17. The Imperative
17.1 Formation of the imperative
In the case of the vast majority of Belarusian verbs, the imperative
is formed as follows. Conjugate the verb for the 2nd person singular
and remove the final two letters. If the stem ends in a vowel, add an -й. If the stem ends in an
invariably non-palatized consonant, nothing is added, otherwise add
either an -і or a -ь. The ending –і is added
either if the infinitive is more than one syllable and the accent falls
on the last syllable, or if the root ends in two or more consonants
(note that the letter combinations дз and дж are each treated as a single
letter). If neither of these two conditions is met, then a -ь is added. This forms the
singular form of the imperative. To form the plural imperative, the
suffix -це is appended to the
singular form.
| infin. | br /> | nd Pers. Sing. | tem | mp. Sing. | Imp. Pl. |
браць |
to take | ярэ́ш |
яр- |
бяры́ |
яры́це |
глядзець |
o look | лядзі́ш |
лядз- |
лядзі́ |
глядзі́це |
глянуць |
o glance | ля́ніш |
лян- |
лянь |
гля́ньце |
жыць |
o live | ыве́ш |
ыв- |
ыві́ |
жыві́це |
легчы |
o lie down | я́жеш |
яж- |
яж |
ля́жце |
мыць |
o wash | ы́еш |
ы- |
ый |
мы́йце |
ехаць |
o drive | ́дзеш |
дз- |
дзь |
е́дзьце |
рабіць |
o do | о́біш |
об- |
абі́ |
рабі́це |
рэзаць |
o slice | э́жаш |
эж- |
эж |
рэ́жце |
сячы |
o cut up | ячэ́ш |
яч- |
ячы́ |
сячы́це |
стаць |
o become | та́неш |
тан- |
тань |
ста́ньце |
стукнуць |
o knock | ту́кнеш |
тукн- |
ту́кні |
сту́кніце |
чакаць |
o wait | ака́еш |
ака́- |
ака́й |
чака́йце |
17.2 Vowel changes due to spelling rules
There are several verbs, which seem to be irregular, but the changes of their vowels are really just manifestions of spelling rules.
бая́цца |
o fear | аі́шся |
о- |
о́йся |
бо́йцеся |
смяя́цца |
o dare | мяе́шся |
ме- |
ме́йся |
сме́йцеся |
стая́ць |
o stand | таі́ш |
то- |
той |
сто́йце |
17.3 Verbs beginning with вы-
If imperative form of verb ends in an -і (or -ы due to spelling rules) the
verb formed by adding the prefix вы- to the verb also has an imperative
that ends in -і, even though the
accent will fall on the prefix.
| Infin. | br /> | mp. Sing.<b | nfin. | br /> | Imp. Sing. |
ве́сці |
o lead | ядзі́ |
ы́весці |
o lead away | вы́ведзі |
каза́ць |
o say | ажы́ |
ы́казаць |
o state something< | вы́кажы |
рваць |
o tear | ві |
ы́рваць |
o tear away | вы́рві |
17.4 Irregular imperatives
Certain verbs have irregular imperatives. a few of these are given below.
| Infin. | br /> | nd Pers. Sing.<br / | Imp. Sing. | mp. Pl. |
дава́ць |
o give | ае́ш |
дава́й |
ава́йце |
даць |
to give* (Perf.) | асі́ |
дай |
а́йце |
е́сці |
o eat | ш |
еш |
́шце |
| br /> | br /> | br /> | ||
біць |
o hit | ‘еш |
бі |
і́це |
ліць |
o pour | ьеш |
лі |
і́це |
піць |
o drink | ьеш |
пі |
і́це |
17.5 1st person plural imperative
The most common way of forming the 1st person plural imperative is
by using the word
дава́йце. If the
verb is imperfective,
дава́йце is followed
by the verb’s infinitive. If the verb is perfective, the word
дава́йце is followed
by the verb conjugated for the 1st person plural.
Дава́йце яшчэ́ нальё́м. |
Let’s pour in some more.* | td>Дава́йце крыча́ць: хто слабе́й кры́кне, таго́ зьядзё́м. |
Let’s yell: Whoever yells the weakest, him we will eat.* |
alternatively, verbs do have a special form for the 1st person plural imperative.
Бярэ́м мана́ткі і марш! |
Let’s grab our gear and move out!* | td>Уцяка́йма, паку́ль не по́зна. |
Let’s get out of here, while it’s not to late.*</td> | |
Е́дзем на база́р, каб купі́ць е́жу на за́ўтра. |
Let’s go to the market to buy food for tomorrow.* |
If the 2nd person singular imperative ends in -й, the 1st person plural -rative is formed by adding the letters
-**ма` to the end of the
imperative.
| Infin. | br /> | mp. Sing. | st Pers. Pl. Imp. |
будава́ць |
o wait | уду́й |
уду́йма |
мы́цца |
o wash oneself<br | ы́йся |
ы́ймася |
чыта́ць |
o read | ыта́й |
ыта́йма |
If the 2nd person singular imperative ends in an accented -ы or -і, the 1st person plural -rative -эм or
-**ем` respectively.
бе́гчы |
o run | яжы́ |
яжэ́м |
бра́цца |
o wrap around some | яры́ся |
ярэ́мся |
крыча́ць |
o yell | рычы́ |
рычэ́м |
| br /> | br /> | br /> | |
сарва́ць |
to tear* (Perf.)< | арві́ |
арве́м |
спаць |
o sleep | пі |
пем |
хадзі́ць |
o walk | адзі́ |
адзе́м |
Otherwise, the 1st person plural imperative is identical to the 1st person plural indicative form.
быць |
to be* | удзь |
у́дзем |
се́сці |
to sit down* (Pe | ядзь |
я́дзем |
ле́гчы |
to lie down* ( | яж |
я́жам |
17.6 3rd person imperative
The third person imperative is formed by placing either the particle
хай or няха́й before the
verb, conjugated for the third person, either singular or plural.
Хай гаво́рыць. |
Let him speak.* | td>Не чапа́й, хай ляжы́ць. |
Don’t disturb him, let | |
Хай бу́дзе святло́. |
Let there be light.* |