Belarusian/Lesson 15
Some Popular Belarusian Names
editHere 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.
editVerbs 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
editThe 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
editWhen 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
editLikes and Dislikes
editPart 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
editTranslate 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.