /lt/qwerty_lt/.
Common Lithuanian typing patterns
- ir, yra, kad, kaip — common short words
- ąžuolas (oak), šuns (dog's), medis (tree) — common nouns
- viskas, mažytis, gražus — common adjectives
- Lietuva, Vilnius, lietuvis — proper nouns
- galėti, žinoti, turėti — common verbs
Touch typing tips for Lithuanian
- Drill the diacritic top row — completely new positions
- Number-via-Shift — adjust math/numeric habits
- Ė is unique (Lithuanian-only) — common letter, drill it
- Y/Z standard (no QWERTZ swap)
- Letter positions A-Z unchanged — basic English typing transfers
Target: 40-50 WPM in 4-6 weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why diacritic-first design?
Lithuanian uses 9 special characters very frequently. Direct top-row access is faster than dead-key combos. Numbers pushed to Shift (less frequent in everyday text).
Is the Shift-for-numbers annoying?
For Lithuanian writing: optimal. For accountants/programmers: yes — many use numpad or alternative layouts for number-heavy work.
Can I type Lithuanian on QWERTY-US?
Possible via dead-key Lithuanian layout — slower. ĄŽERTY is more efficient.
Is Lithuanian similar to Latvian?
Related (Baltic languages) but different alphabets and keyboards. Mutually unintelligible.
Are there alternative Lithuanian layouts?
Yes — Lithuanian Standard (no number-row replacement, dead-key diacritics). Less common than ĄŽERTY.
Should programmers use ĄŽERTY?
Mixed. Many Lithuanian programmers use QWERTY-US for code and ĄŽERTY for prose. Switching via Alt+Shift common.
Practice Lithuanian typing
Practice Lithuanian on Typing Hero App — 19 lessons including the diacritic top row.
For more: QWERTY-LT layout, How to type in Latvian, How to type in Estonian.