2. Noun Declension Patterns
Belarusian declension patterns are quite straghtforward and follow several basic patterns. The orthographic convention might make them look more complex.
It is extremely common for a noun with accented endings in the singular to have unaccented endings in the plural, and vice-versa.
Masculine declension: basic pattern
The basic pattern of masculine declension is that for nouns 1) ending in a non-palatalized consonant appending 2) the accented set of endings like the work блі́н
, ‘pancake’, ву́гал
‘corner’, лоб
‘forehead’. In this case the stem alternates between its accentuated and non-accentuated version split for palatalization: блі́н
vs блін-
and блінь-
.
Sing. | Pl. | |
Nom. | блі́н | бліны́ |
Acc. | блі́н | бліны́ |
Gen. | бліна́ | бліно́ў |
Dat. | бліну́ | бліна́м |
Instr. | бліно́м | бліна́мі |
Prep. | на бліне́ | на бліна́х |
Many other masculine nous take non-accentuated version of the same endings. So do план
‘plan’, аўто́бус
‘bus’, клас
‘class’. In this case as well, the noun’s stem is split for palatalization but is always accented: аўто́бус
vs аўто́бусь-
.
Sing. | Pl. | |
Nom. | аўто́бус | аўто́бусы |
Acc. | аўто́бус | аўто́бусы |
Gen. | аўто́буса | аўто́бусаў |
Dat. | аўто́бусу | аўто́бусам |
Instr. | аўто́бусам | аўто́бусамі |
Prep. | у аўто́бусе | у аўто́бусах |
Stems ending in -д
or -т
form their palatalized forms with дзь-
and ць-
respectively (суд
‘judgment’: су́д
vs суд-
and судзь-
, куст
‘bush’, ліст
‘leaf’ for accented endings, otherwise по́гляд
‘outlook’, асфа́льт
‘asphalt’).
Masculine nouns in -г
, -к
, or -х
with accented endings decline like кула́к
‘fist. The stem is still split into three variants: кула́к
, кулак-
, кулакь-
, but they are used to form different cases. бок
‘side’, мех
‘sack’.
Sing. | Pl. | |
Nom. | кула́к | кулакі́ |
Acc. | кула́к | кулакі́ |
Gen. | кулака́ | кулакоў |
Dat. | кулаку́ | кулака́м |
Instr. | кулако́м | кулака́мі |
Prep. | у кулаку́ | у кулака́х |
In the of non accented ending as well, the noun’s stem is split for palatalization but is always accented: во́жык
vs во́жык-
. гук
‘sound’, луг
‘meadow’, страх
‘fear’.
Masculine nouns with accented endings in -ж
, -р
, -ц
, -ч
, or -ш
decline like мяч
‘ball’ receive ы́
in Prep. Sing, the stem in plit in two: мя́ч
vs мяч-
(двор
‘yard’, нож
‘knife’, кане́ц
‘end’, кош
‘basket’), with unaccented endings decline like катэ́дж
‘cottage’: receive ы
in Prep. Sing, the stem in not plit: катэ́дж-
. (ро́вар
‘bicycle’, харч
‘food’, па́лец
‘finger’, а́ркуш
‘sheet of paper’)
Masculine nouns ending in a palatalized consonant (marked with -ь
or -й
) follow the general pattern either with stem or ending accentuation, but forming the Prep. Sing. with і
or і́
(пень
‘stump’, аго́нь
‘fire’, руча́й
‘stream’ ending-accentuated, партфе́ль
‘briefcase’, аўтамабі́ль
‘automobile’ stem-accentuated). The non-accented Instr. Sing. is formed with э
sound instead of *а
: -ем
instead of *-ам
(партфе́лем
instead of *партфе́лям
).
Neuter nouns follow the same pattern
Most neuter nouns end in accentuated -о́
(like крыло́
wing, акно́
‘window’, пісьмо́
‘letter’) or non-accentuated -а
(like ко́ла
‘wheel’, дрэ́ва
‘tree’). Their stem is obtained by dropping the laste phoneme -о́
or -а
and follows the basic masculine pattern. The Nom. and Acc. forms conserve this final -о́
or -а
.
Is exactly the same, as described for masculine nouns, the mechanics of д
-т
(гняздо́
→ гняздзе́
‘nest’, жы́та
→ жы́це
‘rye’, ле́та
→ ле́це
‘summer’), -га
, -ка
, or -ха
(во́блака
‘cloud’, рэ́ха
‘echo’), -жо
, -ро
, -цо
, -чо
, or -шо
(вядро́
bucket, ружжо́
‘gun’, яйцо́
‘egg’, плячо́
‘shoulder’), -жа
, -ра
, -ца
, -ча
, or -ша
(аке́нца
small window, мо́ра
‘sea’, аблі́чча
‘countenance’, падстрэ́шша
‘eaves’).
Neuter nouns ending in accentuated -ё
(пачуццё́
‘sense’, галлё́
, ‘piece of firewood’, жыццё́
, ‘life’) or non-accentuated -е
(пакале́нне
‘generation’, выключэ́нне
‘exception’) have their stems not split and always palatalized: пачуцць-
, пакале́ннь-
. They follow the same neuter patterns for accentuated and non-accentuated nouns.
Palatalized stem make them follow the same adjustments the masculine palatalized stems undergo: Prep. Sing. in і
or і́
, the non-accentuated Instr. Sing. is formed with э
sound instead of *а
: -ем
instead of *-ам
(пакале́ннем
instead of *пакале́нням
).
**Neuter nouns ending in -мя
** (they are 7) бярэ́мя
‘armful’, вы́мя
‘udder’, пле́мя
‘tribe’, по́лымя
‘flame’, се́мя
‘seed’, це́мя
‘top of head’, стрэ́мя
‘stirrup’ follow the general pattern. Many of these nouns have no plural form. Some use augmentative suffix -ен-, -ян-, -ён-
in stem formation The section is in progress.
Neuter for animal youngs like цялё̐
‘calf’ follow the general pattern. They accept variation -ё́ / -я́
in Nom. and Acc. Sing. In Gen., Dat., Prep. Sing they use specific form with augmentative suffix in -я́ці
, identical for the three cases (парася́
‘piglet’, жарабя́
‘foal’, дзіця́
‘child’) The section is in progress:
Sing. | Pl. | |
Nom. | цялё́ & цяля́ | цяля́ты |
Acc. | цялё́ & цяля́ | цяля́т |
Gen. | цяля́ці | цяля́т |
Dat. | цяля́ці | цяля́там |
Instr. | цялё́м | цяля́тамі |
Prep. | аб цяля́ці | аб цяля́тах |
Feminine pattern nouns ending in -а
The basic pattern of feminine declension is that for nouns 1) ending in a non-palatalized consonant appending 2) the accented set of endings like the work галіна́
‘branch’ (сцяна́
‘wall’, галава́
‘head’, сасна́
‘pine tree’).
In this case the stem alternates between its accentuated and non-accentuated version split for palatalization: галін-
vs галінь-
and галі́н-
.
Sing. | Pl. | |
Nom. | галіна́ |
галіны́ |
Acc. | галіну́ |
галіны́ |
Gen. | галіны́ |
галі́н ́ |
Dat. | галіне́ |
галіна́м |
Instr. | галіно́й |
галіна́мі |
Prep. | на галіне́ |
на галіна́х |
Feminine nouns 1) ending in a non-palatalized consonant appending using the 2) non-accented set of endings behave жанчы́на
‘woman’ (бу́льба
‘potatoe’, кра́ма
‘store’).
Their stem is split for palatalization and is always accentuated: жанчы́н-
vs жанчы́нь-
. The endings are the unaccented version of the previous ones with the Instr. Sing. being -ай
: жанчы́най
.
The stems ending in д
or т
form the Dat. and Prep. Sing. stems with ць
or дзь
respectively: пліта́
→ пліце́
‘slab’, ха́та
→ ха́це
‘home’, вада́
→ вадзе́
‘water’, бясе́да
→ бясе́дзе
‘discussion’.
The stems ending in г
, к
, х
like рука́
‘arm’ form Dat. and Prep. Sing. with a stem version in зь
, ц
, сь
respectively. The Gen. Sing and Nom. Pl. use palatalized version of the stem and an і
-colored ending instead of ы
. Their stem is split for palatalization and second palatalization: рук-
, рукь-
, руц-
, ру́к-
(страха́
→ страсе́
‘roof’, нага
→ назе
‘leg’).
The stems ending in ж
, р
, ч
, ц
, ш
form Dat. and Prep. Sing. with endings ы
and ы́
in accented and non-accented ending paradigms: мяжа́
‘boundary’, гара́
‘mountain’, душа́
‘soul’, мара́
‘dream’, ве́жа
‘spire’, ра́ніца
‘morning’, ану́ча
‘rag’, ка́ша
‘porridge’.
Feminined nouns with stem in a palatalized consonant (marked with -я
) follow the general pattern either with stem or ending accentuation, but forming the Dat., Prep. Sing. and Nom. Pl. with і
or і́
(зямля́
‘land’, сям
‘я́
‘family’, лі́нія
‘line’, ку́ля
‘bullet’, па́ртыя
‘party’).
Feminine nouns ending in consonant
The Inst. Sing. may double the last consontant or insert a sound й
(written as apostroph ’
). The Gen. Pl. uses -ей
or -эй
for accented endings, -аў
, -яў
for unaccented: су́вязь
‘connection’ (ра́дасць
‘joy’, соль
‘salt’):
Sing. | Pl. | |
Nom. | су́вязь |
су́вязі |
Acc. | су́вязь |
су́вязі |
Gen. | су́вязі |
су́вязяў |
Dat. | су́вязі |
су́вязям |
Instr. | су́вяззю |
су́вязямі |
Prep. | на су́вязі |
на су́вязях |
Nouns of this group with the endings -ж
, -р
, -ч
, or -ш
decline like ноч
‘night’ (ву́праж
‘bridled horse’, мыш
‘mouse’).
Sing. | Pl. | |
Nom. | ноч |
но́чы |
Acc. | ноч |
но́чы |
Gen. | но́чы |
начэ́й |
Dat. | но́чы |
нача́м |
Instr. | но́ччу |
нача́мі |
Prep. | у но́чы |
у нача́х |
The section is in progress