4. Syntax: The Use of Cases

4.1 Use of the nominative case

This case is taken by the subject of the sentence. If the verb of the sentence is ёсць, or if there is no verb, then the object of the sentence also takes the nominative case.

The direct objects of verbs such as зваць, to call, and its derivatives, often take the nominative case.

The direct object of the verbs быць, to be, and стаць, to become, can take the nominative case if the direct object is an adjective that is being used as a predicate.

4.2 Use of the accusative case

The direct object of most verbs usually takes the accusative case. Certain prepositions are followed by nouns in the accusative case, often when motion is implied. a period of time placed in the accusative case, with no preposition preceding it, indicates that an action was carried out over the course of that time.

Prepositions with the accusative case

The following prepositions can be followed by the accusative case. Often, the meaning of the prefix revolves around a sense of motion. The meaning of each preposition in that context is given.

4.3 Use of the genitive case

This case is used both by certain prepositions and also to express ownership and relationship. Some verbs, like баяцца, to fear, and хацець, to want, require that the direct object be placed in the genitive case. To negate a sentence, the particle не is placed before the direct object, and the direct object is placed in the genitive case. a lack of something can be expressed by the word няма, followed by the noun in the genitive plural, or genitive singular if the noun has no plural form.

Расліны баяцца марозу.Plants fear frost.

Я сама гэтага хацела.I wanted this myself.

*Невядома, хто гаспадар гэтагаNoone knows who the owner of this*

катэджа.cottage is.

Я не маю часу.I do not have any time.

Я нічога не разумею.I do not understand anything.

Шкада, але і ў мяне нічога няма.It is sad, but I do not have anything either.

Prepositions with the genitive case

The following prepositions can be followed by the genitive case. The meaning of each preposition in that context is given.

ад‘from’

ад сасны адламалася галінка.a branch broke off from the tree.

Схаваліся ад дажджу.They hid from the rain.

ад вясны да восені.From spring to fall.

‘than’

Мацней ад грому.Stronger than thunder.

акрамяbut

*Там нікога не былоNo one was there*

акрамя мяне.but me.

апрачаbut

*Там нікога не былоNo one was there*

апрача мяне.besides me.

без‘without’

Без усялякай прычыны.Without any excuse.

вакол‘around’

Вакол яго сабраліся людзі.People gathered around him.

воддальfar from

Воддаль дарогі стаяла вёска.Far from the road stood a village.

да‘until’

Яшчэ некалькі дзён да жніва.It is still a few days until harvest.

‘to’

Дадаць пяць да трох.add five to three.

Ужо да берага падплываў.He had already swam to the bank.

дзеляfor [someone’s benefit]

*Зраблю* гэта дзеля цябе.I will do this for you.

для‘for’

Для яго гэта лёгкая справа.It is an easy thing for him.

зoff of (opposite of на + accusative)

• Прыбраў ліст з акна.He removed the leaf off of thewindow.*

*out of *(opposite of у + accusative)

Выйшаў з вады.He got out of the water.

замест‘instead’

Хочаш вады замест чаю?Do you want water instead of tea?

звышmore than

Набраў звыш двух дзесяткаў.He gathered more than twenty.

каляnear

*Дрэва расце* каля плоту.The tree grows near the fence.

‘about’

Каля пяці гадзін.about five o’clock.

ля‘near’

*Ён там ля лазьні блізка жыў.He lived there, close near the bath-*

house.

між‘among’

Спрэчка між сябраў.an arguement among friends.

паводлеin accordance with

апранутая паводле апошняйDressed according to the latest

моды.fashions.

паміж‘between’

Стаяць паміж двух агней.To stand between two fires.

пасляafter

Пасля аб‘яднання, яныafter the unification, they selected

выбралі старэйшага.an elder.

*Настаўніца, якая прыедзеThe teacher, which will come after*

пасля вучылішча.the school.

супраць‘across’

Хата стаіць супраць школы.The house is across from the school.

‘against’

Плысці супраць цячэння.To swim against the current.

Хто «за» і хто «супраць»?Who is “for” and who is “against”?

Здарылася супраць маёйIt happened against my will.

волі.

сяродin the middle of

Дрэва стаіць сярод поля.a tree stands in the middle of a

field.

у[used to show possession]

Няўжо ў іх няма сабакі?Do they really not have a dog?

У яго баліць галава.His head hurts.

‘at’

Шыць паліто ў краўца.To have the coat mended at the

tailor’s.

4.4 Use of the dative case

This case is used to signify indirect objects, and is also used by certain prepositions. Very often, words in the dative case can be translated into English as having the word ‘to’ placed before them. There are also certain constructions with predicates that use the dative case.

| Вы даяце́ прыкла́д усі́м на́шым калга́снікам. | You give an example to all our workers.* | |td>Мне трэ́ба вы́йсці. | I have to leave.</td> | |td>адстава́ць жа не́льга нам! | We must not become separated! | | два́ццаць табе́ ле́таў`! | You are not even twenty years old!*</td> </tr>

Prepositions with the dative case

The preposition most commonly used with the dative case is па. There are many different meanings of па + dative, but a few examples are given below. For these usages, the preposition па only takes the dative when the indirect object is singular. If the object is plural, it must take the prepositional case.

| Я даў дзе́цям па я́блыку. | I gave the children one apple apiece.* | |td>Паляўні́чы ідзе́ па сляда́х зве́ра. | The hunter went a | |td>Спабо́рніцтвы па футбо́лу. | Soccer competition.</td> | | Не прые́хаў па хваро́бе. | He did not come because he was sick. | |ва́рыш па універсітэ́ту`. | a friend from college.*</td> </tr>

The preposition к is also used with the dative case. This preposition is not as common in Belarusian as it is in Russian. Often, the preposition да is used in Belarusian in situations where Russian uses к.

4.5 Use of the instrumental case

This case is used by certain prepositions and also to signify that the noun functions as some means for an action. The direct object of some verbs, especially those that translate as to be, also takes this case. a word in the instrumental case can often be translated into English by preceding it with the preposition “with.”

Галоўнай іх сілай былі *гранаты.Their main weapon was grenades.*

Мы давай паедзем машінай.Let’s take the car.

Ты павінна валодаць гэтай мовайYou should have such control of this

так, каб чулася як удомаlanguage that you feel at home

між людзей, якіяamong people, who speak Belarusian.

па-беларуску гавораць.

Prepositions with the instrumental case

The following prepositions can be followed by the instrumental case. The meaning of each preposition in that context is given.

з‘with’

Я пайшоў з імі.I went with them.

за‘behind’

Ідзі за мною.Walk behind me.

між‘between’

Дарога ўецца між палямі.The road winds between fields.

над‘over’

Над лесам навісла хмара.a stormcloud hung over the forest.

‘exceeding’

Мароз над усімі маразамі.a frost exceeding all frosts.

пад‘beneath’

*Жыта* залоціцца пад сонцам.The rye ripened beneath the sun.

‘under’

Быць пад строгай аховай.To be under heavy guard.

паміж‘between’

Паміж небам і зямлёю.Between heaven and earth.

перадin front of

Не адступаць перадDo not retreat in the face of

цяжкасцямі.difficulty.

‘before’

Перад тым, трэба падумаць.Before that, one must think.

compared to

Яны нішто перад ім.They are nothing compared to him.

4.6 Use of the prepositional case

This case is only used when following prepositions, hence the name. The following prepositions can be followed by the prepositional case. The meaning of each preposition in that context is given.

For the usages of па given below, the prepositional case can only be used if the object is plural. If it is singular, the dative case must be used, see 24.2 for examples.