Belarusian/Lesson 15

Some Popular Belarusian Names

Here are some names popular with Belarusians.

Men's names.

Belarusian	English Transliteration	Corresponding English Name
Але́г	Aleh	Oleg
Алякса́ндр; Але́сь	Alyaksandr; Alyes	Alexander
Аляксе́й	Alyaksei	Alexis
Анато́ль	Anatol
Анто́н, Анто́сь	Anton, Antos	Anthony
Вале́рый	Valery
Васiль	Vasil
Вiктар	Viktar	Viсtor
Вiнцэ́нт, Вiнцу́к	Vintsent, Vintsuk	Vincent
Вiта́ль	Vital
Гена́дзь	Henadz
Дзьмiтры, Зьмiцер, Зьмiтро́к	Dmitry, Zmitser, Zmitrok
Іва́н, Ян	Ivan, Yan	John
Ігна́т	Ignat
Іо́сiф, Язэ́п	Iosif, Yazep	Joseph
Канстанцiн, Касту́сь	Kanstantin, Kastus
Мiкала́й, Мiко́ла	Mikalai, Mikola	Nicholas
Мiхаiл, Мiха́сь	Mikhail, Mikhas	Michael
Пётр, Пятро́к	Pyotr, Pyatrok	Peter
Рыго́р	Rygor	Gregory
Сiгiзму́нд	Sihizmund	Sigmund
Сярге́й, Сяржу́к	Syarhei, Syarzhuk	Serge
Сцяпа́н	Stiapan	Stephan
Уладзiмiр	Uladimir
Уладзiсла́ў	Uladislau
Фёдар	Fyodar	Theodor
Цiмафе́й	Tsimafei	Timothy
Я́каў, Ясь	Yakau, Yas	James
Яўге́н	Yauhen	Eugene

Women's names.

Belarusian	English Transliteration	Corresponding English Name
Але́на	Aliena	Helen
Але́ся	Aliesya
Валянцiна	Valyantsina	Valentina
Ве́ра	Vera
Во́льга	Volga	Olga
Галiна	Halina
Га́нна	Hanna	Anne
Еўфрасiння	Eufrasinnya
Іры́на	Irina	Irene
Кацяры́на	Katsiaryna	Catherine
Мары́я, Мар'я	Maryia	Maria
Надзе́я	Nadzeya	Hope
Ната́лля	Natallya	Natalie
Нiна	Nina	Nina
Святла́на	Sviatlana
Тацця́на	Tattsiana
Ю́лiя	Yuliya	Julia

Verbs in бiць, вiць etc.

Verbs of the second conjugation ending in бiць, вiць, пiць or мiць obtain л letter in the first person singular. This feature is also characteristic to vern ending in б/в/п/м + ець/аць belonging to the second congugation.

Infinitive	я	ты	ён (яна, яно)	мы	вы	яны	Translation
рабiць	раблю́	ро́бiш	ро́бiць	ро́бiм	ро́бiце	ро́бяць	do
лавiць	лаўлю́	ло́вiш	ло́вiць	ло́вiм	ло́вiце	ло́вяць	catch
кармiць	кармлю́	ко́рмiш	ко́рмiць	ко́рмiм	ко́рмiце	ко́рмяць	feed
спаць	сплю	спiш	спiць	спiм	спiце	спяць	sleep

Nouns: Accusative

The accusative case is used with nouns, pronouns etc. being direct objects of something. E.g., in a sentence A is doing B, A would be used in the Nominative whereas B would be put in the Accusative.

The table illustrating the rule for nouns Accusative endings is given below.

	Nominative Singular	Accusative Singular	Accusative Plural
FIRST DECLENSION
animate, hard basis	а	у	-/оў (аў) (as in the Genitive)
	каза́	казу́	коз
	ка́чка	ка́чку	ка́чак
inanimate, hard basis	а	у	ы/i (as in the Nominative)
	гара́	гару́	го́ры
	рака́	раку́	рэ́кi
	вёска	вёску	вёскi
animate, soft basis	я	ю	-/ёў (яў) (as in the Genitive)
	ча́пля (*)	ча́плю	ча́пляў
inanimate, soft basis	я	ю	i (as in the Nominative)
	зямля́	зямлю́	зе́млi
	до́ля	до́лю	до́лi
SECOND DECLENSION
masculine animate	-	а/я (as in the Genitive)	оў/аў, ёў/яў (as in the Genitive)
	кот	ката́	като́ў
	студэ́нт	студэ́нта	студэ́нтаў
	конь	каня́	канёў
masculine inanimate	-	- (as in the Nominative)	ы/i (as in the Nominative)
	го́рад	го́рад	гарады́
	боль (ache)	боль	бо́лi
neuter	о/а, е	о/а, е (as in the Nominative)	ы/i as in the Nominative
	вакно́	вакно́	во́кны
	по́ле	по́ле	палi
THIRD DECLENSION
animate	-	- (as in the Nominative)	эй/ей (as in the Genitive)
	мыш	мыш	мышэ́й
	гусь	гусь	гусе́й
inanimate	-	- (as in the Nominative)	ы/i (as in the Nominative)
	ноч	ноч	но́чы

(*) ча́пля is a heron

As you can conclude from the table, the Accusative case has its own endings only for singular first declension nouns. For other nouns, the endings are "stolen" either from the Genitive or from the Nominative. Note that endings often differ for animate and inanimate nouns. This difference is reflected in question words for the Accusative, which are каго (as in the Genitive) for animate nouns, and што (as in the Nominative) for inanimate things.

Што гэ́та? - Гэ́та го́рад. What is this? This is town.

Хто гэ́та? - Гэ́та конь. Who is this? This is a horse.

Каго́ ты ба́чыш? - Каня́. Whom do you see? [I see] a horse.

Што ты ба́чыш? - Го́рад. What do you see? [I see] a town.

Like with Countables and Uncountables

When you say "I like X" in Belarusian, you put X into Accusative case. If the X is countable, you put it into plural, otherwise you leave it singular.

люблю́ кве́ткi. I like roses.

люблю́ мёд. I like honey.

люблю́ саба́к. I like dogs.

люблю́ му́зыку. I like music.

In Belarusian, the following groups of nouns are uncountable:

• friable substances: авёс (oats), гаро́х (peas), фасо́ля (French beans)
• berries: сунiца (strawberries), малiна (raspberries), вiнагра́д (grapes). BUT the word я́гада (berry) itself is countable
• most vegetables: бу́льба (potatoes), мо́рква (carrots), капу́ста (cabbages), цыбу́ля (onions)

Countable nouns are used in singular if they are interpreted not as a thing but as a state or as a concept:

люблю́ вясну́. I like spring.

люблю́ лес. I like the forest.

Some nouns can be used both in singular and in plural, depending on their meaning:

люблю́ пту́шку. I like poultry.

люблю́ пту́шак. I like birds.

Exercises

Likes and Dislikes

Part 1. Say whether you like or dislike the following things using the verb любiць. Be sure to put the objects into the Accusative case.

Sample: Я не люблю кошак. Я люблю сабак.

мыш (mouse)

аўто́бус (bus)

цыбу́ля (onion)

цягнiк (train)

вясна́ (spring)

ле́та (summer)

во́сень (autumn)

зiма́ (winter)

снег (snow)

Джордж Буш (George Bush)

дождж (rain)

каза́ (goat)

я́блык (apple)

конь (horse)

бу́льба uncountable (potato)

Clue: Hе люблю мышэй, аўтобусы, цыбулю, цягнiкi, вясну, лета, восень, зiму, Джорджа Буша, снег, дождж, коз, яблыкi, бульбу

Part 2. Using the chart below, say

a) what Hanna likes

b) what Vasil does not like

c) what both Hanna and Vasil like

	Га́нна	Васiль
кот	+	+
саба́ка	-	-
зiма́	-	+
ле́та	+	-
капу́ста	+	+
я́блык	+	+
бу́льба	-	+
снег	-	+
дождж	-	-
го́рад	+	-
мыш	+	+
ноч	+	-

Clue: (a) Ганна любiць катоў, лета, капусту, яблыкi, горад, мышэй, ноч (b) Васiль не любiць сабак, лета, дождж, горад, ноч (c) Васiль i Ганна любяць катоў, капусту, яблыкi, мышэй

Translation

Translate into Belarusian.

(1) Do you like summer? No, we don't like summer. we like winter.

(2) Does Vera like travelling? Yes, she likes travelling.

(3) What are they doing? They are sleeping.

(4) What do you see? I see a dog and a bird.

(5) What are you doing? I am feeding the cats.

(6) Do you like swimming? No, I don't like swimming.

(7) Do you like berries? Yes, I like strawberries and raspberries.

(8) Ivan likes potatoes, carrots and apples.

Clue: (1) Вы любiце лета? Не мы не любiм лета, мы любiм зiму. (2) Вера любiць вандраваць? Так, яна любiць вандраваць. (3) Што яны робяць? Яны спяць. (4) Што ты бачыш? Я бачу сабаку i птушку. (5) Што ты робiш? Я кармлю катоў. (6) Ты любiш плаваць? Не, я не люблю плаваць. (7) Ты любiш ягады? Так, я люблю сунiцу i малiну. (8) Іван любiць бульбу, моркву i яблыкi.